A transgender inmate is suing the Indiana Department of Correction for denying her request for hormone therapy while in prison.

Anthony Loveday was diagnosed with gender dysphoria – conflict between a person’s physical gender and their gender identity — while in prison, and says the Indiana State Prison’s denial to provide hormone therapy is unconstitutional. American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana attorney Jan Mensz (YAHN Mench) is representing her. He says the prison is treating gender dysphoria differently than other medical conditions.  “For example, if you were diagnosed with cancer within the DOC, they wouldn’t limit your treatment or deny you treatment just because you didn’t come into the DOC with that diagnosis. We believe gender dysphoria, and the medical community agrees, is a serious mental health issue.”

The A-C-L-U has filed for an injunction on Loveday’s behalf that would force the prison to provide Loveday with hormone therapy treatment.  In a statement from the Department of Corrections, a spokesperson says the department is operating within its “existing medical protocols.”