Gender Dysphoria Is Covered by ADA, DOJ Says in Inmate’s Suit

The US Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in an inmate’s lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Corrections and others, clarifying its view that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers gender dysphoria.

The ADA defines the term “disability” as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” Gender dysphoria “plainly falls within this definition,” DOJ said.

Although the ADA excludes “gender identity disorder” and “transexualism,” those terms refer to “the mere fact of identifying as a different gender from one’s sex assigned at birth,” it said.

A diagnosis of gender dysphoria—characterized by ...