EXCLUSIVE: Washington's "gender affirming care" program for incarcerated convicted felons nearly doubled in size in three years, growing from 75 inmates in early 2023 to more than 145 by 2026, as taxpayer spending on surgeries, treatments, laser hair removal, and related services climbed past $4.8 million.
New documents from the WA Dept of Corrections obtained through PDR show the state was budgeting approximately $11,000-$13,000 per enrolled inmate per year on average, though actual costs likely vary substantially depending on whether an inmate receives hormones, consultations, hair removal, top surgery, bottom surgery, or other procedures.
Washington has spent nearly $4.9 million on gender affirming care since 2019, the number of inmates receiving treatment has also expanded dramatically. The state had 75 participants at the beginning of 2023 and nearly twice that number by mid-2026
The Dept of Justice is currently investigating WA for putting male inmates into cells with female prisoners