12 Comments
User's avatar
John Robert's avatar

When I came to the heading "California ...*, I half expected to read, "... inmates who complain of assault by trans identified inmates are required to attend 12 hours of sensitivity training conducted by LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations."

Expand full comment
LeAnne Owen's avatar

I genuinely had a chuckle. And the reason things are funny is because there is a blade of truth in there.

Expand full comment
Evelyn Ball's avatar

Saving this article to share with members of my family who think it’s cruel to trans women to remove them from women’s prisons. Calling their removal a human rights violation. Thank you for stating the real human rights violation so clearly.

Expand full comment
Sarah Barratt's avatar

I'm not American - are prisons not subject to Federal law? I was really hoping that the Executive Order would ban males in female jails throughout the entire country. It is so dire that it has been going on, I find it quite incredible!

Expand full comment
LeAnne Owen's avatar

Prisons in the U.S. are divided between state and federal systems. Federal prisons, managed by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), must comply with executive orders like this one immediately. However, state prisons, where most inmates are housed, operate under state law. The federal government can’t directly mandate their policies but can influence them by tying federal funding to compliance with certain rules, as seen with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA).

The executive order is a crucial first step, but change at the state level will take time. States may resist, and legal challenges could delay implementation. Still, federal leadership sends a powerful message, and pressure can mount for broader reforms.

Expand full comment
Sarah Barratt's avatar

Thank you - that makes it very clear.

Expand full comment
LeAnne Owen's avatar

Thank you for asking questions and being engaged!

Expand full comment
Susan Scheid's avatar

Thank you for laying out the issue so clearly. I am saving this article for reference as we battle against a horrible prisons bill now pending in the New York Stare legislature, Senate Bill 1049 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1049

Expand full comment
LeAnne Owen's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. Each of us needs to remain vigilante.

Expand full comment
Dave's avatar

My advice to men who think they are women. If you think that, there are a few things that you need to understand. First of all is that you are still a man because you can't change your biological sex. It's okay to dress any way you wish and to adopt any superficial, stereotypical attributes of women that you desire. Live your life. No one should care, I certainly don't. However, because women are entitled to be treated fairly and to enjoy privacy from men there are certain things that are prohibited to you and me because we are men. You can't compete against women in most sports because it would be unfair. You can't go into women's private places like restrooms and locker rooms because that would make them feel unsafe. Finally, if you are a criminal you certainly can't be imprisoned with women.

That's it, just like me.

Expand full comment
LeAnne Owen's avatar

Well said!

Expand full comment
Ollie Parks's avatar

Meanwhile, the mainstream media are shrilly reporting on Trump's assault on "protections for trans prisoners."

Expand full comment