Sometimes I think I am the most feared in prison. Not me as an individual, me as a type. I am the unafraid and unafraid gay man.

If a gay man comes to prison and throws caution to the wind, he becomes disrespected and more willing to cross personal boundaries. A straight man who has multiple sexual partners is a champion, but a gay man has one sexual partner in prison is outcast and treated like a deviant. This is usually where negative behavior begins, btw.

Once it's been reported among inmates and staff that this homo is whoring about (whether its reality or not, perception is reality in here) everyone gives up. Predators want to use them for prostitution and closeted sex. Staff assumes that's what they want and hardly intervenes. 
When they do it is the polar opposite, isolation. You see, the fear is sex. It's believed that we are uncontrollable sex fiends, so were seperated (for the safety and security of the facility). This comes from their own preconcieved ideas about what gay men are or aren't.

I've also been told that we are an infection. Responsible for breeding homosexuality in the prison system. That we somehow have this ability to force men three times our size to whip out their members for our obscene sick fantasies. Like we have an ability to cast spells or we are the latest super-villians in a comic book (watch out for...GASP!...Queero!). 

The truth is much less dramatic. Some of us allow ourselves to be abused for a long list of reasons. I do not have all the answers. Why do 'straight' men have sex with gay men and then hate us for it? Who knows! 

So when a man like me comes along with a way to improve the incarcerated gay community, you would think it would be embraced. Undoubtedly some don't want to change; out of fear, pure stubborness, addiction...the list goes on. However, my experience has been that most of the gay men I know want to be respected, happy and sober. They sometimes believe that's not possible to achieve, but they do want it. I want to enable them to achieve. A support system that promotes and enables us to edify one another.

In June of this year (2015) I submitted a proposal that would allow us to convene in a safe, chapperoned and staffed environment. Here we could work on self-esteem, positive behavior, addictions, self-respect, goal setting, being pressured etc. In addition, sometimes we need to be able to talk to other gay men. Just knowing your not being judged, a place where you feel secure to be you.

If you put a straight man in a womans prison the social and
pyschological damage would be drastic especially given he had no other peers like him. Why would a gay man in a straight prison be any different? 

My group proposed is free to the state, run by volunteers. It has a high probability to reduce our stress levels, allowing for more pressing issues to be addressed, gain resource info and where to get help. This will only help our recidivism rates go down...isn't that the point of this place?

I am looking for help. We need additional literature, a permanent outside sponsor, curriculum agendas, recidivism data for the LGBTQ community, prevention ideas and most of all we need your compassion. Your mentorship, we want to be successful, drug free and independent.
You can help by sending an email of support to the appropriate places (nicely, of course). To find out how you can help or to simply find out more info about me or my program or my future plans or anything at all, you can contact me the following ways:

1. Jeff Utnage 823469
H3-A-20-U
Stafford Creek Correction Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, WA 98520

2. Jpay.com 
Type in my name and follow the instructions listed (forgive the lack of details, we dont see the website face, only our secured end)

Sincerely,
Jeff Utnage