Press Release: Funeral Home Sued for Refusing to Prepare & Bury Deceased Young Homosexual Man

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Funeral Home Sued for Refusing to Prepare & Bury Deceased Young Homosexual Man

In a troubling incident that raises significant concerns about sexual orientation discrimination and professional ethics, an Islamic funeral home in Harris County has been accused of unlawfully refusing to prepare and bury the body of a deceased young Muslim man. Despite signing a contract with the young man’s family, on the morning of the service and burial, the funeral home refused to allow the family to conduct funeral rights in its Mosque or bury their son in the Islamic cemetery they had chosen. Instead, the funeral home stood by while the young man’s family was forced to conduct their son’s funeral rights in the funeral home parking lot and then rush to find a new place to bury their son. Many of the family missed the burial because they were already en route to the cemetery where they believed the young man was to be buried. The funeral home blamed the son’s sexual orientation, claiming that his homosexuality excluded him from a Muslim burial.

Their refusal not only raises ethical questions but also appears to violate provisions of the Texas Occupations Code regarding Crematory Services, Funeral Directing, and Embalming, which mandate that morticians provide services without discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Texas Mortuary Science Practitioners Act explicitly prohibits discrimination against individuals based on various protected classes, including sexual orientation. The Act states that all licensed morticians must ensure that their services are accessible to all individuals, regardless of personal beliefs. The funeral home’s conduct appears to not only violate this code but also contradicts the fundamental principles of dignity and respect that should accompany the handling of any deceased person. And the family had even signed a contract and paid for the services before the funeral home changed its mind while the family was waiting in the parking lot with their son’s body.

The family of the young man expressed their profound disappointment and anger over the funeral home’s conduct. “We were already so vulnerable dealing with the surprise loss of our child, to then be met with such hostility was unimaginable,” said the young man’s mother. “This was not just an attack on our family but an attack on our right to bury our son in accordance with his and our religious tradition.”

In response to the funeral home’s conduct, the law firm of Universal Law Group, PLLC has filed a civil suit against the funeral home and lodged a formal complaint with the Texas Funeral Service Commission.