Contents:
PART A:
- Introduction
- Purpose of the information resource
- Resource Audiences
- Why the resource is needed
NOTE: a reflective thinking document to support aspects of topics covered in this resource and associated Network training
PART B:
Main themes:
- Who are the LGBT and LGBTQ+ communities – their challenges in a custodial environment (includes references to the parallel MSM community) – including being Out or being Outed
- Types of prejudice – the importance of counteracting ‘banter’: ‘Banter’ and related anti-LGBT ASB
- Responses to anti-LGBT banter and ASB
- Why zero tolerance of anti-LGBT prejudice matters, and Allyship
- The three main demographic groups (Allies to hardcore prejudiced) response to anti-LGBT prejudice
- Major to minor settings where prejudice incidents occur and counteracting and minimising the latter — the gym and sports; communal shower and toilet facilities; cells/rooms
- Prejudice and bullying reporting – use of the DIRF and greater clarity and prominence for its use
- Staff duties and residents interactions – opportunities for challenging prejudice and not unintentionally reinforcing it
- About and constructively challenging young male heterosexual adults and anti-LGBT prejudice ‘cultures’
- Mental health – for ALL (not only those targeted, but staff, and residents) and in healthcare settings (including for reporting incidents)
Other:
- Awareness on potentiality of anti-LGBT ‘cultures’ within staff settings, and how these undermine the prison positive purpose & ethos – such covert hardcore misogynist, racist, homophobic ‘cells’ sadly exist in large organisations, as illustrated by the Met Police and Hampshire Police
- The role of Trades Unions
- CPD
- Residents Equality Reps
- The role of counteracting prejudice during custodial sentences, and strengthening positive Rehabilitation Outcomes
- Learning in regard to International residents
- Education settings (library, and other)
- Multi-faith Chaplaincy
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PART A:
1. Introduction:
There has always been to date, from the earliest times of modern history, a substantial amount of individuals given custodial sentences that have hate & prejudice against minorities and women contexts. Such destructive (including to the lives of perpetrators/victimisers as well as to targets/victims) outcomes, resulting by unthinking absorbing of prejudices that have existed in broader society and even until recent times in some education and family group settings, have until now been poorly tackled from the point of custodial settings giving an opportunity for change in outlooks and understanding of the causes and nature of the interconnection of crime/hate & prejudice.
As such, and on the rational and enlightened self-interest perspective of nobody serving a custodial sentence would or should seek to return to prison, and that if any effective support be provided for in the social competence domain to overcome residents serving custodial sentences due to ASB linked to hate and prejudice for minority communities (such as LGBT, and also ethnic minorities), beliefs that created, fuelled, and sustain the mindsets that caused the crimes for which such individuals were convicted, that such counteraction of and debriefing can be achieved.
This information resource — formally supported by the Prison Governor and Prison Governors Board, and associated prison services providers … multi-faith chaplaincy, prison Residents Equality Reps – has been created to assist on realising the opportunity for all residents during their period of custody, and all prison service staff, to gain the prejudice influencing factors debriefing, to enable much greater social competence confidence where minority communities are concerned, for in this area effective rehabilitation and minimising reoffending.
This information Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Prejudice in the Prison Environment: Engagement & Communication Requirements and Guidance resource has been developed by the LGBT+ Network for Change in conjunction with the Prison Service to assist on counteracting anti-LGBT & LGBTQ+ prejudice, banter, and bullying. It is for the combined use of HMP & YOI Portland/HMPPS Staff (Warders and all others) and external Stakeholders Staff providing services at Portland Prison.
THE DOCUMENT AND ITS CONTENT IS INTENDED AS A BASIS, FOR HMP & YOI PORTLAND TRIALLING OF THE ASSOCIATED ANTI-PREJUDICE INITIATIVE, TO BE ABLE TO BE USED REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY AT OTHER RELEVANT PRISONS AND YOIs.
