ACLU sues over Indiana law blocking gender-affirming surgery for inmates

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Civil rights advocates have filed a lawsuit challenging an Indiana law that prohibits gender-affirming surgery for inmates. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law in April. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Corrections in federal court on Monday. The lawsuit alleges that the law violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment and the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. The ACLU maintains that transgender surgery can be lifesaving. Health experts have found that gender dysphoria can lead to an increased risk of suicide. A spokesperson for the corrections department declined to comment on the lawsuit.