Prison dumps LBGT support group as there are no lesbians in jail
A HIGH security jail has scrapped LGTB discussion groups for inmates - and replaced them with GTB groups, after dropping the word lesbian.
Bosses at HMP Wakefield in West Yorks - which holds 750 of the UK's most dangerous prisoners, earning it the nickname Monster Mansion - decided that as there were “no women” in the jail, the word lesbian could be ditched.
But inmates at the jail, the largest maximum security jail in Western Europe, are fuming at the change, saying that transgender prisoners are entitled to be classified as 'lesbians' as they are women living in a man's body.
Writing on a prison blog, inmate Adam Mac - who is currently serving an indeterminate sentence at the jail - said discrimination was 'unnoticed, unchallenged and unresolved' at the jail.
Writing on his blog last week, he said that that discrimination was “rife” at the jail, saying that as well as lesbians being “excluded” in discussion groups, transgender lags could wear their own clothes, even when on basic, and could order make-up, while non-transgender lags couldn't.
He said: "HMP Wakefield has dropped an 'L' (and are) now holding regular 'GBT' forums.
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"When asked why they did this the staff explained that, since there are no female prisoners here, there aren't any lesbians, so there's no need for an 'L'.
"Well, since they kept the 'T' I'm guessing that they acknowledge the presence of transgender prisoners here.
"I wonder how they feel about the claim that there are no female prisoners at this jail. I happen to know of at least one prisoner who self-identifies as female and openly states that they are attracted to women and are therefore a lesbian." He said that he didn't believe the prison service acting 'out of malice', just that they were 'ignorant'.
He added: "I don't believe for a second that any of this is malice. It is simply ignorance of the issues at hand and a distinct lack of thought.
"Even the majority of prisoners pay these issues no attention, partly because it doesn't affect them directly, and partly because, even when it does, there's never been an outcry or furore from such kinds of discrimination in prison."
He added: "Most prisoners, myself included, are guilty of thinking about institutional discrimination mainly from the point of view of race and religion, but there are a lot of other examples that are far less obvious and more deeply ingrained in the system, almost taken entirely for granted.
"I've mentioned before that the prison service operates a policy whereby male prisoners on Basic regime are not allowed to wear their own clothes, but female prisoners (including transgender prisoners in either direction) are permitted to.
"I have been actively encouraged by staff here to launch a legal challenge to this policy on the grounds that it is discrimination on the basis of gender.
"If I were to put together a case though, it would not be limited to clothing.
"It would also include the fact that male prisoners are not permitted to buy anything other than the most basic toiletries and are told other items are not allowed for ‘security reasons’, whilst transgender prisoners in the vary same prisons are able to order a wide range of such cosmetics from a supplier not available to the rest of us, and all without any perceived contravention of those "security reasons."
Lesbian gets thrown out of ladies toilets
According to the most recent HM Chief Inspector of Prisons report into HMP Wakefield, it confirmed that lesbians were not included in quarterly support group meetings.
It states that there are “quarterly meetings” held for gay, bisexual and transgender prisoners - and concluded that they were dealt with “sensitively and discreetly”.
Prisoners at HMP Whatton in Notts - Europe's biggest sex offender jail - which has 12 transgender prisoners, were up in arms recently after having to wear 'drab uniforms' while transgender lags could wear what they liked, including dresses and underwear.
Prisons inspectors from the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, in a report published on January 4, backed plans to allows non-transgender inmates to wear their own clothes.
Transgender inmates - and female inmates in all-women jails - are allowed to order female clothing, including dresses, skirts, blouses, knickers and bras - from various catalogues and are permitted to wear make-up, including mascara, lipstick and foundation.
They can spend up to £25-a-week on cosmetics and clothes - whereas non-transgender prisoners don't have access to the same benefits.
Non-transgender lags on basic, however, have to wear grey sweatshirts and grey jogging bottoms for the majority of the time, which many complain are ill-fitting and “drab”.
In a report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on January 4, inspectors picked up on complaints from prisoners and have now recommended that all prisoners should now be allowed to wear their own clothes.
The report states that the prison is managed well, but recommends that prisoners shouldn't have to wear uniforms as it is 'inconsistent with the positive culture of the prison'.
It states: "Most prisoners, except transgender prisoners, could still not wear their own clothes on visits, which was inappropriate."
"Rules limiting prisoners to wearing prison clothing at certain times of the day were unnecessary and inconsistent with the positive culture of the prison.
"Prisoners should be allowed to wear their own clothes, apart from in exceptional risk-assessed circumstances."
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Prisoner clothing is a matter for individual governors, who will consider what they feel is appropriate in order to help ensure the safe and decent running of their own establishments."