The resource supplements and expands on the Staff, Residents, and Visitors accompanying information awareness resource on the same subject, covering in more depth, and/or providing additional need-to-know subjects of importance from a staffing perspective, and assistive to staff interaction with residents and visitors of HMP & YOI Portland.
2. Purpose of the information resource:
This resource was created by the LGBT+ Network for Change (https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/), which originated from Dorset and Bournemouth, at the request of and in conjunction with HMP & YOI Portland and for the use and benefit of HMPPS and Pride in Prisons & Probation (PiPP) and for Portland Prison and broader Avon & South Dorset HMPPS Group and beyond key stakeholder organisations in the domains of healthcare, education, rehabilitation. As such, the resource assists with consolidating existing HMP & YOI Portland and broader HMPPS diversity and anti-discrimination remits, requirements, and implementation
While since the enactment of the Equality Act in 2010 much has been achieved to place equality and human rights for women and minority communities into effect, challenging in effective ways prejudices, inequality, and often brutal forms of prejudice and discrimination of centuries making, remains a work in progress.
Twelve years on from the passing of the Equality Act it has been increasingly realised that apart from mainstream education domain action [National Curriculum reform], the main impediment to substantial change/improvement, has been lack of a joined-up, multiagency approach to prejudice and discrimination, and its evils such as bullying, suicide, violence, and especially poor mental health.
For this reason this information resource, instituted to assist in all it is provided to support their important work and commitments to removing the blight of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia (and by extension other forms of prejudice & bullying such as racism, xenophobia, and of course misogyny) from every aspect of the prison service from residents to staff. As such it is provided to all sections of prison staff through to stakeholder/partnering HMPPS service providers, so that all have the same information for coordinated action.
This assisting also realisation of for both staff members belonging to trades unions, and companies and organisations with long-established and comprehensive policy commitments in regard to counteracting anti-LGBT prejudice in the services their members and staff provide.
The awareness resource is provided to support associated training for staff and stakeholder teams members, for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), to assist with structured use of the Discrimination Incident Reporting Form (DIRF) and also the important role and undertakings of the Residents Equality Representatives.
‘A joined up approach’ with Allyship realisation goal – who the resource is for — https://guidetoallyship.com/
3. Resource Audiences:
a) Community (both residents and staff). The UK local to national level, and international level, estimates of the LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community is on the basis of over many years and across multiple locations at minimum 6% of the total population, and 10 – 10%+ is often found to be a more realistic estimate according to multiple high quality research studies and broader surveys.
Because of the impacts of prejudice, often of extreme parental & family and socio-cultural group kinds, suicide risks and attempted suicides and actual deaths by suicide are disproportionately high compared to the broader heterosexual and cisgender population, with Trans communities being the most harmed by prejudice and rejection of all LGBT communities. These unpleasant and unacceptable realities – derived from the same causes – are replicated in severe poor mental health for LGBT and especially LGBTQ+ people.
At the same time multiple research studies have found that some 24% of younger homeless community members are from the LGBTQ+ community, and their homelessness and vulnerability to sexual and other forms of predatory and exploitative mental health and life threatening abuse, are routed in the consequences of poorly challenged prejudice.
b) Staff (HMPPS, and Prison Service partnering/stakeholders staff) assistive to effectiveness and quality of their work delivery
Please also see the three main demographic groups (Allies to hardcore prejudiced) response to anti-LGBT prejudice in Part B.
4. Why the resource is needed:
The prison environment has the same prejudice burdens as trouble broader society, but these are commonly more accentuated due to the nature of confinement and custodial sentence provision.
As such, prejudices can take in such a setting more extreme forms and be informed and intensified by [for male only prison settings such as Portland Prison] demonstration of prejudice being a matter of demonstrating machismo, especially in youth and younger adults, of kinds commonplace in worst practice ill-disciplined school environments.
Ensuring at all times that no staff member is complacent about or even indulgent towards such a ‘school bullying of those perceived as different’ is therefore particularly important.
