Transgender man denied hysterectomy at Mercy San Juan Medical Center

SACRAMENTO, CA (KTRK) -- Evan Minton said only after he informed Dignity Health's Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael that he was transgender did administrators here call his doctor and cancel a hysterectomy.

Minton said he was caught completely off guard when the hospital canceled the surgery.

"They had my medical chart for weeks, and it says clearly on that transgender identity dysphoria," Minton said.

Minton was born female, and tells us each stage of his transformation already comes with emotional stress.

"I will get anxiety, I will get a lot of gender dysphoria which makes me feel like I want to crawl out of my own skin," Minton said.

And now that transformation is stuck in limbo.

"I need to get the hysterectomy at least three months prior to the phalloplasty," Minton said.

That "phalloplasty" operation has a waiting list as long as two years.

"If I don't get this hysterectomy immediately, my life is on hold," Minton said. "And while my life is on hold, these intense feelings will only heighten and heighten."

A spokesperson for Mercy San Juan told the Sacramento Bee "In general, it is our practice not to provide sterilization services at Dignity Health's Catholic facilities."

But Minton said he knows that's false.

"My doctor read their policy and she could not find that anywhere. In addition to that, this summer I underwent IBF treatment," Minton said.

The California Assembly employee told FOX40 he has sought legal council. But the setback has caused ripples beyond just his life upsetting his whole family.

"I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to live like this," Minton said.

Minton tells us his doctor is working to find another facility to perform the surgery in. But insurance is also an issue. And Minton's doctor also needs a co-surgeon during the procedure.