Reported in Tuesday’s Washington Post, U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf ruled that the state prison officials in Massachusetts must provide taxpayer-funded sex-reassignment surgery for Michelle Kosilek, a transgender inmate serving a life sentence for murder.  Judge Wolf determined in his ruling that surgery was the “only adequate treatment” for Kosilek.  Testimony by the Massachusetts Department of Correction’s medical experts was in support of the need for surgery as treatment.  Although security risks were cited by prison officials as a reason to deny the surgery, Judge Wolf noted these concerns as “either pretextual or can be dealt with.” 

Read the complete District Court ruling here

For additional resources on LGBTI Medical & Mental Health in corrections