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PART B:
Main themes:
Who are the LGBT and LGBTQ+ communities – their challenges in a custodial environment (includes references to the parallel MSM community) – including being Out or being Outed:
The topics in this section extend far beyond direct anti-LGBT+ banter and bullying ASB incidents, as they in some cases (coming ‘Out’ as LGBT+ as well as coping with impacts of ‘Outing’, ‘misgendering,’ pronouns use, etc.) are of direct mental health importance for LGBT+ people and especially LGBTQ+ people – especially younger age groups [with HMP Portland also being a YOI] – in custodial settings.
This involving HMPPS (and also in some cases Trades Unions) and HMPPS stakeholder partnering organisations Duty of Care requirements and obligations.
As such information in parts of this section are of special importance to medical/healthcare provision and education provision, and to some extent the multi-faith chaplaincy.
The topics covered in this section (which is so extensive that it constitutes in its own right a major Continuing Professional Development [CPD] component across HMP Portland staff to that of stakeholder partnering organisations and their staff) are:
a) Who are the LGBT+ and LGBTQ+ communities?
b) LGBT+ acronyms
c) Coming Out
d) Being Outed (this can relate to even heterosexual and cisgender residents who are bullied for any reason, even though they are not actually LGB and/or Trans or Non-Binary)
e) Offensive and Not to Use names and terms
f) Misgendering (for Trans community members: currently a ‘hypothetical/academic’ concept until full support for Trans & Non-Binary community members in custodial settings)
Pronouns (relevant to direct person to person communication and in regard to forms & records for BOTH residents AND staff)
Two examples of anti-LGBT+ prejudice and its devastating and inhumane impacts:
g) Suicide and its causes
h) Homelessness and its causes
Other — Sexual orientation and gender identity monitoring:
a) Who are the LGBT+ and LGBTQ+ communities?
LGBT+ and LGBTQ+ communities, on the basis of extensive research constitute at any point in time and in any location (from Portland and Dorset to Japan, France, Russia, the Falkland Islands, India, Africa, and beyond) all record never less than an average 6% to 10%/10%+ LGBT+ and LGBTQ+ community.
Gay: ‘Gay’ is the term used, usually for men of same-sex love orientation, who self-identify / are ‘Out’ in that orientation, and most commonly for those who are Out as same-sex love orientated to others. It can also sometimes be used by females (Gay women / Lesbians). It refers to a state of being and mind, way of interacting with life associated with the original meanings of the word ‘being happy / cheerful in oneself.’ It is sometimes used in an LGBT political activist sense as an acronym ‘GAY’ meaning ‘Good As You’ – as such a position of challenge to heteronormative/hetero-supremacist perspectives.
Lesbian: exclusively for females (whether Cisgender or Trans females).
‘ A lesbian is a homosexual woman.[3][4] The word lesbian is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behaviour, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexuality or same-sex attraction.[4][5]
The concept of “lesbian” to differentiate women with a shared sexual orientation evolved in the 20th century. Throughout history, women have not had the same freedom or independence as men to pursue homosexual relationships, but neither have they met the same harsh punishment as homosexual men in some societies. Instead, lesbian relationships have often been regarded as harmless, unless a participant attempts to assert privileges traditionally enjoyed by men. As a result, little in history was documented to give an accurate description of how female homosexuality was expressed. …’
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesbian
Bisexual (and Pansexuality): Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females,[1][2][3] or to more than one sex or gender.[4] It may also be defined as romantic or sexual attraction to people of any sex or gender identity, which is also known as pansexuality.[5][6][7]
The term bisexuality is mainly used in the context of human attraction to denote romantic or sexual feelings toward both men and women,[1][2][8] and the concept is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation along with heterosexuality and homosexuality, all of which exist on the heterosexual–homosexual continuum. A bisexual identity does not necessarily equate to equal sexual attraction to both sexes; commonly, people who have a distinct but not exclusive sexual preference for one sex over the other also identify themselves as bisexual.[9]
Scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation, but they theorize that it is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences,[10][11][12] and do not view it as a choice.[10][11][13] Although no single theory on the cause of sexual orientation has yet gained widespread support, scientists favor biologically based theories.[10] There is considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial, biological causes of sexual orientation than social ones, especially for males.[3][8][14]
Bisexuality has been observed in various human societies[15] and elsewhere in the animal kingdom[16][17][18] throughout recorded history. The term bisexuality, however, like the terms hetero- and homosexuality, was coined in the 19th century.[19]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexuality
Trans: We are pleased to provide the following helpful definition of ‘Trans’ from the Stonewall organisation. We recommend you accessing the link in the source reference as it provides further need-to-know information of very valuable and important kinds:
‘Trans is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.
Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, non-binary, or gender queer. …’
Source link: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/what-does-trans-mean
Related subject: ‘Gender dysphoria’: * ‘ … psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity’. Source: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria
Please Note: Trans community members can also be and are gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and of course heterosexual.
Non-Binary: The following definition of and information on Non-Binary communities is valuable:
‘Non-binary (also spelled nonbinary) or genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine—identities that are outside the gender binary.[1][2] Non-binary identities can fall under the transgender umbrella, since many non-binary people identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex.[3] Another term for non-binary is enby (from the abbreviation ‘NB’).[4]
Non-binary people may identify as having two or more genders (being bigender or trigender);[5][6] having no gender (agender, nongendered, genderless, genderfree or neutrois); moving between genders or having a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid);[7] being third gender or other-gendered (a category that includes those who do not place a name to their gender).[8]
Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation,[9] and non-binary people have a variety of sexual orientations, just as cisgender people do.[10]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-binary_gender
Please Note: Non-Binary community members can also be and are gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, and of course heterosexual, as indicated in the final sentence of the excerpt above.
MSMs: ‘MSMs’: Males who have sex with Males’ (there is a female counterpart – Women who have sex with Women: WSWs). Being an MSM is NOT the same as being Gay. Being Gay almost always involves sexual activity taking a same-sex orientation, but this is a part of a total life-view driven by natural affection choices and needs in which sexual activity is just a part, not the totality. For example Gay identity will involve kissing of both passionate sexual kinds and affectionate non-sexual kinds; hugging of none-sexual kinds, and holding of hands, etc.
MSM community activity is exclusively sexual in nature without same-sex affection, with avoidance of non-sexual kissing (or any kissing at all in almost all cases), hugging, holding of hands, etc. This said within the domain of MSM activity, by definition this is NOT heteronormative, and in regard to sexual activity is of a same-sex rather than heterosexual kind. Sometimes this can be the starting point of the journey to coming to terms with non-heterosexuality, and occasionally this leading to realisations that same-sex love and potentially self-identifying as gay or bisexual.
For more on the subject: ‘ … Men who have sex with men (MSM) and women who have sex with women (WSW) are purportedly neutral terms commonly used in public health discourse. However, they are problematic because they obscure social dimensions of sexuality; undermine the self-labelling of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people; and do not sufficiently describe variations in sexual behaviour. MSM and WSW often imply a lack of lesbian or gay identity and an absence of community, networks, and relationships in which same-gender pairings mean more than merely sexual behaviour.
Overuse of the terms MSM and WSW adds to a history of scientific labelling of sexual minorities that reflects, and inadvertently advances, heterosexist notions. Public health professionals should adopt more nuanced and culturally relevant language in discussing members of sexual-minority groups.’
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449332/
b) LGBT+ acronyms:
The following details from True Colors (https://truecolorsunited.org/), provides a valuable guide to the LGBT+ communities related acronyms.
‘ … Acronyms and words, words, words – everybody sees them, not everyone knows what they mean. For example: What does this acronym stand for? And is there an easier way to say this? ….
