Trans-jailed

I've been slightly addicted to watching Louis Theroux documentaries on YouTube, and I just have to delve into one about the San Quentin prison. It mostly concerns racial segregation and how people of various races find protection within their own race groups in the jail, but I was deeply interested in an inmate who preferred to be known as Deborah.

A woman in a men's prison? Not quite. Deborah is a transgender woman. My mind was blown. A man, living as a woman, in a men's prison? What I found particularly interesting was the "home-life" she spoke of. Deborah said that the men in the prison who have transgendered cell-mates are appreciative of the feminine air of the cell (not to mention any other physical benefits); she says it's similar to coming home to a sweetie at the end of a hard day, like out in the real world. I wonder what would come of placing Deborah in a women's prison, since she considers herself to be a woman. Would she become a top-dog in a women's prison because of her physical capabilites? Or would she blend in? I wonder if there are any qualities that rub off on her while she is in prison with so many other men. Does she engage in fights? Or is she protected by her partner and other transgender women? From the video, it seems like the conversation Louis has with the couple could have taken place on a porch in a cute suburb. I suppose prisoners, being locked inside for most of the day unless it's their 2 hours of yard time, need someone to connect with sometimes.

After seeing Deborah and her partner together, I wonder what a transgender male would be like in a women's prison. Depending on his physical capacity, he might not be very welcome in the prison. In fact, he might be unwelcome due to his sexual orientation. Who knows?

I find it fascinating that people who spend most of their time shuffling around in a cell all day are able to find a connection with someone on a romantic level.

One homosexual couple that Louis interviewed hadn't slept together, yet they remained an item. They say they're geared more towards companionship. Is all this just desperation to find someone to love? Or is it a true, absolute change of heart towards another gender, or transgender?