The new requirements regarding gender fluidity and people representing the LGBTQ+ community are debated within many prisons and correctional institutions. Ignorant people may assume that it is too complicated to endorse within the jails and that inmates should be treated in accordance with what they have in their pants. Yet it poses a reasonable question of why people who identify their sex traditionally have more respect than individuals who are fluid with their genders. Overall, it seems only fair to provide inmates with gender-appropriate treatment based on how they recognize their sexes.
At the outset, the viewpoint of coordinators on the matter seems reasonable as such changes indeed appear to be complicated and may take a lot of time to adjust to. However, it is wrong to consider these modifications as something that prison staff is forced to do. Showing human decency to imprisoned individuals and respecting their choices should not be perceived as something problematic (Szuminski, 2020). In fact, it is only fitting to treat everyone within the jail walls respectfully and equally based on how they identify themselves.
Nowadays, the fluidity of gender is valued and supported by many people, not only LGBTQ+ members. It is every individual’s right to choose to identify as a different gender (or be fluid with it) if they do not feel comfortable in their skin. Therefore, even if an inmate is not fully transitioned, it is imperative that coordinators treat them accordingly to how they identify (Cornelius, 2022). In other words, the female coordinators should be appointed to males who are transitioning or just beginning to identify as females, and not only women. Furthermore, it seems unlikely that coordinators would have to do more work because of these changes. On the contrary, the proper appointment regarding inmates’ genders to do pat frisks and strip searches would not take much time and energy. Similarly, the housing within jails should be rearranged so that prisoners share the cells with individuals of the same gender.
The importance of showing human decency and respect to people who are LGBTQ+ members is high and should be realized in all prisons, including the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC). It would be efficient to switch to the framework that focuses on “identified gender” and not presumed gender at birth (TransHub, 2022). However, people who are non-binary and do not identify as either male or female should be given a choice concerning their housing and coordinators’ genders. Such modifications would considerably decrease the number of complaints and uproars in prison from people who are poorly treated because of their gender fluidity. Consequently, the order in the correctional facility, NJDOC, may be improved due to mutual respect between coordinators and inmates.
To sum up, it is of utmost importance to start treating people who do not share stereotyped and old-fashioned views on gender properly within prisons and correctional facilities. Inmates who struggle or are in the process of identifying their gender should not be disrespected by being housed or strip-checked by individuals of the opposite sex. Therefore, it is imperative that coordinators in NJDOC start treating LGBTQ+ members in the same way as people whose gender has been correctly presumed at birth. Such modifications do not require much time and are bound to yield many fruitful benefits to the order in jails.
References
Cornelius, G. (2022). Transgender inmates: Treating them fairly, keeping them safe. Lexipol. Web.
Szuminski, J. (2020). Behind the binary bars: A critique of prison placement policies for transgender, Non-Binary, and gender Non-Conforming prisoners. Minnesota Law Review. Web.
Prison & TransHub. (2022). Health & gender affirmation in NSW.