-Lesbian: A woman who is attracted to other women
-Gay: Refers to a man who is attracted to other men; this term is also used for anyone who is attracted to another person with the same gender identity.
-Bisexual: Refers to a person who is attracted to both men and women
-Transgender: Refers to a person whose gender identity (the sense of gender that every person feels inside) or gender expression is different from the sex that was assigned to them at birth.
-Queer: An umbrella term sometimes used to refer to a person whose attraction and/or identity goes beyond the traditional definitions associated with sexual orientation and gender identity. Different people use this term to mean different things.
-Questioning: Refers to a person who is questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity
-Intersex: Refers to a person whose sexual anatomy or chromosomes do not fit with the traditional markers of “female” or “male”
-Pansexual: Refers to a person who is sexually or emotionally attracted to people of any sex or gender identity.
Two-Spirit: A tradition in many First Nations that considers sexual minorities to have both male and female spirits
-Asexual: Refers to a person who does not identify with any sexual orientation
-Ally: A straight and cisgender person who supports equality for all.
Source: https://truecolorsunited.org/2018/02/22/lgbt-lgbtq-acronyms-explained/
PLEASE REMEMBER these acronyms have major importance for LGBT+ Community members in a still largely LGBT non-inclusive, heterosexuality and Cisgender [male, female, Binary] assumed / presumed, world that includes moderate to extreme anti-LGBT prejudice, hate, discrimination.
c) Coming ‘Out’ as LGB or T – need to know particulars:
‘… a metaphor used to describe LGBT people’s self-disclosure of their sexual orientation or of their gender identity.’ Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_out. Please also see: Coming Out stories: http://www.rucomingout.com/
Decisions & choices on Being Out or Not being Out as LGB or T:
Defining issue impacting on all self-identifying LGB or T community members in how they choose or choose not to be ‘Out’ to non-community members in general life and a range of settings. Centres on personal choice to self-disclose sexual orientation or gender identity, relating to balance of psychological wellbeing regarding living life as LGB or T in all or many settings versus fears of bullying, persecution, discrimination, potential violence. Often being Out can be to prevent the distress of being faced with for example having to find or be invited to have opposite sex partners (a major issue particularly in some BAME communities).
‘Coming Out’ / Self-Identifying as LGB or T: NOT the same as being ‘Out’ as LGB or T. Coming Out / Self-identifying is the core step to living as full a life as possible free of self-doubt and poor self-worth in regard to being LGB or T – it is the fundamental defining aspect of being LGB or T, and provides substantial psychological and emotional mental health benefits even if living and interacting with others in settings that are traditionally hetero or cisgender exclusivist in nature (some sports, and some religious contexts are two examples of the latter).
Coming Out to oneself / Self-Identifying as LGB or T is the most important event in the life of every LGB or T person. The process can sometimes be sudden of revelatory level kind, but is often a much longer process taking months or even years. Heterosexual and cisgender people never go through such an often at times deeply introspective and challenging experience because they don’t have the experience of realising they are LGB or T in a world and settings that are in many cases still overwhelmingly heteronormative and Cisgender. Coming Out gives deep meaning to ones life, and can help one see alternative perspectives on matters such as race, culture, etc. where other forms of prejudice and traditional conditioned thinking exist.
It also gives one good mental health, enables life to be lived to the full, and enables the capacity to form and maintain appropriate loving relationships, marriages, civil partnerships, sexual & emotional fulfilment, and enhance some family relationships and friendships and work setting interactions and performance.
Exceptions to all of the above, especially parents and family, being where not making the journey of Coming Out to oneself / self-identifying as LGBT+ can cause intense psychological turmoil and harm, including risk of severe mental health problems, homelessness, vulnerabilities to self-harm and vulnerabilities to a range of forms of abuse, suicide, or suicidal ideation, not being able to life a fulfilled natural, balanced life, nor have appropriate intimate and loving relationships and/or marriages / civil partnerships.
