Catholic Nuns Sue New York Over Gender Identity Law

The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, a Catholic religious order operating Rosary Hill Home, a hospice for terminally ill cancer patients in United States===New York, have filed a federal lawsuit against the state. They are challenging the LGBTQ Long-Term Care Facility Residents' Bill of Rights, signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, which mandates that facilities assign rooms based on gender identity, use preferred pronouns, and provide cultural competency training. The sisters argue that these requirements violate their Catholic faith and constitutional rights, particularly the First and 14th Amendments. They face severe penalties, including fines, license revocation, and potential jail time, if they do not comply. The lawsuit also points out that the law provides a religious exemption for facilities affiliated with the Church of Christ, Scientist, but not for Catholic organizations, raising concerns about unequal treatment. The United States===New York State Department of Health has stated its commitment to enforcing the law, while the Catholic Benefits Association is supporting the sisters in their legal battle.