The treatment of trans inmates has long been a focus of advocates for trans rights, with stories of abuse fueling calls for reforms and more targeted anti-discrimination laws. The case at hand concerned Kesha Williams, a trans woman with gender dysphoria who was held for six months at a Virginia prison. A district court initially dismissed Williams’ case on the basis of the ADA’s explicit exclusion of “gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments” from protection under the law. Williams appealed, arguing that because the language of the exclusion is dated and undefined, it was up to the court to determine whether gender dysphoria is protected under the ADA. “In sum, we hold that Williams has plausibly alleged that gender dysphoria does not fall within the ADA’s exclusion for ‘gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments,’” the ruling said.

Source: CNN August 17, 2022 00:19 UTC