virginia | THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT by Lexie Cannes

January 28, 2013 • 10:50 PM 0

Federal appeals court orders Virginia trans inmate’s sex reassignment surgery lawsuit to proceed

Ophelia Azriel De’lonta

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reinstated a lawsuit that was previously tossed out by a lower court, which will now allows trans inmate Ophelia Azriel De’lonta to proceed with her case against the state of Virginia to allow her to undergo sex reassignment surgery.

De’lonta attorneys argued that to deny her the surgery amounted to “cruel and unusual” punishment — a violation of the Eighth Amendment. The court did not order the surgery but ruled the case was viable and the previous judge was wrong for tossing it. The case now goes back down to district court for further proceedings. De’lonta is in prison for bank robbery with a 73 year term.

4th Circuit Judge Albert Diaz: “The disease is “characterized by a feeling of being trapped in a body of the wrong gender . . . In these cases, the surgery is not considered experimental or cosmetic; is it an accepted, medically indicated treatment.”

The “cruel and unusual punishment” claim is the same one that recently won Mass. inmate Michelle Kosilek an order from a judge requiring the state to give her the surgery (now being appealed). More on Kosilek: http://lexiecannes.wordpress.com/?s=Michelle+Kosilek

Case #: De’lonta v. Johnson et al., No. 11-7482.

More on the De’lonta case: Federal appeals court reinstates prisoner’s sex-change lawsuit | Reuters.

Ophelia Azriel De’lonta

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Filed under: Judicial, Courts, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, cruel and unusual punishment, Judge Albert Diaz, Michelle Kosilek, Ophelia Azriel De'lonta, virginia

August 24, 2012 • 9:12 PM 0

Trans man in jail with felony conviction for “forging” his gender on marriage license

Trans man sentenced to a year in jail for “forging” gender on marriage license

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — Just bits and pieces here — it does appear trans man Levi Gammons has been in prison for nearly a year on this felony conviction. Apparently his troubles started shortly after the end of his marriage in Virginia.

While a report states Gammons completed his transition before the marriage, yet somehow he was convicted for forging an “M” on the Virginia state marriage license. A blog report states that his ex-wife claimed she did not know he was trans.

Clearly there is a big piece of the puzzle missing here, but I’m finding no news reports that fills in this blank. It’s difficult to believe one would get a year in jail for gender data entered on a marriage license, false or otherwise. If this is the whole story, then this has been a huge miscarriage of justice.

Either way, Gammons is due to be released soon and his Facebook friends are trying to ease his way back into society. Whether or not you want to help is your decision. More about that here: http://www.originalplumbing.com/2012/08/20/jailed-for-being-trans-and-married-support-levi-gammons/

I do wish there was more details on why he got such a harsh sentence. Anyone with information can post it below.

Earlier information here, a bit skimpy though: http://www.blackandpink.org/revolt/levi-gammons/

Trans man sentenced to a year in jail for “forging” gender on marriage license

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Filed under: Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, conviction, felony, Levi Gammons, marriage license, prison, virginia

February 23, 2012 • 8:12 PM 5

[UPDATED] Invasion of your vagina — Big Brother wants to take pictures with ultrasound devices

Republicans in Virginia considered the usage of Vaginal Probes like this one. (Photo: DailyKos)

THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — [UPDATED Backlash triggered? See below.] Are we a civilized nation? I wonder. To control the behavior of society, state House leaders in Virginia seriously considered penetrating ultrasound devices into the far end of a woman’s vagina to take pictures. Once in place, it needs to be manipulated around to find and capture the best images. A scheme I don’t think even George Orwell envisioned.

At least one Republican got a grip on reality before going off the deep end and called off the vagina invasions – Gov. Bob McDonnell at the 11th hour decided he wouldn’t support such a manuever. The House quickly rustled up an alternative bill which requires an external ultrasound instead before a pregnant women is allowed to terminate her pregnancy. With the state Senate already on board with a similar plan, unwanted photos of your uterus may be just what Big Brother ordered.

While all this was going on, Virginia legislators tabled a “personhood” bill until after the 2012 election. Does this mean it’s still being considered? Geez, are we devolving as a society? Like I said earlier, I wonder.

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A backlash may be occurring — Michelle Goldberg in The Daily Beast: “Gov. Bob McDonnell balked at an ultrasound law, and a personhood bill fell with it. Are Republicans finally noticing that their crusade against reproductive rights is hurting them . . .

Somehow, the Virginia bill became a symbol of right-wing prurience, invasiveness and insensitivity. The nationwide reaction was so strong it took personhood with it.”

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/24/as-virginia-ultrasound-rule-fails-is-gop-seeing-reproductive-rights-backlash.html

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Vaginal Probe (Photo: DailyKos)

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