Central Park Hospital Group's Anti-LGBTQ Stance Causes Concern

CENTRAL PARK, NY — The anti-LGBTQ beliefs of a North Carolina-based evangelical group helping to set up and operate a field hospital in Central Park's East Meadow have some New York officials worried about the group's potential to discriminate against patients seeking care.

New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman is calling on the evangelical group Samaritan's Purse to make a public declaration that the group will not discriminate against LGBTQ New Yorkers at its Central Park facility, the state lawmaker said in a statement. Samaritan's Purse founder Franklin Graham, son of prominent evangelist Billy Graham, has previously described LGBTQ people as "immoral" and "detestable," Hoylman said.

"COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, and neither should Franklin Graham. It’s unacceptable that a New Yorker infected with COVID-19 could be subjected to discriminatory treatment from an organization whose leader calls us ‘immoral’ and ‘detestable,'" Hoylman said in a statement.

Hoylman added that "New York needs every ventilator we can get," but said Samaritan's Purse "must guarantee all LGBTQ patients with COVID-19 are treated with dignity and respect."

The 68-bed facility in Central Park will begin treating coronavirus patients on Tuesday, city officials said. Samaritan's Purse volunteers are running the facility in partnership with Mount Sinai Hospital, which is located across Fifth Avenue. A spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio's office told Gothamist that Samaritan's Purse will be required to follow Mount Sinai's anti-discrimination policies.

A Mount Sinai spokesperson did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.