PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Department of Corrections has settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of a transgender inmate who says she was denied medical care.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon says Michalle Wright has been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because she was denied hormone treatment and counseling.
The suit says Wright was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and has attempted suicide several times while in custody.
In Tuesday’s settlement, Wright will receive $167,500 in damages. The state is also giving her hormone treatments, will consider transferring her to a women’s prison and will provide surgery if a medical panel determines it’s necessary.
The policy changes apply to all transgender inmates in Oregon prisons.
Wright was convicted of attempted armed robbery in 2013. Her earliest release date is November 2018.