Stanley-Eric-Captive-Genders-Trans-Embodiment-and-Prison-Industrial-Complex

Captive Gendersgraduated with more than enough credits and a 3.6 GPA. So I becamea tutor in elementary education. This young girl I tutored loved me as ahuman being, mentor, and friend. She saw me as no different than anyoneelse, which made me love her for not judging me or trying to fit me intoa category. She was 9 years old and in juvy for being disrespectful to hermother, but for some reason she respected me and would listen to me.I started going to court for my case, and the judge said to me, “Youlook more like the mastermind and more aggressive than your co-defendant.”My co-defendant was Asian, his dad was a minister, and we werethe same age but I was black, lesbian, and from a broken home. My ministerand his wife came to court for me, along with my boss (from schooljobs) with her daughter, and even my teacher. All just to try to set me free!Having no prior record and being tried as an adult, I received twelve years.Of those twelve years I would have to serve ten years and two months. Myco-defendant received three years. Our case got separated into two differentcases due to the fact that my co-defendant blamed possession of thegun on me, though the gun was not loaded. So for a frame, I got ten yearsand a “good luck” from Judge Knupp at the Norwalk (aka “No Walk”)courthouse.At 17 years old, off to the county jail I went—all alone. So alone I satthinking, praying, and singing in 211 of Twin Towers County Jail. Still 17,off to prison I went. On the receiving yard (A-yard), I felt I was only ableto walk because I looked like a grown, big black mutt, ready for whatever.I acted as though I wasn’t afraid of anything and no one messed with me.The week I turned 18, off to Stockton Prison I went. At first everyoneseemed cool, until I met this one sergeant that wanted me to shave myface every day, because of my strong male appearance. Every time I sawher, I dreaded life in that place. She made me lock in until I shaved, orshe would send me back from work and threaten me with a 115 (a disciplinarycharge document). All because I was being me and I was going tostay being me, no matter how she felt. This is a medical condition I havefor life and I felt that she was going to have to deal with it and move on.(Medical services gave me a chrono to not have to shave and groom, as mywants and styles may vary.) Then the correctional officers wanted to forceme to wear a bearded mask while working in the kitchen. Every single daybrought more and more harassment.When I came to Valley State Prison for Women I was praying for anew beginning, but that just couldn’t happen. Not in this system. On myfourth day I was coming back from chow with a lady I had been calling166