How many of you have heard of HIPAA?
A woman was murdered in New Jersey Sunday, shot to death in her own home. Sadly that would have not made headlines, it would have been just another murder out of hundreds of other murders. However, becuase she was transsexual propelled the story into the headlines. She was a post-op transseuxal and had all her records change to reflex her gender, including her birth certificate.
I like to ask two questions? First, why did the medical examiner release the fact that she was transsexual, has the medical examiner ever heard of a little law called HIPAA? At this time the fact that she was transgender has no bearing upon the case. Would the medical examiner release the fact that someone had cancer? Then why did the medical examiner feel that releasing other medical facts was okay?
Second why did the news media feel that they had to publish the fact that she was trans? At this time it has no bearing upon the case and it invade her privacy, by publishing her medical history. I believe the only reason that they did was to sensationalize the story and bring in ad revenue at her expense.
I am not going to provide a link because I don't want to reward them for their exploitation of the victim.
It seems that the moment you begin to transition, you forfeit your right to a private life. People feel entitled to know about your history and what you do in your bedroom. And, of course, the media employs some of the most prurient people of all.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I can see for disclosing the fact that the victim was a post-op is if that was somehow a motive for the crime. Otherwise, she is a shooting victim. Period.