Prisons can be harsh and traumatizing places for people who are lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ). These inmates may be targeted for more verbal, physical and even sexual abuse than those in the general population who are straight or conform to gender norms. While the justice system strives to play catch-up to provide stronger protections and tools for dealing with transgender prisoners — for example, the Prison Rape Elimination Act includes specific provisions to protect transgender inmates — it has a long way to go. It is not uncommon for transgender prisoners to end up spending long stretches in solitary, ostensibly punishing them for their own protection.
Some prisons have sensitive needs yards (SNY) available, whereby entire yards have been converted to protective custody areas for prisoners at high risk of being targeted — including homosexuals, gang dropouts, sex offenders, informants, high-profile inmates, and transgender people whose lives could be endangered in the general population. Inmates living in SNY share their cells with other at-risk cellmates and have the same recreation and meal routines.
Transgender inmates may also have unique healthcare needs such as hormone therapy and other medications that need ongoing monitoring. If these needs are not being met, prisoners need to file for an administrative remedy to demand change.
The unfortunate fact is LGBTQ prisoners will face additional stress and pressure in the prison environment.
Here are some prison survival tips for LGBTQ inmates:
- Try to fly under the radar and not bring attention to yourself. Grinning and bearing it is good advice for any prisoner. The more vocal and combative you are, the harder it will be for you.
- If you fear for your life, approach staff and state this without naming names. You may also request to be placed in protective custody, but be aware you could be there for awhile while your case is reviewed.
- Form alliances with people like you and those that are accepting of LGBTQ. This way, you’ve got people that have your back, or join an existing car or group. Cars are a fact of life in prison, and if you don’t belong to one, you’re usually left an outcast with little protection.
- Walk purposefully and carry yourself confidently, even if it’s not what you feel inside. Give off an air of someone who is not easily messed with. Avoid prolonged eye contact with others, and mind your own business.
- If someone offers you protection, be wary. You’ll usually be expected to pay for it in some way, often with sexual favors or muling contraband. Even worse, some inmates have been known to offer protection in an effort to determine who’s weak. This way they can extort the purported protector.
Related Resources:
Contact Us for more information on LGBTQ prison life or other aspects of prison life.
How to Prepare for Prison
First Day in Federal Prison
- First Day in Federal Prison
- Admissions and Orientation
- How to Greet Cellmates
- How to Talk to Prison Guards
Prison Life
- What Do You Eat in Prison
- Prison Showers and Toilets
- Laundry, Clothing, and Bedding
- Prison Commissary
- Religion in Prison
- Searches and Shakedowns for Contraband
- Inmate Counts
- Smoking in Prison
- Inmate Work Assignments
- Education in Prison
- Recreation in Prison
- Radios and MP3 Players in Prison
- Electronic Law Library
- The Black Market in Prison
- Alcohol and Drugs in Prison
- Violence and Sexual Assault in Prison
Communicating with the Outside World
- Communicating with the Outside World
- Postal Mail
- Legal Correspondence
- Inmate Telephones
- Corrlinks.com Inmate Email
- Inmate Visitation
- How to Send Money to Inmates
Health and Wellness
Special Prison Survival Tactics
- Special Prison Survival Tactics
- LGBT Inmates Survival Tactics
- Female Prisoners
- Sex Offender Survival Tactics
For more information about prison life and how to prepare for prison, please email [email protected] or call 843-620-1100. Our team of experienced prison consultants stand ready to assist you in your time of need.
Published Apr 7, 2016 by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA | Last Updated by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA on Jul 10, 2023 at 1:33 am