Lesbian Prisoners

History

Until recently, relatively little was known about the history of lesbian prisoners because criminologists rarely studied them, and officials usually failed to mention them. However, recent historical studies along with some earlier primary source material document the presence of lesbians in penal institutions from at least the 19th century.

According to historian Estelle Freedman (1996), the first women to be identified as prison lesbians [Page 543]were predominantly African American. Ideas about race and gender intersected in the body of the prison lesbian, as black women were thought to be more masculine (and more criminal) than white women. Ideas of race and gender tended to prompt officials to report intimate relations between their female charges only when they were interracial. In particular, early-20th-century prison staff were concerned about the possible “contamination” of white women by predatory black inmates.

It was not until after World War II, Freedman reports, that white working-class prisoners became associated with an image of aggressive female homosexuality and that prison sociologists began studying women's sexual relationships behind bars. In response, prison wardens began to implement policies to control lesbian sexual relations in the institutions. Freedman determined that the greater attention afforded to prison lesbianism by scholars was based on the fear that the increase in prostitution arrests would lead to increased incidents of lesbian acts within the prison. Though researchers in the 1960s who studied issues of women in prison paid a considerable amount of attention to sexual relationships among women inmates, currently, criminologists tend to favor instead a more general study of women's lives in prison overall.

Demographics

There are no reliable and consistent statistics on the incidence of homosexual activity among women inmates, or even data for similar relationships between male prisoners. Various studies suggest that anywhere between 2% and 65% of female and male inmates participate in consensual sexual relationships, while between 1% and 28% have admitted to being victims of coerced sex.

Research shows that lesbians tend to be given lengthier sentences than heterosexual women. They also experience more incidents of incarceration and have an earlier onset into the criminal justice system. Lesbians in prison are more likely to adhere to inmate subculture norms and exhibit higher levels of conflict with the administration. As a result, they are more likely to be written up for disciplinary infractions. Finally, some research suggests that they are more likely to hold feminist beliefs and support of the idea of gender equality, both within and outside of the prison.

Lesbian Relationships

Many women in lesbian relationships in prison identify as heterosexual prior to their confinement and may return to their heterosexual relationships upon their release. For these women, their relationships in prison may provide an entirely new experience and a particular means of coping with incarceration.

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