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Trans Inmates in Georgia Prisons File Class Action Lawsuit Over Forced Detransition and Denial of Gender-Affirming Care
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On August 8, 2025, five transgender plaintiffs—two transgender men and three transgender women—filed a groundbreaking class action lawsuit against Georgia corrections officials, representing nearly 300 incarcerated transgender people across the state’s prison system. The lawsuit, filed with the support of the Center for Constitutional Rights and the law firm Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP, challenges a newly enacted state law that prohibits gender-affirming medical care for people in state custody .
The plaintiffs argue that by terminating hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other medically necessary treatments for gender dysphoria, the law is effectively forcing them to detransition against their will. According to court filings, many of those affected had been receiving gender-affirming care for years before being cut off, leading to severe psychological distress and physical health risks .
Central to the lawsuit is the claim that the denial of gender-affirming care constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, prohibited by the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The legal team asserts that gender dysphoria is recognized as a serious medical condition by leading health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association. The complaint alleges that depriving incarcerated transgender people of appropriate care not only disregards established medical standards but also exposes them to increased risk of self-harm, depression, and suicide .
Chinyere Ezie, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, stated, “It’s really unfortunate, I think that it has and will cost people’s lives. I think that the plan is to really just eradicate trans people from public life, to really—contrary to medicine—make the treatment of gender dysphoria a culture war, as opposed to a serious medical need that requires treatment” .
According to the lawsuit and supporting testimony, the sudden withdrawal of gender-affirming care has had devastating effects. Some plaintiffs describe being forced to abruptly stop hormone therapy, resulting in severe emotional distress, physical discomfort, and a sense of loss of identity. Advocates warn that such forced detransition can lead to a rapid deterioration in mental health, compounding the already heightened risk of violence and harassment that transgender people often face in prison settings .
The class action seeks not only to restore access to gender-affirming care but also to establish that such care is a fundamental right for incarcerated transgender people under the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs are calling for an immediate injunction to block enforcement of the new law while the case proceeds .
The Georgia lawsuit is part of a growing wave of legal challenges across the United States in response to state-level restrictions on gender-affirming care, both inside and outside of correctional facilities. Over the past two years, several states have enacted laws or policies that limit or ban access to such care for transgender youth and adults, often citing contested claims about safety and efficacy .
Civil rights organizations, medical experts, and LGBTQ+ advocates widely agree that gender-affirming care is not only safe but medically necessary for many transgender people. The U.S. Department of Justice has previously filed statements of interest supporting the rights of incarcerated transgender individuals to receive appropriate medical treatment, emphasizing that denial of such care may violate federal anti-discrimination laws and constitutional protections .
If successful, the Georgia class action could set a precedent for the rights of transgender people in prison nationwide, reinforcing the principle that access to medically necessary care cannot be denied based on gender identity. The outcome of this case is being closely watched by legal experts, advocacy groups, and incarcerated people across the country, as it could influence future litigation and policy decisions in other states.
For now, the nearly 300 transgender people represented in the lawsuit are demanding recognition, dignity, and the right to access health care that affirms their identity, even while behind bars. Their case underscores the ongoing struggle for transgender rights and the urgent need for policies rooted in medical science and respect for human dignity .
