Trans Inmates Mocked by Department of Corrections
Recently, Illinois police officers mocked trans inmates and revealed private medical information on Facebook. The comments were found on two private Facebook groups designed for current and former corrections staffers, as reported by Injustice Watch and Buzzfeed News.
This information was released on the heels of other controversy surrounding police treatment of trans populations. The Illinois Police Department specifically is facing legal trouble, like a class-action claim by six trans women who state that the facilities did not provide them with adequate medical treatment. Many posts in the online groups specifically reference Strawberry Hampton, who has filed two lawsuits against the department.
The two Facebook groups, both titled “Behind the Walls,” each have over 4,000 members. At least 25 Department of Corrections employees, including officers and lieutenants, participated in the misgendering, transphobic comments, and mockery. Even a counselor, an individual whose duty is to provide care for inmates, participated in the comments.
Trans people continue to experience violence inside and outside prisons, and are more likely to experience sexual violence than other inmates. In 2012, a Bureau of Justice Statistics survey showed that almost 40 percent of trans inmates reported being “sexually victimized by other inmates or staff.”
*Warning, the following quotes may be bothersome and triggering for some folks. Please proceed with caution and awareness of what you as an individual need to do to take care of yourself.
The comments in the private groups were incredibly violent and offensive. Correctional Officer James Schaefer, wrote in response to a post about Hampton, “I’ve seen this mother f*cker with a beard. The state is stupid I’d chop his p*cker off for him than he can be ‘female.’” [SIC]
In another post about Hampton, Correctional Officer Kenneth Mottershaw wrote, “Know matter way you look at it, it’s a freak’n male inmate. Transgender’s are a f*cking joke in my view.” [SIC]
In addition to the multiple officers who were found making blatant and violent comments about trans people, they even revealed medical information about procedures.
When contacted about the posts, Illinois Department of Corrections Acting Director Rob Jeffreys released a statement that said the department is “firmly dedicated to fostering a culture of tolerance, inclusion, and respect in our correctional facilities.”
Jeffreys also stated that a mandatory staff training had been implemented. According to Buzzfeed, “the two-hour program includes education about gender identity, sexual orientation, the harm of misgendering transgender people, and the impact of discrimination.”
Unfortunately, this issue spans beyond Illinois. All across the country, officers continue to mock inmates and are posting violent and harmful comments on Facebook. As this culture continues in prisons, they will remain sites of state-sanctioned violence and abuse for marginalized people, specifically trans inmates.
