Two inmates at an all-female prison in New Jersey are pregnant — after having consensual sex with transgender convicts.
The two unidentified prisoners at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility — the state’s only all-women prison — are expecting babies with their fellow inmates… or possibly inmate.
Edna Mahan houses 27 prisoners who identify as transgender; according to NJ.com, it is unclear if it was one or two people who provided sperm for the two babies.
Department of Corrections external affairs executive director Dan Sperrazz told the site that both women became pregnant from “consensual sexual relationships with another incarcerated person.”
Sperrazz said an investigation is ongoing.
“While DOC cannot comment on any specific disciplinary or housing decisions that may be considered in light of these events, the Department always reserves all options to ensure the health and safety of the individuals in its custody.”
Most transgender prisoners in the US are jailed according to their birth-assigned gender — not the gender they identify as or have transitioned to. Which, according to a 2020 investigation by NBC News, puts them at far greater risk of assault and sexual abuse behind bars.
But after a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in New Jersey last year — brought on behalf of a female trans poisoner who was repeatedly housed with men — state prison officials agreed to start placing prisoners according to their gender identity.
“Sonia Doe” had claimed she felt unsafe being imprisoned with men, was repeatedly sexually harassed, mocked and assaulted, denied female care items she needed, and had trouble accessing her hormone medication.
Prison unions meanwhile are against housing trans and cis-gender inmates together — for the sake of the guards, and the prisoners themselves.
“We opposed this policy change believing it would be detrimental to the general population of female inmates being housed at Edna Mahan and also bring added stress to our correctional police officers assigned to this institution,” William Sullivan, president of NJ PBA Local 105, told the outlet.
Even some of the prisoners themselves are against it: last year two Edna Mahan inmates filed a class-action lawsuit seeking to remove “any and all male pre-operative transgender inmates” from the facility, claiming some had harassed them, and had sex with others.
Plans to close the prison have been underway since last year, after an inquiry found prisoners were being beaten and sexually abused by correctional officers there.
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