Jail, prison, and the crossdresser.

[Alice Torn]

This partly a "what if?" thread, and may partly be reality for some. If for some unexpected reason, you were put in jail, or sentenced rightfully, or wrongfully, to do hard time in the big house, how would you handle your compulsion to dress? And, have any of you had to do prison time, and how did you handle the situation? My older brothers have been in federal prisons, one still is, for life. I can only say, that military boot camp, that i was in, there was no desire to dress, or self stimulate. The human being is very adaptable, when push comes to shove, and some circumstance can make us alter our behaviors greatly,. due to fear for our well being, and no support system. I would guess, that if i end up in jail or prison, I will hide this thing, act like i do not have it at all, and adapt to the very difficult situation. I know this is a heavy subject, but i am sure some of you, or other dressers have been behind bars before, or may be there someday. Just something to ponder. Thanks for reading.

[Krisi]

I believe, and I have often posted, that a crossdresser can quit dressing as a woman if he wants to or has to. Being in prison would be a "has to" situation. First, they are going to give you a uniform to wear and you won't have a choice of men's or women's. Second, if you display any feminine tendencies, you are likely to become gay whether you want to or not.

On a related note, what if you are arrested and taken to jail when dressed as a woman? Not because of your attire, but because you had a warrant or committed a crime. I would hope they would give you something to wear and allow you to remove your makeup (and boobs). Maybe this has happened to someone here.

[Alice Torn]

I suspect both my older twin brothers have some issues with dressing, so i am sure they either adapted , and suppressed that, or , who knows? Crisi, Some or most of us have had this compulsion, for many years. If a CD ends up in prison, that compulsion, so strong, will still be there. in that case, i would have to simply accept that it is there, and do my own therapy, to abstain, and it would be very difficult for a while, but i would have to retrain my mind, to think on other things, ask Higher Power for strength to go without, rechannel energy..It would be hell for a while, but i am sure , because of fear, embarrassment, a dresser or Tg would adapt to survive.

[cdterri]

Problem is everybody thinks prison is a prison, it is not as much as you may think, just about anything your heart desires is available behind bars including drugs, booze, internet, tv,and yes womens clothing. Hell if in long enough most states will pay for a sex change. You may not become gay but Bi is a real possibility.

[Alice Torn]

cdterri, I guess some of this is true. My brothers both were in for some serious felonies. They are especially hard on my brother who is still in. It got national attention.

[JeanTG]

I would suspect that if I was in this situation, I would be in survival mode and dressing would be the last thing on my mind. I'd be too busy watching my back. I too don't think I'd have too much trouble putting my compulsion on the back-burner for something like this. I managed to do it for 15 years when we were raising kids. I did become a grump through all that, but being a grump in prison might be more of an asset than a liability

[heatherdress]

I spent some time in a serious prison - fortunately as a volunteer not as an inmate. You don't crossdress while incarcerated.

[Alice Torn]

So, those who say you can't stop dressing, I get it, under normal conditions, but like Heatherdress says, "You don't crossdress while incarcerated." You are forced to not CD, by life threatening circumstances.

[AprilMayy<3]

If I were to be detained and put it in prison, I think I'd have other things to worry about than dressing up.
Just my two cents.

[OCCarly]

This:

[Eryn]

Considering that the US incarcerates a larger proportion of its population than any other country this may not be a hypothetical for many TG folks who live in this country. Since prisons became a business the numbers only go up.

[Krisi]

Either that or the number of criminals is up. Being put in prison is a result of bad choices. Want to have the freedom to crossdress? Don't make bad choices.

[CarlaWestin]

Carly, in the video, I don't know why the rooster hair is even tolerated.

If I were to be incarcerated, the CD would be only a mental exercise.

But, that situation is far from anything I'm concerned with.

[BillieAnneJean]

..................I would guess, that if i end up in jail or prison, ....................

I would guess that it would be a better use of one's time finding ways to stay out of jail. One sure way is to not break any laws.

............ and it would be very difficult for a while, but i would have to retrain my mind, to think on other things, ask Higher Power for strength to go without, rechannel energy..It would be hell for a while, but i am sure , because of fear, embarrassment, a dresser or Tg would adapt to survive.

In the slammer you may have a LOT of more urgent worries than dressing.

I haven't met anyone yet who has fond memories of their time behind bars. Perhaps that is by good reason.

[Alice Torn]

Eryn has a good point. Prisons are a big business now, and i do know of a few men who were innocent, but were framed. A famous late country singer, sang, and talked a lot about prisons, and visited many of them. One, a nearly blind man, who has falsely convicted of rape, who did some time, before being exonerated. And, another fine fellow, i knew, who was framed by dishonest business associates, did hard time a few years, before finally being cleared. One of my brothers was held in prisons, for two years, before being cleared, and released. The other brother was convicted, but no DNA evidence. We occasionally here of people who were in prison years, before DNA, or other evidence found them not guilty. Too often, the REAL criminals never go to prison. Like Carla says, if in prison, CDing would only be in one's mind, but, other things would probably ease it off pretty quickly.

[Eryn]

Just to put some numbers on it, the US incarcerates one out of 133 people. Next highest is Russia with one in 160. The EU is one out of 909, Australia is one in 769. Somehow, I don't see Americans as having eight times the criminal tendencies of Europeans. We just put people in prison for lesser crimes.

[Alice Torn]

Way too many laws and endless regulations, too, making more people lawbreakers, for breaking silly laws that they were not even aware of!!

[Sonyla]

I am not sure if I would crossdress in a prison, the prisons in the Netherlands are not the same as in the USA but that is all I know.
I think I would if I am absolutely sure that no one could see me.

[irene9999]

I would think this would be the least of my worries if I went to prison. Then again I live in Canada so unless I did something really bad I wouldn't have to worry about it