US: State finds six surgeons to perform gender reassignment for trans woman prisoner
The US state of Massachusetts has found six surgeons willing to perform gender reassignment on a trans woman prisoner allowed to have the surgery in prison.
Judge Wolf, of ruled in September that Michelle Kosilek would be given gender reassignment surgery in prison, as the “only adequate treatment” of her gender dysphoria. He also ruled that her legal costs should be covered.
According to a statement filed by state Correction Commissioner, Luis Spencer, no doctors regularly perform the surgery in the state of Massacusetts, however six out-of-state doctors have come forward to do so.
The department is now working on finding a hospital to host the surgery, and to seek permission for one of the doctors to come into the state to do so, reports the Boston Herald.
Upon ruling on the surgery, Judge Wolf said: “there is no less intrusive means to correct the prolonged violation of Kosilek’s Eighth Amendment right to adequate medical care.”
Michelle Kosilek identifies as female but is incarcerated in an male-only prison. She was previously known as Robert, was married to Cheryl Kosilek, and was convicted of murdering her in 1990.
She received a life sentence, with no parole, had attempted to take her own life, and to self-castrate since being locked up in the all male prison in Norfolk, Massachusetts.
