The part of the film Major! that left the biggest impression on me was the treatment of trans women in prison. I knew that conditions in prisons in the US are quite poor and inmates are continually taken advantage of, and I was also aware that trans prisoners are usually treated worse, but the stories of former inmates opened a whole new level of horrific. One of the biggest issues is solitary confinement. Often, trans inmates are placed in solitary confinement “for their own protection.” In reality, they are put there so prison staff don’t have to deal with them. People are often in solitary confinement for months, even though the UN considers solitary confinement for more than a few days to be torture. Although solitary confinement and violence affect all prisoners in the US, trans women are disproportionately affected by the mistreatment.
The film, which focuses on trans women of color, leaves me wondering what sort of organization and activism there is for trans men of color. Although the focus on trans women is extremely important – trans women are one of the groups most prone to violence and homicide – I’m curious what sort of support there is for trans men of color, who are also disproportionately affected by violence.