Prison Life For The LGBT Community

Prison life is strange for anyone who comes here. However, it presents unique challenges for the LGBT community. Specifically, we are locked away with a large amount of our potential partners. We must abstain from sexual contact or relationships entirely, else there are consequences. 

However, this isn't our only concern when it comes to prison life and the LGBT community. There is suicide, depression, assaults, extortion and every other nasty thing that you can think of. You name it and it happens to us most frequently.

Remember in Fatal Attraction, the whole boil a rabbit thing? It is the epitome of crazy stalker people. Just imagine that whole mentality, locked away in about 500 other dudes who do nothing but work out and plot violence. Our concerns go from one or two minor ones to lets shower in packs because you never know who is going to try and pin you down. And NOT the pleasurable way.

But this isn't about getting sympathy from the outside community. It's about raising awareness. I hope to get people thinking about the LGBT community in prison because the more support that we have the better chances we have at becoming productive, healthy members of society. People who are just watching expectantly, hopeful that we will in fact succeed will make an impact.

I tell people all the time that there are people out there who read stuff like this and it sparks a glint of hope in their eyes that people have not forgotten them. That they are not refuse to be discarded and thrown away. We are recyclable and reusable. This attitude sparks a level of hope that often times is all one could need to make giant differences in the community.

Imagine this, what if half of the prisoners in Washington State got out (which would be about 8500) and Reached Out to the local community to end criminal activity. That looks like men and women finding those who are in high risk situations, like the drug addicts, the gang members, the oppressed and broken and began Reaching Out to them to offer help to get out of their broken mentalities. That alone could cut crime rates so much that it may even render prisons useless at some point.

For me the goal isn't ending prisons, it's ending victimization.

Ever been victimized? I have, and I have created a few of my own. It's horrible and it should and CAN be stopped by Reaching Out.

With Love
Jeff Utnage