It’s very terrible. I had to fight tooth and nail to even get the diagnosis. When I was finally diagnosed, the administration wanted my mental health liaison to change it. Thank God she had refused to change it. Of course she had gotten in trouble for it.
Being trans in prison is very hard from day to day. It’s crazy – on paper I am identified as a woman. They even allowed me to get my name changed and they had changed it on their records. My gender marker was changed legally from male to female. This happened a couple of years ago and the prison system still refuses to change my gender marker. It’s crazy how they can change my name to reflect my gender in their records, but they can not change my gender marker to reflect it in their records.
Men can order from the approved vendor for undergarments and other male accessories. However, the prison system will not allow transgender females order female undergarments or accessories from the same catalog that has been approved by the prison system. Yes, they do provide very cheap panties and bras, after several washes they turn yellow and start falling about. We must wait another year to get them replaced. The prison officials still refer to me as “male” and “sir”, and if I don’t respond, then I can get in trouble for not obeying a direct order.
Their PREA policies, which stands for Prison Rape Elimination Act, are a joke because they only meet with us every six months just to ask us:
1) do you feel safe in a men’s prison?
2) would you like to go to a female’s prison?
3) do you wish to shower alone?
Something needs to be done because of the unfair, unjust things that happen in prison. Not everyone has a voice to speak and to let society know what’s going on inside our prisons. I am that voice to all of those who suffer from rape and some even death by the hands of both staff and fellow incarcerated individuals and who can not speak for themselves.
Remember: I am that voice! Please listen!
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Monique