Outrage as British trans woman is sent to all-male prison

The decision to send a transgender woman from Bath to a men’s prison has sparked outrage after magistrates ruled that despite undergoing gender reassignment surgery and living as a woman for her entire adult life, Tara Hudson’s passport still states she is male.

Hudson was sentenced to 12 weeks in a Category B Bristol men’s prison on Friday (October 23) after pleading guilty to assault at a bar last Christmas, sparking concerns for her safety and an online campaign calling for her transferal to a women’s unit.

The 26-year-old has lived as a woman her entire adult life, undergone hormone therapy, six years of gender reassignment surgery and been medically declared a woman by her doctor – but was sent to the all-male prison after magistrates ruled that the gender still listed in her passport should be used to decide on an appropriate place to serve her sentence.

A Change petition calling for Ms Hudson’s transferal to a women’s prison has already amassed more than 6000 signatures. Her mother, Jackie Brooklyn, has told the Express she has written directly to the prison governor to express her concerns for her daughter’s safety.

“There’s nothing male about her, nobody would know the difference. She looks like a woman. She’s gorgeous,” Ms Brooklyn said.

“We think it’s totally outrageous. I don’t think she will cope well at all. I just feel the men are going to go after her. It’s going to be humiliating.

“I just want to get my daughter into a safe, female environment where she belongs and will continue to fight the decision.”

To make matters worse, the Express also reports that that levels of violence in Bristol prison – which holds around 600 young adult and adult men – have “risen sharply” in recent months. Last year, prison inspectors reported that not “enough was being done to protect some vulnerable prisoners.”

The report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons concluded that violent incidents “were now considerably higher than in similar prisons.”

Ms Brooklyn added: “She’s been through a hard time and this could set her right back.

“I don’t think the magistrates have taken that into consideration. I fear that it is a potentially dangerous situation for her to be in and feel strongly that she would be far safer in a female environment.

“While I understand it is a complex issue, the treatment of transgender individuals by the British judicial system is one that clearly requires greater attention and thought.

“The primary focus should be the safety and wellbeing of those involved.”

A Prison Service spokesman said: “It is longstanding policy to place offenders according to their legally recognised gender.

“There are strict rules in place to ensure transsexual prisoners are managed safely and in accordance with the law.”

You can sign the change.org petition calling for Ms Hudson’s transferal to a women’s prison here.

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