California judge orders state to provide sex change surgery for prisoner

By Curtis Skinner SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday ruled that California must provide sex reassignment surgery to a transgender inmate, calling denial of the procedure a violation of constitutional rights. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar wrote in his 38-page order that the state was violating the constitutional rights of Michelle-Lael Norsworthy, who was convicted of second-degree murder in April 1987, by not providing the operation. Tigar wrote that Norsworthy had attempted other treatment options but says she still experiences "excruciating pain and frustration" due to her condition, and her current hormone replacement therapy could threaten her liver function. "Norsworthy has presented compelling evidence suggesting that prison officials deliberately ignored her continuing symptoms of gender dysphoria and the recognized standards of care," Tigar wrote.



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