The LGBT+ ‘LGBT”Q”’ acronym in this case means LGBT ‘Questioning’ – in other words latent community members on the journey to Coming Out to oneself / self-identifying (the other variant of ‘Q’ stands for Queer which is a more overtly political self-identification concept: some of the LGBT+ acronym variants include both ‘QQ’s).
A Useful ‘Coming Out’ video link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p057nfy7/olly-alexander-growing-up-gay?xtor=CS8-1000-[Discovery_Cards]-[Multi_Site]-[SL02]-[PS_IPLAYER~N~~P_OllyAlexander:GrowingUpGay]
d) Being Outed (this can relate to even heterosexual and cisgender residents who are bullied for any reason, even though they are not actually LGB and/or Trans or Non-Binary):
‘Outing is the act of publicly disclosing information about a person’s behaviour or relationships without their consent. The term originated as descriptive of public revelations of LGBT persons’ sexual orientation or gender identity.’ Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outing
Related to the above topics– being suggested as or called LGBT (gay, etc.) as a term of abuse, or bullying even when one isn’t LGBT: used to intimidate and belittle, and has the effect of deepening contempt for actual LGBT people themselves, frightening the latter from thinking about Coming Out, and generally entrenching a hetero exclusivist/supremacist ‘lads’ culture’ in prison. In other words it is intended to half the mental health of those targeted, and minimise the latter’s ability to counteract stereotyping and myths designed to keep LGB or T people ‘in the Closet’/not ‘Out.’
Rufus Stone short film trailer featuring witch hunt style ‘Outing’ based on real events in the Dorset – New Forest area — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18QvWLhnt4I
e) Offensive and Not to Use names and terms:
This is a very important subject affecting & afflicting most Out and all self-identifying LGBT+ community members. It is a matter of bullying, history-rooted oppression life & thought control that can and do literally tip all too many in our LGBT+ community into risk of extreme mental health distress, and even suicide. Words can hurt and harm more than knives, and are knives to the heart of all too many Community members, and are distasteful and offensive to all true LGBT+ ‘Allies’ in the broader majority heterosexual and cisgender population. The following GLAAD information provides a valuable guide on offensive and not to use names and terms – at the end general level analysis is provided on the latter.
GLAAD Media Reference Guide – Terms to Avoid:
Offensive: “homosexual” (n. or adj.) Preferred: “gay” (adj.); “gay man” or “lesbian” (n.); “gay person/people”
Please use gay or lesbian to describe people attracted to members of the same sex. Because of the clinical history of the word “homosexual,” it is aggressively used by anti-gay extremists to suggest that gay people are somehow diseased or psychologically/emotionally disordered – notions discredited by the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association in the 1970s.
Please avoid using “homosexual” except in direct quotes. Please also avoid using “homosexual” as a style variation simply to avoid repeated use of the word “gay.” The Associated Press, The New York Times and The Washington Post restrict use of the term “homosexual” (see AP & New York Times Style).
Offensive: “homosexual relations/relationship,” “homosexual couple,” “homosexual sex,” etc. Preferred: “relationship,” “couple” (or, if necessary, “gay couple”), “sex,” etc.
Identifying a same-sex couple as “a homosexual couple,” characterizing their relationship as “a homosexual relationship,” or identifying their intimacy as “homosexual sex” is extremely offensive and should be avoided. These constructions are frequently used by anti-gay extremists to denigrate gay people, couples and relationships.
As a rule, try to avoid labelling an activity, emotion or relationship gay, lesbian, or bisexual unless you would call the same activity, emotion or relationship “straight” if engaged in by someone of another orientation. In most cases, your readers, viewers or listeners will be able to discern people’s sexes and/or orientations through the names of the parties involved, your depictions of their relationships, and your use of pronouns.
Offensive: “sexual preference”
Preferred: “sexual orientation” or “orientation”
The term “sexual preference” is typically used to suggest that being lesbian, gay or bisexual is a choice and therefore can and should be “cured.”
