Prison Stories
Finding Purpose as an Elderly Trans Woman in Men’s Prison
I didn’t have a mentor. I’m not going to let that happen to other trans and LGBTQ prisoners.
Every morning, I try to wake up around 5 a.m. It may seem strange given the long day that lies ahead of me in prison. But I am a transgender woman assigned to a cell with a non-LGBTQ man and, thankfully, he sleeps until 7 a.m. or later. So early morning is the only time I have to sit back in peace, reflect on yesterday, and prepare myself for today.
It is also my only time to cry and to be emotional without showing weakness. I can put my bra on without stringing a curtain across the cell for a small bit of privacy.
Privacy is something many take for granted, but in a place like this, well, a girl really has none. Prisons are full of children and very young adults who lack guidance. There is no mother figure nurturing them or teaching them about respect. Many of them hold extremely misogynistic beliefs and that shows in their everyday interactions. As a woman in a men’s prison, normal activities others wouldn’t think twice about on the outside, suddenly become an exercise in creativity within these walls. It’s a consistent dance between maintaining your dignity and ensuring your safety. I’ve had…
