Gay Louisiana Doctor Leaving State Due to 'Discriminatory' Legislation
Soon Louisiana will lose one of its few doctors specializing in pediatric heart conditions because of the state's bigoted anti-gay laws.
As reported by NBC News, Dr. Jake Kleinmahon said that he plans to trade in his life in the Big Easy and move his family to New York because of recently passed laws restricting LGBTQ rights.
Dr. Kleinmahon works at Ochsner Hospital for Children in New Orleans as the medical director of the hospital's pediatric heart transplant, heart failure and ventricular assist device programs. And he is reportedly one of three doctors in the state with that specialization.
Kleinmahon, who is gay, told NBC affiliate WDSU that he and his husband had originally planned to retire in New Orleans but have since had a change of heart.
During Pride Month, state lawmakers passed three bills targeting LGBTQ rights that were vetoed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, who is a Democrat. However, last month the Republican-majority State Legislature "overturned his veto of a bill that will ban transition-related medical care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery, for minors starting Jan. 1, 2024," NBC News reports.
"I think lawmakers need to understand the ramifications of the bills they put forward," Kleinmahon told WDSU. "The fact that me leaving is going to leave somewhat of a hole for medical care has been quite distressing,"
Kleinmahon added, "If these discriminatory laws continue, the state of Louisiana is going to lose talent, they are going to lose skilled professionals, and frankly, I don't think the state can afford to."
In an instagram post, Kleinmahon further explained his ordeal and why he moved back to Louisiana five years ago with the goal of building one of the best pediatric heart transplant programs in the country.
"We have been quite successful," he wrote, and he doesn't want to leave the program behind. But the benefits of living in another state outweigh the bigotry, "as well as the toll that it takes on our family," said Kleinmahon.
"Because of this, we are leaving Louisiana," he said. "Our children come first. We cannot continue to raise them in this environment."
Read more at NBC News.