NYC trans inmates would get chest binders, wigs, fake penises, false breasts under proposed new bill: report

The bill from Councilwoman Crystal Hudson titled "Requiring that people in the custody and staff of the DOC have access to gender-affirming items and medical devices," would amend local law to require that "correctional health services, during intake screening, shall establish a process by which people in custody may request access to wigs, hair extensions, chest binders, tucking undergarments or gaffs, prosthetics, or other similar items or medical devices that are used by individuals to affirm their self-determined gender identity."

Denial or revocation of permission to access these items "must be supported by a written decision which includes a detailed explanation, all evidence supporting the decision, and current contact information for the board of correction and the New York city commission on human rights. The written decision shall be issued to the affected person and the board of correction within 24 hours of the department’s initial denial or revocation of access, to gender-affirming items or medical devices."

The bill, which will be introduced at Thursday’s City Council Meeting, also requires that staff be allowed " to possess gender-affirming items or medical devices while working at a facility operated by the department of correction."

Hudson told the New York Post, "Our goal as legislators should be to affirm New Yorkers’ civil liberties. Providing greater access to gender-affirming care to transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and/or intersex (TGNCNBI) people in our city’s jails is part of achieving this mission."

The Post reported that it’s currently unclear who would foot the bill for these items, as the legislation leaves the decision up to New York City’s Department of Correction.

Critics of the bill have said that these items would be used by detainees as weapons or be used to conceal weapons. Benny Boscio, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, told the outlet, "While COBA fully supports individuals having the freedom to affirm their own gender identity, we cannot support any legislation that compromises the safety and security of our officers and the people in our custody."

“Allowing inmates access to prosthetics would also enable them to hide drugs and weapons, such as make-shift razor blades, that could easily be used to assault other inmates and our officers," he added.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens) said, The far left already led the recent push to remove punitive segregation [in city jails], so this is just another way for them to create new havoc and make our jails even more of a safety risk." She added, "It would put correction officers, other staff and inmates in danger because these items could be used as weapons or to hide them, so I hope this bill never sees the light of day."

While the DOC said it does not track the number of transgender staff members, 42 of the 6,135 detainees in the city identify as transgender.