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SCRANTON — The rights of a transgender Lackawanna County Prison inmate were violated when prison doctors refused to provide hormone medication earlier this year, a lawsuit recently filed in federal court alleges.

Sparkles Wilson, who was born a male under the name Steven Fritz, indicated on her intake form at the prison that she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, attorneys Curt Parkins and Matthew Comerford wrote in the lawsuit.

Gender dysphoria is a conflict between a person’s physical gender and the gender they identify with, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Upon arriving at the prison Jan. 19, Wilson was initially denied Premarin and Estrace, two forms of estrogen. She received the medication for the next three days until officials again failed to provide them, causing her to suffer “severe psychological trauma and causing (Wilson) to remain trapped in a body incompatible with her gender,” the lawsuit alleges.

U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani has now issued an order directing Wilson’s treatment to resume after finding the denial presents “a clear and present danger” to Wilson’s health.

A hearing to determine whether the order remains in effect is set for July 17.

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By Joe Dolinsky

[email protected]

Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL