Judge Rules Ban Unconstitutional Towards Transgender People

Judge William Leary III ruled earlier this week that a ban enacted towards transgender people in 2005 is unconstitutional.

Transgender people who received state Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare benefits were not allowed to be covered for their transitional surgeries, according to MPR.

“The law puts a label on transgender people,” said Teresa Nelson, legal director for the ACLU of Minnesota. “It says, from the state of Minnesota, ‘Transgender people, you are not worth as much as other people and so we are not going to give you the medically necessary care that we give to other people.'”

Evan Thomas of St. Paul, 64, was denied coverage for a bilateral mastectomy because he was enrolled on Medical Assistance. After going to court, Thomas will go forward with his surgery on November 28th, provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.