Read the article Daraya’s responding to here: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/american-criminal-law-review/aclr-online/volume-63/transitioning-behind-the-wall/
I am laying here in bed reading an article in Volume 63 of the Georgetown Law School’s Annual Criminal Law Review. It was given to me by Prison News contributor David Annarelli, and the article is by Gwendolyn Nicole Young, and is titled, “Transitioning Behind the Wall.” Gwendolyn is an inmate at Keen Mountain Correctional Center. Gwendolyn is a transgender inmate, and in her article, she talks about the VA DOC’s [Virginia Department of Corrections] policies of providing gender-affirming surgeries, which are at the best, archaic.
I have often lamented myself with the VA DOC’s reluctance to provide gender-affirming surgeries. It took me over a year to be able to get my hormones, which I finally just got. But in part two of her article, she discusses the hatred, animus, intimidation, sexual harassment, and blatant discrimination. I myself have dealt with such issues, mainly the blatant weaponization of the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act [PREA], which allows victims of sexual abuse or harassment to file anonymous reports against their attackers. In theory, this is a wonderful idea, but in practice, it allows inmates who don’t want transgender inmates in their pods to file false reports.
Case in point, I was discussing my possible move back to the veterans pod, and immediately, one inmate was overheard saying, “That’s fine. I’ll just PREA him out again.” Something’s got to change. In closing, I say this, it’s time for all of us to stand with Gwendolyn, myself, and all of the transgender inmates in the VA DOC and say enough’s enough. We demand fair treatment. This was the third article in this edition of the American Criminal Law Review. The first article, ironically enough, was one by David Annarelli, which I encourage everyone to to try to get a copy and read.
But in closing, and finally, my Instagram page is up and running. Just search D-A-R-A-Y-A, last name Sobhani, S-O-B-H-A-N-I. I look forward to hearing all of y’all from all of y’all in 11 months when I finally get released. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
