For months, Jesse Hammons prepared himself for a surgery that would help him feel more comfortable in his body.

Hammons, a 33-year-old transgender man, went through blood tests, ultrasounds and other health screenings with his doctor, finally scheduling a hysterectomy for Jan. 6 at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.

The night before the operation, his surgeon called him to say the hysterectomy had been canceled. A hospital administrator had instructed him not to perform the procedure because it conflicted with the medical center’s Catholic beliefs, the surgeon told Hammons.

On Thursday afternoon, Hammons filed a lawsuit against St. Joseph Medical Center, claiming the hospital’s denial violated the 14th Amendment’s equal-protection clause and discrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act.

“I felt like this hospital didn’t see any worth in my life and the care that I needed,” Hammons said. “The University of Maryland St. Joseph’s should be caring for all of Maryland’s residents. We shouldn’t be denied based on who we are.”

In a statement Friday, Michael Schwartzberg, media relations director for the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), said the hospital “does not discriminate nor treat any patient differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sexual orientation.” The list in the hospital’s statement did not include gender identity. Read more via Washington Post