The nonprofit organization Bocharim Bamishpacha (Choosing Family) has appealed to the management of the Schneider Hospital to remove the LGBT flags that were hung in the hospital as part of Pride Month which, according to the chairman of the organization, Michael Puah, harms patients who do not support the LGBT community.
In his letter, Puah emphasizes that the hospital's expression of support for the LGBTQ community is the introduction of a political agenda into a space that is supposed to be free of political views: "The hospital that you run has posted on the Facebook website as follows - 'This year we decided to emphasize the issue of a safe environment so that every boy or girl who comes to us knows that they have someone to turn to in case they need support or a listening ear. This publication was made as part of a celebration of the pride happening in which you took a political stance and flew pride flags."
"I would like to bring to your attention that there are large communities in the State of Israel for whom pride flags are not their flags. Rather, waving these flags is an expression of a social and political worldview that they oppose. How can you commit to a safe environment for children, when you introduce controversial political agendas into a therapeutic space? ", Puah wondered.
He also wrote: "How does a child feel when the doctor or staff member standing in front of him proudly demonstrates his private opinions that stand in stark contrast to everything he is educated on at home? Will parents feel safe entrusting their child's medical care to someone who also claims to educate him".
Puah contacted the hospital director and asked that she remove the LGBT flags from the hospital and provide a comfortable therapeutic environment for all the hospital's patients.
"I am turning to you with a demand to remove any political symbol such as pride flags, and support for other public matters from the hospital and its employees. It is your duty to ensure a safe therapeutic environment for every patient and not just for a privileged population type."