Throughout this piece, Andrea Ritchie utilizes a number of shocking, gruesome, and emotionally charged stories of LGBTQIA individuals to expose the American prison system for being centers of homophobic harassment. Although each point made by Ritchie provoked a plethora of emotions, as I read Caging Deviance, I became most interested in her explanation of the denial of sexuality and identity prisoners are subjected to in prisons.
As I started learning more about the American prison system, I immediately discovered that there is absolutely zero tolerance for sexual activity among incarcerated people. To my understanding, as Ritchie explains on page 96, the original intention for these policies was to provide security as well as protect staff and other inmates from unwanted sexual advances and rape. I became outraged to read that the real reason prisoners are banned from all types of sexual activity (including masturbation) is because homophobic prison guards, supervisors, etc. want nothing more than to completely eradicate, contain, and control a potential space for “rampant homosexuality” (Ritchie, 96). If a prison guard were to discover that one of their prisoners is queer, that person would then be subjected to increased mistreatment, isolation, and surveillance, even if he/she/they does not partake in sexual/intimate relationships with another prisoner or guard. As a way to exercise this control, prison guards wrongly place queer prisoners in solitary confinement, embarrass them in front of other inmates, and use homophobic language to belittle them on a regular basis. My heart hurts knowing that prisoners are already extremely restricted enough already, yet they continue to feel isolated and discriminated against just based off their sexual orientation and gender identity. Are prison guards so uncomfortable with their own sexuality that they feel the need to oppress those who are comfortable with their own? Or are they simply just cold-blooded people?
Feelings of empathy emerged as I discovered that homophobic policing is also extended to visitors of these prisoners, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. They regularly prevent visitors from hugging, kissing, or holding hands with visitors of the same gender and those perceived as heterosexual. Reflecting on my experiences visiting my aunt in a mental health institution, I felt sad and disappointed that I wasn’t allowed to show my own family member any kind of physical affection. I’m thankful Ritchie explained this in her piece, otherwise I would have continued to believe that I was not allowed to do so because of security purposes. Everything prison guards do to deny prisoners their denial of intimate activity, whether sexual or platonic, remains a huge problem that I believe cannot simply be solved through basic prison reform efforts.
To be honest, it was not difficult for me to find a case depicting the maltreatment of queer folk in American Prisons. From conducting a simple Google search, I discovered the story of Sandy Brown, a transgender woman incarcerated in a Maryland prison. In this article of The Guardian, Sandy Brown shares that prison guards called her “it” and “some sort of animal” while watching her shower. Not only did the guards sexually harass Brown, but they also encouraged her to commit suicide and threw her in solitary confinement for 66 days regardless of directions by the prison warden to not segregate her from the rest of the inmates. This example supports Ritchie’s argument that prison guards specifically isolate and harass inmates due to their own homophobic ideas and beliefs. Although I was infuriated to hear about Sandy Brown’s situation, I was also pleased that law judge Denise Oakes Shaffer ruled that Brown’s treatment infringed the Prison Rape Elimination Act, saying the prison “failed to train all employees in how to effectively and professionally communicate with transgender inmates” (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/24/sandy-brown-maryland-transgender-inmate-mistreated) .
Advocates suggest that prison guards lack formal training on how to interact with transgender inmates and I think that Andrea Ritchie and myself would have to agree. Most guards are completely insensitive to queer inmates and often create a hostile environment throughout the duration of these inmates’ sentences. I’m glad that this article is available to inform the general population about these sorts of injustices, however those involved in the case of Sandy Brown and The Guardian do not hint at any initiative being taken or any suggestions to flip the mindset of homophobic prison guards.
Part 4:
Are there any prison reform organizations that have had recent successes in diminishing the homophobic treatment of prisoners in prisons? Or do you think Andrea Ritchie is right when she says “systematic and transformative change has proven elusive” (Ritchie, 117)?
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