Christian medical providers sue Colorado over gender-transition procedures

A Christian medical association and a Colorado family practice are challenging a state law they say forces health care professionals to participate in “gender-transition” procedures that violate their religious beliefs.

In a federal lawsuit filed Sept. 9, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations and Button Family Practice are asking the court to stop Colorado officials from compelling them to provide or refer patients for such procedures and restricting their ability to explain publicly why they decline to offer them, according to a Sept. 10 press release from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represents the providers.

The providers believe biological sex is a gift from God that cannot be changed or chosen, according to their federal complaint. They argue that forcing them to facilitate gender transitions would violate their First Amendment rights to religious exercise and speech.

“Forcing doctors to perform dangerous, unproven gender-transition procedures against their medical judgment, their oath to do no harm, and their faith is unconstitutional,” Bryan Neihart, ADF senior counsel, said in the release. “The state is not allowed to conscript doctors to harm the very children and adults entrusted to their care.”

The lawsuit follows a Colorado Supreme Court ruling that Children’s Hospital Colorado likely violated the state’s anti-discrimination law when it stopped providing puberty blockers and hormones to minors for gender transitions but continued using them for other medical conditions. ADF said the same reasoning could expose its clients to state enforcement, according to the complaint.

Providers found in violation of the law could face compliance orders, damages, mandatory staff training, and loss of public funding.

>> Colorado Supreme Court rules hospital discriminated by suspending gender ‘transition’ services <<