Narratives of LQBTQ+ Incarceration
Below are a collection of short personal narratives of LGBTQ+ members who have endured the horrors of incarceration.
Content Warning: The following narratives discuss the violence experienced by those who are telling their stories. Please be advised.
Content Warning: The following narratives discuss the violence experienced by those who are telling their stories. Please be advised.
Tykira Spurill
A transgender woman of color who was stripped of her hormone therapy, placed in an area amongst men whom she did not identify with, sexually assaulted, and continued her fight to keep going. Spurill states, “There are days where I wake up and I just have to keep pushing forward,” she said. “I know there are people in the trans community crying out for help but they’re scared because they don’t trust people.” Spurill endured complications from her breast surgery and went to the prison doctor only to find, "The doctors just didn’t know what to do with me,” she said. “I was terrified.” Being a trans woman surrounded by men, Spurill was at high risk of sexual assault which she recalls, "I didn’t want to scream and wake the whole pod up,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do. What do you do when you’re being raped?” [1]
A transgender woman of color who was stripped of her hormone therapy, placed in an area amongst men whom she did not identify with, sexually assaulted, and continued her fight to keep going. Spurill states, “There are days where I wake up and I just have to keep pushing forward,” she said. “I know there are people in the trans community crying out for help but they’re scared because they don’t trust people.” Spurill endured complications from her breast surgery and went to the prison doctor only to find, "The doctors just didn’t know what to do with me,” she said. “I was terrified.” Being a trans woman surrounded by men, Spurill was at high risk of sexual assault which she recalls, "I didn’t want to scream and wake the whole pod up,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do. What do you do when you’re being raped?” [1]
Rodney
Rodney, imprisoned for fraud and check-forging, is a gay man who describes his experiences in prison consisting of brutal rapes, assaults, and abandonment of his male identity. Rodney states, "My first week or so in general population was hell on earth. Physical, mental and emotional torture. After being raped, I performed acts by request. It was understood and expected. I had no means to protect myself, being only 23 and scared for my life." Rodney goes on to explain, "True enough, I am attracted to men and always have been, but in life [outside], it's my choice whom I share a bed with; it's intimate and personal. Having my mouth and anus aggressively penetrated by several strangers is anything but." [2]
Rodney, imprisoned for fraud and check-forging, is a gay man who describes his experiences in prison consisting of brutal rapes, assaults, and abandonment of his male identity. Rodney states, "My first week or so in general population was hell on earth. Physical, mental and emotional torture. After being raped, I performed acts by request. It was understood and expected. I had no means to protect myself, being only 23 and scared for my life." Rodney goes on to explain, "True enough, I am attracted to men and always have been, but in life [outside], it's my choice whom I share a bed with; it's intimate and personal. Having my mouth and anus aggressively penetrated by several strangers is anything but." [2]
Chelsea Manning
Manning, in prison for leaking military intelligence records, is a trans woman who was sent to prison where “following her arrest, she was subjected to solitary both in Kuwait and at Quantico, where she was stripped naked every day and denied access to anything,” Strangio said. “She had to ask permission for toilet paper.” As a trans woman in the criminal justice system, Manning was subjected to horrible abuse that caused, "the deterioration of Manning’s mental health, which he said was due to the Army denying her gender-affirmation surgery and to her subjection to long periods of solitary confinement. Manning attempted suicide twice last year." Today, Manning is an activist for the LGBTQ+ community. [3]
Manning, in prison for leaking military intelligence records, is a trans woman who was sent to prison where “following her arrest, she was subjected to solitary both in Kuwait and at Quantico, where she was stripped naked every day and denied access to anything,” Strangio said. “She had to ask permission for toilet paper.” As a trans woman in the criminal justice system, Manning was subjected to horrible abuse that caused, "the deterioration of Manning’s mental health, which he said was due to the Army denying her gender-affirmation surgery and to her subjection to long periods of solitary confinement. Manning attempted suicide twice last year." Today, Manning is an activist for the LGBTQ+ community. [3]
All images are public domain.
Images:
Raffa. “Trans Woman Sent to Men's Prison: a Story of Abuses and Terrifying Rapes ~ The Gayly Mirror.” The Gayly Mirror, 31 July 2020, thegaylymirror.com/blog/trans-woman-sent-to-mens-prison-a-story-of-abuses-and-terrifying-rapes/.
Brammer, John Paul. “LGBTQ People Face Unique Challenges in the Criminal Justice System.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 17 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-people-face-unique-challenges-criminal-justice-system-n760881.
Sources:
[1] Doiron, Alexa. “Prison Experiences Can Be Devastating for LGBTQ People.” Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, 29 July 2020, wydaily.com/local-news/2020/07/30/prison-experiences-can-be-devastating-for-lgbtq-people/.
[2] Walshe, Sadhbh. “The Grim Truth of Being Gay in Prison | Sadhbh Walshe.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 7 Mar. 2012, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/mar/07/grim-truth-gay-in-prison.
[3] Brammer, John Paul. “LGBTQ People Face Unique Challenges in the Criminal Justice System.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 17 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-people-face-unique-challenges-criminal-justice-system-n760881.
Images:
Raffa. “Trans Woman Sent to Men's Prison: a Story of Abuses and Terrifying Rapes ~ The Gayly Mirror.” The Gayly Mirror, 31 July 2020, thegaylymirror.com/blog/trans-woman-sent-to-mens-prison-a-story-of-abuses-and-terrifying-rapes/.
Brammer, John Paul. “LGBTQ People Face Unique Challenges in the Criminal Justice System.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 17 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-people-face-unique-challenges-criminal-justice-system-n760881.
Sources:
[1] Doiron, Alexa. “Prison Experiences Can Be Devastating for LGBTQ People.” Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, 29 July 2020, wydaily.com/local-news/2020/07/30/prison-experiences-can-be-devastating-for-lgbtq-people/.
[2] Walshe, Sadhbh. “The Grim Truth of Being Gay in Prison | Sadhbh Walshe.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 7 Mar. 2012, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/mar/07/grim-truth-gay-in-prison.
[3] Brammer, John Paul. “LGBTQ People Face Unique Challenges in the Criminal Justice System.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 17 May 2017, www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/lgbtq-people-face-unique-challenges-criminal-justice-system-n760881.