After the success of the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black, we all thought that jail was going to be the hot new vacation spot for gay couples in 2013.
But, in a new study by a prison watchdog group, it was revealed that gay male couples who have consensual sex are often punished and separated, making getting locked up sound only slightly less desirable.
The Commission on Sex in Prison (what a fun commission!) has created the first ever review on the issue of consensual sex within the English prison system.
Noting the difficulties of telling the difference between consensual and non-consensual or coercive sex in such a setting, the study concluded that not only were same-sex couples at high risk for STDs, they also were often disciplined for engaging with each other at all. This seems particularly Orwellian after realizing that the Prison Service doesn’t actually have a specific rule prohibiting sexual acts between inmates, and probably discourages couples from engaging in safe-sex at all by making it difficult to obtain condoms behind bars.
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In a statement released by Chris Sheffield, Chair of the Commission on Sex in Prison, it was stated that, “The need for harm reduction measures and the delivery of sexual health policies are important not just for prisoners but wider society,” considering that many of these prisoners will eventually return to their communities.
One former inmate told the commission: “Officers would push open my door very quickly, unannounced, in an attempt to catch us having sex. Of course it never worked but it put us on edge all the time. A senior officer did this once as Simon and I were sat [sic] on my bed holding hands watching a movie on TV. He ordered us to stop holding hands and move apart.”
Awwww, you gays. So they were just enjoying the tastefully done sex scenes in Behind the Candelabra when some grizzled C.O. burst in and was all like:
h/t: Daily Mail
Brendan
Well they ARE in prison… so should they really be trying to make it easy for them to have sex?
redcarpet
So Prison Fuck XXX by Falcon Studios is not an accurate picture of gay prison life??!!
Guess I should stop smuggling those drugs then.
(Totally joking NSA spy bot, chill out)
EdWoody
I once interviewed gay porn star Michael Brandon, who had been in prison previous to beginning his main porn career. I asked him if real life prison was anything like the porn films. He said “Totally. It’s happening all the time, constantly. But there’s a kind of chivalry to it. When you come out as gay in prison, you become ‘the woman’. Even if you’re 300 pounds with a 10-inch dick and a back like a gorilla, you are ‘the woman’. And the woman is to be protected.”
I dare say his experience is not universal, but there you have it.
hyhybt
It’s far from ideal, but some perspective is in order: that they’re able to be together at all is a blessing few couples where one or both are incarcerated can have, and reducing prison rape is far more important. That they have to hide that they’re a couple at all or are stopped from even holding hands, though, is beyond silly.
hyhybt
@EdWoody: That’s a bit of a different angle… though I have to point out that there are women with two out of the three.
Caliban
There are some places in the US (I’m not sure if they’re official or informal) where younger, more vulnerable inmates are recommended to find a “prison daddy” to hook up with ASAP to protect them and make rape or gang-rape less likely. This study is from the UK so I wonder how one in the US would differ?
Scribe38
@EdWoody: I have sort of heard the same thing. A childhood friend str8-ish was locked up for 6 yrs. I would write and he would tell me about his wife and how he had got into fights protecting the openly gay dude. My friend actually did romantic things to convince the gay guy to play house with him.
fredhotman
Coercive sex with prison authorities approval is OK. What hypocrisy, another moral high.
Thomas
I know someone who gay and is currently in a correctional facility, and he has told me that the sex scenes depicted in prison porn are so far from reality. He has been approached even though he is not out in there and has not had any issues. He has also made friends both straight and gay there as well. The sad thing is though, when a straight inmate has a visitor, he and his wife/girlfriend whatever basically come as close to having sex without penetration as possibly you could, but he can not even hold the hand of his boyfriend. There is a double standard in there. I am not saying that they should have liberties and freedoms, but they should be treated equally.
Tommysole
@Brendan: I agree!
Prison means, PUNISHMENT!
Not a good time! Unless you are into being raped.