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In the category of unexpected common sense...
Scotland to deny trans prisoners with violent history toward women
transfers to women's prison
By Joe Fisher
Jan. 29 (UPI) -- The Scottish Prison System will not transfer any transgender prisoner with a history of violence toward women to a women's prison after a review over procedures last week.
The review came as the prison system faced a challenge in the case of Isla Bryson, a trans woman convicted of raping two women in 2016 and 2019, who was sentenced to serve time in a women's prison, the BBC reported.
Isla Bryson
The law creates a pathway for a person to have their gender legally recognized if it is not the gender they were assigned at birth, with a gender recognition certificate.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said a gender recognition certificate does not change the prison system's process in determining the placement of transgender prisoners.
"The important thing is that its process is one that is based on the assessment of risk -- for the individual, for other prisoners and for prison staff," Brown said.
"I trust the SPS to deal with this. It does not follow the practice in England and Wales, where the process is determined by the presence of a GRC. In Scotland, if someone has a GRC, it does not give them the right to be transferred to the place of their choice."
Bryson was moved to a men's jail where she remains.
A larger review is continuing, but until it concludes no transgender person with a history of violence against women -- whether already in prison or newly convicted -- will be moved from a men's prison to a women's prison, according to Brown and BBC.
"As the first minister pointed out last week, we must not allow any suggestion to take root that trans women pose an inherent threat to women," Brown said.
"Predatory men are the risk to women. However, as with any group in society, a small number of trans women will offend and be sent to prison."
Transgender prisoners: What are the facts in the UK jails?
Hamish Morrison
Tue, 31 January 2023 at 10:13 am GMT-8
Cornton Vale, the women's jail where double-rapist Isla Bryson was briefly imprisoned before outcry (Image: PA)
TWO high-profile criminal cases have sparked outrage in Scotland in the aftermath of the SNP's attempted transgender law reforms.
One featured a double rapist who now identifies as a woman being held in segregation at a woman's prison near Stirling and another involved a dangerous prisoner who stalked a child and who requested a move to a female jail.
But what are the facts on who gets sent to which prisons in the UK?
In Scotland
In the wake of the furore over the Isla Bryson case, Justice Secretary Keith Brown announced no transgender prisoners would be moved to a female prison in Scotland while the prison service conducted a review of its policies around the practice.
He later said it was his belief no trans women housed in male prisons had been convicted of violence against women.
Bryson is currently imprisoned at HMP Edinburgh, a men’s jail. Tiffany Scott, who was convicted of stalking a 13-year-old girl while living as a man called Andrew Burns, has applied to be moved from HMP Low Moss to a woman’s prison. Brown said no decision had been taken on Scott’s case as yet – despite The Scottish Sun reporting the request had been blocked.
Figures reported by the BBC from the Scottish Prison Service, showed there were 15 transgender prisoners in the country. Of these, one trans man was held in a male prison while three were held in a women’s prison. There were six trans women in men’s prisons and five living in women’s prisons, the data showed.
In England and Wales
Under reforms trailed (trialed?) in October and finalised last week, the UK Justice Secretary announced a new policy framework which would ban all transgender women prisoners from women’s prisons if they have either intact male genitals or if they have been convicted of a sex crime.
The new rules – which have not yet been introduced – ministers will have discretion as to where trans women are imprisoned on the above criteria.
The announcement said there would be room for exceptions but only in the “most truly exceptional cases”.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 90% of trans women in prison in England and Wales are held in male prisons and “most do not request a move to a women’s prison”.
The department said that trans women without a gender recognition certificate – i.e. those whose birth certificates read “male” – are initially sent to men’s prisons “as a matter of course”.
Trans women currently in women’s prisons will face a “thorough assessment” before ministers decide whether they should remain there, the announcement added. This will include an assessment of the risks to themselves and others.
Excellent! So far, I like what this government is doing on the sexual abuse file. Keep up the good work.
Tennessee bill aims to ban drag shows, other adult entertainment
on public property
Rep. Chris Todd, a Republican who sponsored HB. 9, called it a
'common-sense child safety bill'
By Lawrence Richard | Fox News
Is it acceptable to take children to drag shows?
The state of Tennessee could bar drag shows and other adult entertainment performances, pending a bill that is advancing through the state’s legislature.
A bill banning go-go dancers, exotic dancers, and strippers on public property and for those under the age of 18 was approved by the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday, according to FOX 17 Nashville. It will now advance to the House Criminal Justice Committee.
"This is a common-sense child safety bill," said Rep. Chris Todd, a Republican who sponsored HB. 9, per the report.
The bill intends to prohibit "adult cabaret entertainment" that is "harmful to minors," including "male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers."
A drag queen performs during a drag show during celebrations for Pride month on June 25, 2022,
in Raleigh, North Carolina. (ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
"There's confusion in the law of what performances are covered. This clarifies what is crossing the line that is harmful to minors," Todd added.
While the bill effectively bans drag shows, it does not specifically use the term.
Republicans in the state have contended that drag shows can result in the "sexualization" or "grooming" of children.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Republican, introduced the legislation near the end of 2022 with his own bill that limits gender-care surgeries for those under 18.
"We are not going to expose our children to this type of inappropriate, sexually explicit performances," Sen. Johnson told the station in November 2022, after drag performances where kids were present were becoming more popular.
TV personalities and drag queens Asia O'Hara, Aquaria, Acid Betty, Yvie Oddly and Kameron Michaels perform during Drive'N Drag at Westfield Garden State Plaza Mall on July 17, 2020, in Paramus, New Jersey.
(Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Johnson said seeing the shows spring up in Chattanooga and other areas led him to "pursue this legislation to make sure that our laws are consistent," WZTV reported.
The bill’s critics say its ambiguity could lead to unintended consequences.
State Rep. Gloria Johnson, a Democrat representing the Knoxville area, said the bill was directed "at hate" and said it could unintentionally prevent larger stars such as Harry Styles, who is known for his showy and colorful attire, from performing in the state.
If his attire or performance is sexualized, then children should not be admitted.
ARKANSAS INTRODUCES NEW BILL DEFINING DRAGS SHOWS AS AN 'ADULT-ORIENTATED BUSINESS' UNDER LEGAL CODE
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