Judge: Idaho can’t delay transgender inmate’s surgery

A federal judge says Idaho prison officials cannot delay gender confirmation surgery for a transgender inmate while they appeal the court ruling requiring them to provide the surgery.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill made the order Monday, saying he believed the Idaho Department of Correction’s appeal in the case was likely to fail and that delaying Adree Edmo’s surgery could cause her great harm. The ruling means the original deadline for providing the surgery – June 13 – remains in place.

Edmo sued for access to the surgery in 2017. She has been continually housed in a men’s prison since her conviction of sexual abuse of a child in 2012, but has been living as a woman for years according to the lawsuit.