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Dear Friend of NCLR,
Last November, we got the call.
Doris and her partner of 23 years, Rita, (not their real names) were going through a kind of hell that no couple should ever endure.
When Rita became ill, the state removed her from their home and refused to tell Doris where she was. For two weeks, Doris and her friends made frantic calls to every hospital and facility they could think of, only to be told that Rita was not there.
Doris finally contacted us and NCLR’s lawyers took immediate action.
Within days, we were able to locate Rita and reunite the women. But the true horror of Doris and Rita’s situation was just becoming apparent.
Our attorneys discovered that the state had placed Rita in a hospice facility even though she was medically stable and nowhere near death. The facility had admitted Rita as a “Jane Doe” patient … intentionally—to hide her from Doris, her life partner and health care surrogate.
After Rita made repeated requests to go home and be reunited with Doris, the facility forcibly medicated her with a strong anti-psychotic drug that one doctor eventually told us has the effects of a “chemical lobotomy.”
Make no mistake: LGBT elders in this country are not protected. LGBT couples who have been together for decades are being torn apart at a time when they’re most vulnerable, even when they’ve taken steps to protect their relationship with life-planning documents as Doris and Rita did.
We have to fight for justice, and we need you with us. Can you make a donation right now to support NCLR’s work on behalf of LGBT elders like Doris and Rita?
NCLR lawyers and a local attorney fought to make sure that Doris remains Rita’s health care surrogate and that they both continue to have control over their lives.
But we won’t rest until we put an end to situations like this. We’re working harder than ever, expanding outreach for our elder law public education program. Our challenges are daunting, but they are not insurmountable when we can count on you for support.
These cases highlight the need for true and full LGBT equality across the nation, rather than a patchwork of hit-and-miss state rights or protections. Please help NCLR continue to fight for Rita and Doris … and to make sure their story never happens to anyone else, ever again!
Sincerely,
Kate Kendell, Esq.
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
P.S. The injustices faced by the elderly in our society cut across lines of gender, race, class, and sexual orientation. But when our relationships and lives are not fully understood, embraced, and protected by the larger culture, we’re often at enormous risk. Your gift today can make a profound difference to so many. Thanks again for everything you help us achieve!
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Meet Doris and Rita
They went through a hell that no couple should ever endure.
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Rita barrel racing (1968)
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Help NCLR fight for couples like Doris and Rita and help us pave the way for equality for our LGBT elders.
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Doris with one of her horses (1985)
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