A transgender inmate who entered prison as Antione Lee - but who prefers to be called Whitney - is entitled to receive hormone treatment from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, a federal judge ruled this week.

A transgender inmate who entered prison as Antione Lee � but who prefers to be called Whitney � is entitled to receive hormone treatment from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, a federal judge ruled this week.

U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley granted a temporary restraining order requiring the state to provide estrogen-hormone drugs to Lee, who is housed with male inmates at the Mansfield Correctional Institution. The prison system did not provide the hormone drugs, which prompted Lee to file a lawsuit.

Lee, 36, of Hamilton County, was reportedly receiving hormone treatments for 13 years before being sent to prison in January 2012 on forgery and theft convictions, court records show.

Lee, who has legal representation from the Ohio Justice & Poverty Center in Cincinnati, was unfairly harmed by the state�s decision not to provide hormone treatment, Marbley ruled in granting the order.

Prisons spokeswoman Ricky Seyfang said she could not comment because the matter is in court. She said Lee is scheduled to be released from prison in October.

The prison system�s policy prevents hormone treatment from beginning while an inmate is incarcerated.

However, it goes on to say: �Hormone therapy prescribed for inmates in preparation for gender-change surgery or for the purpose of gender modification shall be evaluated and requires authorization by joint consultation� by the chief medical officer, mental-health officer and other top officials.

ajohnson@dispatch.com

@ohioaj