In a complaint, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Utah of discriminating against a transgender prisoner by allegedly delaying the inmate’s request for hormone therapy, preventing the inmate from buying women’s clothes, and refusing to transfer the convict to a women’s institution.
According to an Axios story, the lawsuit alleges that the Utah Department of Corrections violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide hormone medication to an inmate on time.
A federal judge decided in 2022 that the ADA provides coverage for gender dysphoria.
The DOJ allegedly conducted an investigation into the correctional department after several delays and denials of petitions, concluding that the inmate in question had undergone a “hazardous self-surgery” to remove his testicles last year.
Brian Redd, the executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections, responded to the accusations by expressing his disappointment with the department’s handling of the inquiry and stating that the DOJ’s conclusions “blindsided” him.
According to Redd, “as a state and on our own, we have also made initiatives to accommodate the needs of convicts while maintaining the greatest safety requirements.”
According to the complaint, the prisoner, who has been there since July 2021, underwent hormone therapy for gender dysphoria in January 2023 after waiting more than 17 months.
The lawsuit further states that the prisoner’s requests for accommodations, such as switching to female-only facilities, modifying pat downs, and purchasing women’s apparel and supplies from the commissary, were turned down.
The lawsuit also claims that even after a contract psychologist diagnosed the prisoner with gender dysphoria, the correctional administration “nearly all” rejected grievances and appeals related to the ADA demands.
The attorneys stated in the case that the plaintiff’s access to care for her gender dysphoria was dependent on a prejudiced and needlessly drawn-out clearance procedure.
The Utah Department of Corrections has a “distinct policy” and committee for prisoners who make requests related to gender dysphoria, but there are not separate procedures for other medical issues, according to the complaint.
According to reports, the DOJ is now pressuring the Utah Department of Corrections to alter its guidelines and provide staff members with more training on gender dysphoria.
