NCTE and 7 Other LGBT Groups File Brief in Michelle Kosilek Case
http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/ncte-and-7-other-lgbt-groups-file-brief-in-michelle-kosilek-case/ (http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/ncte-and-7-other-lgbt-groups-file-brief-in-michelle-kosilek-case/)
The National Center for Transgender Equality is proud to have joined seven other organizations last week in filing a friend-of-the-court brief with the First Circuit federal appeals court in the case of Kosilek v. Spencer. The case, which has received significant public attention in recent months, is the latest in a series in which Massachusetts prison officials have refused to provide medically necessary treatment to transgender prisoners. In September, a federal court ordered the state to provide sex reassignment surgery for Michelle Kosilek after prison doctors determined it was the only adequate treatment for her severe gender dysphoria.
NCTE's position in this case is driven by two core principles: First, that hormonal, surgical, and other medical treatments for gender dysphoria are medically necessary for many people and should be treated like any other medically necessary care, based on the medical needs of an individual as determined by qualified medical providers; and second, that people who are incarcerated and cannot provide for their own care have an unquestionable, constitutional right to adequate medical care. Participation in cases like this one is critical to establishing the legitimacy and necessity of treatments for gender dysphoria and ensuring all people have access to adequate health care in every setting.
This may mean that gender dysphoric people who can't afford medical treatment and SRS could become criminals and go to prison for treatment? One would have to weigh it against doing an enlistment in the Canadian army, as there was a claim that it would be available to gender dysphoric enlistees there also some time ago. ??? ::)