Incarceration and the LGBTQ+ Community: A Resource Guide
Throughout history and continuing today, LGBTQ+ folks have been disproportionately targeted by the criminal legal system and today are three times more likely to be incarcerated than the general public (Meyer, et al). The overrepresentation of queer people in prisons and jails coupled with systemic homophobia and transphobia leads to unsafe conditions inside and steep barriers to reentry.. This Pride Month, the PGP invites you to learn more about how the carceral system impacts the LGBTQ+ community.
Personal Stories
To understand how LGBTQ+ individuals navigate their experiences and find joy on the inside, read Andrew Hardy’s “How I found queer pride in prison” and Lexie Handlang’s “How I Celebrate Pride in Prison.”
Media, Policy, & Data
This report from the Prison Policy Initiative offers a collection of charts to visualize the various impacts of the carceral system on LGBTQ+ people and is a great primer on the topic. The report includes information about LGBTQ+ youth, rates of sexual victimization while incarcerated, police harassment as well as other injustices.
LGBTQ people are overrepresented at every stage of our criminal justice system, from juvenile justice to parole. Source: Prison Policy Initiative
Watch PBS News Hour’s “Incarcerated LGBTQ Americans find little to no support system upon release” to learn more about the barriers many LGBTQ+ folks face in reentry. While post-release resources are broadly limitedLGBTQ+ folks face layers of discrimination that further restrict access to support and compound housing and economic insecurity.
Recent policy changes regarding gender-affirming care in prisons have made life inside even more challenging for transgender people. A news report from The Marshall Project highlights the devastating impact of federal legislation that denies trans people access to surgery, clothing, and basic toiletry items that align with their gender identity.
Advocacy
Black and Pink is an organization committed to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and people living with HIV/AIDS through advocacy, support, and organizing. Their website features groundbreaking reports on the carceral state’s impact on LGBTQIA2S+ people, along with actionable ways you can get involved.
Local Events
For anyone in the Philadelphia area, Eastern State will host a Pride Night on June 20th that will take a look at the often overlooked stories of the LGBTQ+ folks that served time at America’s most influential prisons and reflect on what those stories mean for our communities today. The event will include a speaker, zine-making, and queer trivia.
Are there pride events near you that focus on the intersection of LGBTQ+ community and the carceral state? Send us a note or DM us on social media.