Trans News/ Issues

*Anya* · 04-06-2015, 01:57 PM

Feds Say Georgia's Treatment of Transgender Prisoners Is Unconstitutional
—By Samantha Michaels| Fri Apr. 3, 2015 4:36 PM EDT

For three years, the Georgia Department of Corrections allegedly has denied transgender inmate Ashley Diamond medical treatment for gender dysphoria, causing her such distress that she has attempted on multiple occasions to castrate herself, cut off her penis, and kill herself. In February, Diamond filed a lawsuit against GDC officials, and on Friday the Department of Justice dealt the GDC a major blow, claiming that the state's failure to adequately treat inmates with gender dysphoria "constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment."

The DOJ weighed in on Diamond's case via a statement of interest, which offers recommendations for how the district court in Georgia should rule in the case. It focused on Georgia's so-called freeze-frame policy, which prevents inmates from receiving hormone therapy for gender dysphoria if they were not identified as transgender and referred for treatment immediately during the prison intake process.

"Freeze-frame policies and other policies that apply blanket prohibitions to such treatment are facially unconstitutional because they fail to provide individualized assessment and treatment of a serious medical need," DOJ officials wrote, adding that similar policies have been previously struck down in Wisconsin and New York.

Chinyere Ezie, Diamond's lead attorney, says the defense has until next Friday to submit briefs in response to the complaint, which may include a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The first hearing for the case is scheduled for April 13. You can read the DOJ's entire statement below, and check out our earlier coverage of Diamond's case.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015...constitutional

Corkey · 04-11-2015, 06:48 PM

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/...inal-approval/

DapperButch · 04-11-2015, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corkey

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/...inal-approval/

W.O.W.

<---speechless

04-06-2015, 01:57 PM	#1
Anya Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Lesbian non-stone femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, her Relationship Status: Committed to being good to myself Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Coast Posts: 8,258 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 39,306 Thanked 40,443 Times in 7,285 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	Possible trigger: ~alert~ Feds Say Georgia's Treatment of Transgender Prisoners Is Unconstitutional —By Samantha Michaels\| Fri Apr. 3, 2015 4:36 PM EDT For three years, the Georgia Department of Corrections allegedly has denied transgender inmate Ashley Diamond medical treatment for gender dysphoria, causing her such distress that she has attempted on multiple occasions to castrate herself, cut off her penis, and kill herself. In February, Diamond filed a lawsuit against GDC officials, and on Friday the Department of Justice dealt the GDC a major blow, claiming that the state's failure to adequately treat inmates with gender dysphoria "constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment." The DOJ weighed in on Diamond's case via a statement of interest, which offers recommendations for how the district court in Georgia should rule in the case. It focused on Georgia's so-called freeze-frame policy, which prevents inmates from receiving hormone therapy for gender dysphoria if they were not identified as transgender and referred for treatment immediately during the prison intake process. "Freeze-frame policies and other policies that apply blanket prohibitions to such treatment are facially unconstitutional because they fail to provide individualized assessment and treatment of a serious medical need," DOJ officials wrote, adding that similar policies have been previously struck down in Wisconsin and New York. Chinyere Ezie, Diamond's lead attorney, says the defense has until next Friday to submit briefs in response to the complaint, which may include a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The first hearing for the case is scheduled for April 13. You can read the DOJ's entire statement below, and check out our earlier coverage of Diamond's case. http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015...constitutional __________________ ~Anya~ Democracy Dies in Darkness ~Washington Post "...I'm deeply concerned by recently adopted policies which punish children for their parents’ actions ... The thought that any State would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable." UN Human Rights commissioner

04-11-2015, 06:48 PM	#2
Corkey Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: Very Married Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Where I want to be Posts: 8,155 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47,491 Thanked 29,268 Times in 6,637 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	Yea! For Maryland! http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/...inal-approval/ __________________ "Many proposals have been made to us to adopt your laws, your religion, your manners and your customs. We would be better pleased with beholding the good effects of these doctrines in your own practices, than with hearing you talk about them". ~Old Tassel, Chief of the Tsalagi (Cherokee)