There is nothing about the experience that could be considered enjoyable. 'I've heard before that 'jail is a faggot's dream.' I assure you that cliché is not the case. Gay men who do not attempt to hide their sexuality are forced into passive and submissive roles. To live with some standard of equality, we have to trade in our manhood. My way of thinking about myself and my sexuality has been permanently altered.' The role of woman is forced upon us and any rebuttal is considered a sign of disrespect. It's difficult to assess how typical Rodney's prison experience is, but numerous studies conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on anonymous inmate surveys, have shown that gay and transgender inmates are among the most targeted groups for sexual victimization. Until fairly recently, little has been done to help them. Just Detention International (JDI), an organization whose aim is to eradicate prison rape (pdf), is trying to change that.
JDI has been working with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to establish 'sensitive needs yards' (pdf), where gay, transgender and other vulnerable inmates can serve out their time in safety.
