Guadalupe Benitez was unmarried and a lesbian. Benitez sought fertility treatments from physicians Christine Brody and Douglas Fenton of the North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group. After various attempted treatments were unsuccessful, Brody advised Benitez that intrauterine insemination (IUI) might have to be considered. Brody advised Benitez that her religious beliefs would preclude her from performing the procedure on Benitez because she was a lesbian. Benitez was eventually referred elsewhere for alternative treatment. Because this additional treatment was provided by a physician who was not covered by Benitez’s health plan, the cost of the treatment was significantly higher than it would have been had it been provided by either Brody or Fenton.
Benitez sued North Coast and Drs. Brody and Fenton for sexual orientation discrimination in violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Benitez alleged that Brody and Fenton had refused to provide her the fertility treatments she needed because she was a lesbian.
