The Chicago Tribune reports that a Wisconsin federal appeals court ruled to end a ban on publicly funding hormone treatment for transgender prisoners. The ACLU of Illinois, along with the ACLU of Wisconsin, the National LGBT Rights Project and Lambda Legal sought to defend the rights of a group of transgender inmates who rely on hormone therapy to prevent severe health problems.

"Too often the medical needs of transgender persons are not treated as the serious health issues that they are," said ACLU attorney John Knight in a prepared statement. "We are glad that the appeals court has found that medical professionals, not the Wisconsin Legislature, should make medical decisions for inmates."

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Manya Brachear at the Chicago Tribune wrote about the ACLU of Illinois intervening on the state's lawsuit against Catholic Charities on behalf of children who are wards of the state. Catholic Charities is seeking permission to continue to discriminate against prospective foster parents who are in a civil union. The ACLU argues that excluding qualified, prospective foster parents because of their sexual orientation or civil union violates the federal consent decree in B.H. v. McEwen:

ACLU lawyers said the consent decree requires the state to consider nothing but the "best interests of the child," not the religious beliefs of a private foster agency, when making decisions about placement.

"Catholic Charities is ruling out possible parents based on factors that have nothing to do with the best interests of the children," said ACLU lawyer Karen Sheley.

The ACLU also intervened on behalf of Sarah Riddle and Katherine Weseman, a Champaign couple in a civil union who would like to become foster parents and adopt children.

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