Brandon Milam said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was disfigured, lost his sense of smell and remains in pain from the July attack in the Warren County Regional Jail.
Milam is seeking unspecified damages. He has sued the jail, its top official, the county and the accused attacker, Timothy Schwartz. He faces an assault charge.
The gay rights group Kentucky Equality Federation is urging federal authorities to pursue the case as a hate crime.
Milam was jailed for violating probation after a guilty plea to felony theft.
