When Stephanie Zinn rushed her partner, Meta Goforth-Zinn, to an East Valley emergency room, hospital staff asked Stephanie to call Meta’s family. Stephanie said, “I am her family.” But no one would listen to her until she produced a medical power of attorney document giving her the right to be at the bedside of her longtime lesbian partner.
“Before she brought that piece of paper, Stephanie got absolutely pushed out of the room,” Meta said. “It was basically a case of ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Get out of here.’” To Goforth-Zinn, that incident was a reminder that people in relationships like hers, many of whom don’t have such papers handy, can have a hard time with visitation rights in hospitals and the right to make medical decisions for their loved ones.
That’s why the Queen Creek couple is in full support of ongoing discussions, in a fledgling stage at this point, about instituting a mutual commitment registry in Mesa. The registry, as envisioned by proponent Denise Heap, chairwoman of the East Valley LGBTQs for Change organization, would allow for hospital visitation rights and the right for a registered individual to be able to make medical decisions for a partner.
Full Story from the East Valley Tribune: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/145864
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