(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A transgender prisoner can soon have gender confirmation surgery after a federal judge in southern Illinois approved a settlement Tuesday.
The agreement comes three years after Cristina Nichole Iglesias filed a lawsuit while being held at the federal prison in downstate Marion. ACLU of Illinois spokesman Ed Yohnka said she’s the first inmate recommended for gender affirming surgeries by the bureau’s Transgender Executive Council.
The federal Bureau of Prisons has set up a $500,000 fund to pay for the surgeries – including those that come after her release in December. Because of repeated delays, the bureau has also agreed to setup a timeline to hear similar requests.
"That committee will now set out targeted timelines for considering requests for surgery," Yohnka said.
The ACLU said there are more than 1,200 transgender inmates in federal prisons.
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