By Estephania Baez
With 1.6 million inmates behind bars, the United States is the country with the largest imprisoned population in the world and California is one of the states with the highest incarceration rates in the nation. Of the 34 California State prisons, 10 are equipped to serve the transgender community, whose numbers have grown to 400 inmates throughout the state.
“These 10 prisons have been equipped in response to changes in recent years. The prisons have the facilities, rooms, staff, medical help and psychological help for these inmates who are in a very unique situation. It is difficult for many people in the community to understand this; in fact, there have been many protests against the government making these kinds of changes to the law. But, like everything else, we are evolving, and we have to accept that society is not the same as it used to be, so our country’s system also has to adapt.”said Jesse Navarro, Director of Community Relations for the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
In 2002, the U.S. Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act, strengthening operations within facilities aimed at eliminating sexual abuse behind bars. Because most of the victims of these crimes were members of the transgender community, advocates for trans rights have since fought to have anyone who identifies as a member of this community sent to one of these prisons. To qualify, the person has to undergo a series of both medical and psychological assessments.
“In order for them to be sent to one of these prisons, [trans inmates] first have to be evaluated medically and also psychologically. In addition, the crime committed is also evaluated. There is a board whose only job is to evaluate these inmates. Once they have gone through the whole process, it is the Department of Corrections themselves who assign them to one of these 10 prisons we have in California”, Added Jesse Navarro.
Transgender inmates who have been transferred to these prisons say they feel safer since the risk of being sexually abused decreases considerably, and they also get hormone and other treatments. Prison authorities assert that violent incidents are lower at these 10 facilities in comparison to others.
One story that made headlines throughout the U.S. was that of Shiloh Quine, born Rodney Quinn and assigned male at birth, who now identifies as female. After being sentenced to life in prison in 1981 for robbery, kidnapping, and first-degree murder, Shiloh has been behind bars at one of the 10 prisons the California system has for transgender inmates.
Shiloh, now 56 years old, will become the first transgender prisoner in the U.S. to undergo a sex-change operation. A judge also granted her request to be transferred to an all-women prison. The case has stirred controversy both in the U.S. and abroad, not only due to the decision, but also because the cost of the $15,000 surgery will be covered by the State of California.
Shiloh, who had been receiving hormone treatments while in prison, had tried and failed many times before to get the surgery approved, which led to failed suicide attempts inside her cell.
Last year Quine’s legal representative argued that she suffered from a condition called gender dysphoria, which can only be addressed through an operation so that the body can be made to match the person’s true gender.
According to California State prison doctors, about 400 transgender inmates are receiving hormone treatments. For them, this case has opened a new path for their future inside prison.