Women's rights group launches campaign to get media to cover trial of woman raped by trans inmate in female prison

Women’s rights groups have launched a billboard campaign ahead of the rape trial of inmate Tremaine Carroll, who was housed with female inmates, calling attention to California’s law that allows inmates to be housed based on their stated gender identity and urging media to cover the trial.

California’s SB 132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, was passed in 2021. Carroll, who identified as a transgender woman, was housed alongside women at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. He has been charged with raping three women at the facility, one of whom prosecutors say became pregnant as a result.

The billboard campaign, which uses box trucks with video screens on the sides, was organized by the groups Women Are Real and WomeniiWomen. Per the New York Post, the trucks have been taking routes through San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, going to locations such as the state capital, the Staples Center, and various news outlets’ offices.

A truck is set to go to the women’s prison in Chowchilla on Friday. Women Are Real said, "The women are trying to be in the yard at 1:30 pm when the truck gets there. It’s a low time right now since their hopes for female-only sleeping & showering facilities were dashed last year when SB 311 was voted down in committee. They need to see we haven’t forgotten about them."

The billboards include phrases such as "Women in CA Prisons Raped by Male Inmates," "Incarcerated Women Matter,” “SB 132: State-Sanctioned Rape – Media Silent," and "Women in California prisons raped by male inmates — will media cover the trial?"

Speaking with NTD, Amie Ichikawa, the executive director of WomeniiWomen, said, "Since there are no requirements within any of the gender self-ID policies, this just allows for anyone, whether they're in transition or not, to transfer. So what this translates to is there's just regular men with beards and tattoos from head to toe. They're walking around women's prisons." She called it "state-sanctioned rape," saying that it "exactly what it is."