A transgender woman slapped a Catholic hospital with a lawsuit after she was denied breast-enlargement surgery. She is suing the hospital for charges of discrimination, because of her sex-change operation.

Charlene Hastings, 57, recounted that upon going to Seton Medical Center to inquire about the surgery, she was blatantly told, "God made you a man." She said that the surgical coordinator said that their facilities were not to be used to assist transgender surgeries.

"She kept saying, 'It's not God's will,' The Advocate quoted Hastings. "I could not believe it. It's a blatant case of discrimination."

The lawsuit was filed in the San Francisco Superior Court, bringing up the subject of the rights of Catholic hospitals in terms of which surgeries they are allowed to refuse: although state law lets the hospitals deny abortions, there was never any clear exemptions in terms of transgender surgeries.

"Seton and other hospitals in the area have put up significant barriers to care for transgender people," said Kristina Wertz, legal director of the Transgender Law Center. She pointed out that Hasting's case was not the first incident of such nature.

Wertz spoke of the state law prohibiting discrimination with gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation being the basis.

"There's simply no religious exemption in the Unruh Act," she said. "We're talking about a type of care that's OK for one class but not another."

The hospital was defended by Daughters of Charity vice president of communications Elizabeth Nikels.

"Seton Medical center provides medically necessary services to all individuals," said Nikels. "However, the hospital does not perform surgical procedures contrary to Catholic teaching."

Hastings was reportedly putting off the surgery, as her breasts are starting to enlarge by means of hormones.

Raised Catholic, Hastings said, "I think God loves me no matter what."