The Feminization of Transgender Women in Prisons for Men: How Prison as a Total Institution Shapes Gender

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the degree to which prison shapes transgender women’s perceptions of themselves as gendered people in prisons for men. Drawing on original data collected from 315 transgender women in 27 prisons for men in California, a mixed-methods analysis reveals that transgender women in prisons for men report higher levels of self-perceptions of femininity while incarcerated, especially for those who report sexual victimization by other prisoners. The implications of these and other findings are discussed in light of recent calls for more theory and research on femininities as well as the policies and practices that undergird prisons as one of the most sex-segregated institutions.