A Massachusetts woman is suing the IRS after her claim of $25,000 for a sex-change operation was rejected. Rhiannon O'Donnabhain claimed the expense in 2001 was rejected in 2003 and is now suing.

 After five years of psychotherapy, which ultimately ended in the diagnosis of gender identity disorder and the recommendation of sex-change therapy, O'Donnabhain hopes to have the surgery classified the same way as appendectomies, heart bypass surgery or other tax-deductible medical procedures.

 The case is set for trial on July 24 and may set a precedent in how the U.S. Tax Court views such surgeries in the future. In one other similar case in 2005, and in the initial rejection of O'Donnabhain's claim, the IRS has classified sex-change operations as cosmetic surgery. O'Donnabhain feels the rejection of her claim is based on politics and discrimination and hopes her case will overturn the current outcome.