Words designed the world culturally, socially, politically, historically, and militaristically. And with these same words, law, policies, preconceptions, misjudgments, and aversions are being shaped. In these brief words of William Shakespeare, “‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy.” Shakespeare’s linguistics cautioned about the power of language to seduce and persuade. Today, as a critical force has paralyzed the LGBTQIA+ community, I myself quote, “‘Tis not my name, but my gender identity is my enemy.” This testimony was inspired incongruously by a prejudiced policy that perpetuates an oppressive, torturous eradication of incarcerated transgenders.
Solitary confinement in Texas is being utilized as an abuse of power exercised through imperialism and transphobia. They fear what they don’t understand and show hatred to what they can’t comprehend. So, they punish us for who we are. Transgenders are banished from population, ostracized from civilization, expelled from society, all due to the misconception of gender identity; an oblique war against transgenders that has activated an unconstitutional crisis under false pretense by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Solitary confinement is a subterfuge to erase transgenders from existence.
Words can construct and destruct, words can make something progress or regress, words have the ability for advancement or setbacks. And yet, no words are functioning for civil or political liberty amongst transgender people held captive in solitary confinement. Through resilience, I persevere. We need reform, protection, ethical conduct, and solidarity. Development will only occur when words are productive; otherwise, genocide will prevail. Communicating from the barriers of solitary confinement, this is female to male transgender Xanden Gully, Prison Radio.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
