BOISE, Idaho—An Idaho inmate who castrated herself after prison officials refused to give her female hormone therapy may have lied about her lifestyle before imprisonment, but the state still must give her estrogen, a federal judge has ruled.

Jenniffer Spencer, who was born biologically male but identifies as a woman, sued the Idaho Department of Corrections and its physicians, claiming that her constitutional rights were violated and that she was subjected to cruel and unusual punishment when prison doctors failed to diagnose gender identity disorder and treat her with female hormones. Spencer legally changed her name from Randall Gammett while in prison.

Spencer sued the state in federal court, and in July U.S. District Judge Mikel Williams ordered the Idaho Department of Corrections to provide Spencer with estrogen until the matter went to trial. A trial date has not been set.

Spencer is serving time for a 2000 conviction of possession of a stolen car and escape.