Judge Blocks Transfer of Transgender Women to Male Prison
Washington State U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth issued a temporary restraining order that blocks prison officials from transferring three transgender women to men’s facilities and discontinuing their access to hormone therapy based on the Trump Administration’s recent executive order requiring the Federal Bureau of Prisons to ensure that “males are not detained in women’s prisons” and that federal funds aren’t spent “for the purposes of conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex.” On January 26, a Boston federal judge issued a similar restraining order in a case brought by another transgender woman. The Washington Judge specifically found that the public interest in transferring the plaintiffs to a male prison would endanger their safety and subject them to psychological harm.
What can Feminist Philanthropy Do Now: You can learn more about both the cases through the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLAD Law, the organizations who filed the lawsuits. Advocates for Trans Equality is also carefully monitoring and updating the public on policy developments impacting the trans community. Funders for LGBTQ Issues is a good resource for current funding collaborations and potential opportunities for blended funding opportunities to advance trans rights.