The Department of Justice has initiated legal action against the Utah Department of Corrections following an incident where an incarcerated biological male, who identifies as female, resorted to self-castration in protest against the delayed provision of "gender-affirming" care.
Reportedly, the inmate, whose identity remains undisclosed, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria by prison medical staff, albeit the formal diagnosis was delayed for nine months. Subsequently, cross-sex hormones were prescribed six months after the initial diagnosis. The lawsuit alleges that the correctional facility neglected the inmate's pleas for "reasonable modifications" to adhere to certain sex-based policies.
These modifications included requests for relocation to the women's cell block, authorization to procure female undergarments, clothing, and cosmetics, as well as the demand to undergo pat-down searches solely conducted by female officers, all of which were denied.
According to the Department of Justice, the lack of equal access to healthcare services and reasonable accommodations for gender dysphoria exacerbated the inmate's distress, prompting the drastic self-surgery. The DOJ contended that the Utah Department of Corrections discriminated against the inmate based on her gender dysphoria, which they classified as a disability.
In a statement, the inmate expressed, "By not allowing me this opportunity to live my life as a woman, who I believe I am and have lived life for many years, the prison is causing me such mental stress in the form of anxiety, depression..." The DOJ argued that the correctional facility violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and urged the implementation of appropriate services for individuals with gender dysphoria, including the freedom to express their gender identity. Additionally, the agency demanded the payment of "compensatory damages" to the inmate who underwent the self-castration procedure.
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