DOJ Sues Utah Claiming State Discriminated Against Transgender Inmate
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Utah accusing the state of discriminating against a transgender inmate due to requests for hormone therapy being delayed and the inmate being unable to purchase women’s clothing or be moved to a women’s facility.
The complaint accuses the Utah Department of Corrections of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not providing an inmate with hormone therapy in a timely fashion, according to a report by Axios.
In 2022, a federal judge ruled that gender dysphoria is covered under the ADA.
The DOJ reportedly investigated the corrections department and concluded that the inmate in question had been driven to remove his testicles through a “dangerous self-surgery” last year, after multiple delays and denials of requests.
Utah Department of Corrections executive director Brian Redd responded to the allegations saying he was “blindsided” by the DOJ’s findings, as well as disappointed with the department’s approach to the investigation. (Read more from “DOJ Sues Utah Claiming State Discriminated Against Transgender Inmate” HERE)
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