by Silva Payne

Created on: August 28, 2009

Contrary to popular belief, inmates do not lose all of their rights once they enter jail or prison. Their rights are limited, but they do still fall under laws designed to treat them fairly and with some humanity in most societies. The issue of gender and gender alignment is one that is still not fully understood or appreciated in the free world. For inmates and those charged with their care, it adds another dimension to the medical, social and security needs of that group. Sex-change surgery is for many, an expense too far when it comes to the housing and control of prisoners. The cry of "the tax payer should not foot the bill" is an understandable one, yet it is often clouded by mis-information and emotion.

There have always been individuals who feel that they are living in the wrong body, or conforming to the wrong gender role in the society in which they live. It has very little to do with one's sexual orientation, and although psychological evaluation is carried out on the individuals, little real clinical research exists into whether there is truly a chemical imbalance present to cause the feelings of gender mis-identity. However, in those who decide to go through the gender reassignment process, there is no doubt in their mind that they were born in the "wrong" body.

The steps of the gender reassignment process are long and difficult. The decision to go forward usually comes after many years of inner turmoil for the individual, often well into adult life, having perhaps married and started a family in an attempt to conform. Before any surgery is approved, individuals usually spend a period (usually one to two years) living in the gender they wish to become. This involves dressing and socialising as that gender at first, then progressing to hormone treatment to physically change the body towards the preferred gender; this is usually known as "transition". Only after this has progressed to a certain point, and the individual has undergone lengthy counseling, does the question of sex-change surgery become a possibility.

Prisoners may have been going through transition before their life choices led them to prison. However, they would be assigned to a prison based on the gender on their birth certificate, and not the gender they display through dress or characteristics. Again, it is important to stress that transgender has little to do with sexual orientation. Placing a transgendered male who wishes to be female into a male prison, even though they have

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