S2025E8 - Judge Blocks Trump's Attempt to House Trans Women With Male Inmates
Episode Notes
A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order against housing transgender women with the male prison population.
This was reported by LGBTQ Nation: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/women-win-court-ruling-blocking-trumps-order-to-house-trans-women-in-mens-prisons/
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Transcript
Welcome to Episode 8 of The Spectrum.
LindaThis was recorded on February 5, 2025.
LindaThis is an episode that brings some good news. It'll be a while before we know if it is temporary good news, but we could all use some good news right now. So it's worth shining some light on it.
LindaAccording to a news report in LGBTQ
LindaNation, a federal judge has blocked Trump's executive order to forcibly detransition and house transgender female inmates in male prisons.
LindaThe judge called that order a violation of the Eighth
LindaAmendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment. The order applies across the entire country.
LindaThe women were able to show that transgender inmates experienced significantly higher risk of physical and sexual violence compared to the general population, when housed with people of the opposite gender. Of particular note is that Trump's Attorney
LindaGeneral and the Bureau of Prisons did not deny any of the potential harm that the women could face.
LindaThis proves that cruelty is the point of these policies and that the
LindaTrump administration is not basing their policies on any sort of science, but on animosity towards a group of people they don't like.
LindaNow the question remains as to why this is so important. After all, why should we care what happens to some people that broke the law? The government has a responsibility to take care of the welfare of people that are incarcerated. If they broke the law and were sentenced to prison, then the government has taken responsibility for their welfare. Trump's policy would harm them, and the DOJ admits that. Second, it is now a legal precedent that at least one of Trump's policies would do harm. That can be used to help dismantle the other transphobic policies.
LindaThis might be a small bit of good news, but it comes in a day when many of us needed to hear something encouraging. The fight against Trump's despicable policies can be won.
LindaIt's likely the DOJ will appeal, but a win at any level is encouraging. If you have an experience of LGBT life you would like to share, please contact me at spectrumpodcasthost at gmail.com.
LindaGood luck and stay safe.