Two female inmates are reportedly pregnant after having consensual sex with a transgender inmate at the only an-all female prison in New Jersey.
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The state’s Department of Corrections said two inmates at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility are expecting babies with one or two transgender inmates but it is currently unclear. “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,” said Department of Corrections external affairs executive director Dan Sperrazz to NJ.com.
Currently, there are 27 inmates who identify as transgender. According to TOO FAB, some female inmates filed a lawsuit against the facility last year for allowing “pre-operative male” transgender inmates to stay in the jail. “I believe it is highly inappropriate for the NJDOC to place pre-operative male-to-female allegedly transgender inmates in a women’s prison,” one of the inmates wrote who had a gender-confirming surgery before her imprisonment.
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They claimed in the suit that those inmates allegedly sexually harassed or had sex with other female inmates. Additionally, prisoners were reportedly beaten and sexually abused by correction officers.
Last year, the prison started housing transgender inmates last year after a lawsuit was filed by a transgender woman who resided in male prisons for almost two years. According to the state’s police, transgender inmates are not required to have gender reassignment surgery to be registered at the prison.
However, this policy was also rejected by the union that represented correctional officers at the prison: “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,”
The inmate identified as “Sonia Doe” said she felt unsafe at a male prison after she was reportedly sexually harassed, mocked, and assaulted in addition to being denied female care items plus hormone treatment.
‘Though I still have nightmares about that time, it’s a relief to know that as a result of my experience the NJDOC has adopted substantial policy changes so no person should be subjected to the horrors I survived.’
Social media also reacted to the news where many stated transgender prisoners need to be placed in prisons based on their gender assigned at birth.
Who DIDN’T think this was going to happen. https://t.co/mtC01tAGRm
— Richard Kujawski (@idpndnt1) April 15, 2022
A transgender woman can get another woman pregnant? Shocking! https://t.co/KIV3YnNjmk
— Steve (@oldguy_steve) April 14, 2022
And this insanity. Housing trans prisoners with women. https://t.co/b1qFtjrGQL
— sohali (@sohali2012) April 14, 2022
Hey look, it’s that exact thing everyone said was going to happen https://t.co/OLEtzFQWU7
— Norge Gorgeous (@GorgeousNorge) April 14, 2022
Officials did not release the name of the pregnant women or the transgender inmate due to the ongoing investigation.