This image was posted on Twitter by Elton John.
Los Angeles:
Singers Sir Elton John and Michael Stipe have called for equal rights and protection of transgender prisoners in response to an alleged mistreatment at a Georgia prison.
Ashley Diamond, a transgender woman, filed a lawsuit in February from the Southern Poverty Law Center against Georgia Department of Correction officials, reported Aceshowbiz.
She admitted that because of hormone therapy denial for three years, her body suffered greatly. She also alleged that she had been raped several times during her three years in prison.
US Justice Department, on behalf of Ashley, said prison officials must treat a prisoner's gender identity condition just like how they treat any other medical or mental health condition.
Sir Elton John and Mr Stipe supported the department's statement. "We applaud the US Department of Justice for supporting Ashley Diamond and the trans-community in arguing that Georgia's policy of denying transgender inmates their medically necessary hormone treatment is unconstitutional," they wrote, backing up the justice department," they said in a joint statement.
"Transgender women in male prisons have an equal right to protection from violence and abuse in prison, and yet they continue to face horrific injustices. But we must do more to end the culture of violence and discrimination surrounding gender identity and expression. We urge the state of Georgia to embrace desperately needed changes to their correctional system," the statement read.
Ashley Diamond, a transgender woman, filed a lawsuit in February from the Southern Poverty Law Center against Georgia Department of Correction officials, reported Aceshowbiz.
She admitted that because of hormone therapy denial for three years, her body suffered greatly. She also alleged that she had been raped several times during her three years in prison.
US Justice Department, on behalf of Ashley, said prison officials must treat a prisoner's gender identity condition just like how they treat any other medical or mental health condition.
Sir Elton John and Mr Stipe supported the department's statement. "We applaud the US Department of Justice for supporting Ashley Diamond and the trans-community in arguing that Georgia's policy of denying transgender inmates their medically necessary hormone treatment is unconstitutional," they wrote, backing up the justice department," they said in a joint statement.
"Transgender women in male prisons have an equal right to protection from violence and abuse in prison, and yet they continue to face horrific injustices. But we must do more to end the culture of violence and discrimination surrounding gender identity and expression. We urge the state of Georgia to embrace desperately needed changes to their correctional system," the statement read.