Sexual orientation is the accurate description of an individual’s enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex and is inclusive of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, as well as straight men and women (see AP & New York Times Style).
Offensive: “gay lifestyle” or “homosexual lifestyle”
Preferred: “gay lives,” “gay and lesbian lives”
There is no single lesbian, gay or bisexual ‘lifestyle.’ Lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are diverse in the ways they lead their lives. The phrase “gay lifestyle” is used to denigrate lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals suggesting that their orientation is a choice and therefore can and should be “cured” (See AP & New York Times Style).
Offensive: “admitted homosexual” or “avowed homosexual”
Preferred: “openly lesbian,” “openly gay,” “openly bisexual,” or simply “out”
Dated term used to describe those who self-identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual in their personal, public, and/or professional lives. The words “admitted” or “avowed” suggest that being gay is somehow shameful or inherently secretive. You may also simply describe the person as being out, for example: “Ricky Martin is an out pop star from Puerto Rico.” Avoid the use of the word “homosexual” in any case (see AP & New York Times Style).
Offensive: “gay agenda” or “homosexual agenda”
Preferred: Accurate descriptions of the issues (e.g., “inclusion in existing non-discrimination and hate crimes laws,” “ending the ban on transgender service members”)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are motivated by the same hopes, concerns and desires as other everyday Americans. They seek to be able to earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love. Their commitment to equality is one they share with many allies and advocates who are not LGBT. Notions of a so-called “homosexual agenda” are rhetorical inventions of anti-gay extremists seeking to create a climate of fear by portraying the pursuit of equal opportunity for LGBT people as sinister (see AP & New York Times Style).
Offensive: “special rights”
Preferred: “equal rights” or “equal protection”
Anti-gay extremists frequently characterize equal protection of the law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as “special rights” to incite opposition to such things as relationship recognition and inclusive non-discrimination laws (see AP & New York Times Style).
DEFAMATORY LANGUAGE
“fag,” “faggot,” “dyke,” “homo,” “sodomite,” and similar epithets
The criteria for using these derogatory terms should be the same as those applied to vulgar epithets used to target other groups: they should not be used except in a direct quote that reveals the bias of the person quoted. So that such words are not given credibility in the media, it is preferred that reporters say, “The person used a derogatory word for a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person.”
“deviant,” “disordered,” “dysfunctional,” “diseased,” “perverted,” “destructive” and similar descriptions
The notion that being gay, lesbian or bisexual is a psychological disorder was discredited by the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association in the 1970s. Today, words such as “deviant,” “diseased” and “disordered” often are used to portray LGBT people as less than human, mentally ill, or as a danger to society. Words such as these should be avoided in stories about the gay community. If they must be used, they should be quoted directly in a way that clearly reveals the bias of the person being quoted.
Associating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people with pedophilia, child abuse, sexual abuse, bestiality, bigamy, polygamy, adultery and/or incest
Being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is neither synonymous with, nor indicative of, any tendency toward pedophilia, child abuse, sexual abuse, bestiality, bigamy, polygamy, adultery and/or incest. Such claims, innuendoes and associations often are used to insinuate that LGBT people pose a threat to society, to families, and to children in particular. Such assertions and insinuations are defamatory and should be avoided, except in direct quotes that clearly reveal the bias of the person quoted.
Source: https://www.glaad.org/reference/offensive
NOTE: LGBT+ Network for Change analysis:
The Offensive Terms and Defamatory Language details above provide an important LGBT+ engagement & communications learning experience on awareness of the power of words to hurt, defame, cause mental health distress. Many of them also indicate backgrounds to anti-LGBT medieval age homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, especially dogmatic & fundamentalist religious ones – for example ‘faggot/fag’ is in fact a pure Witch Hunt era term.
It refers to burning people to death because of indoctrination & brainwashing, and mobilisation of lynch mobs, all derived from religious motivations and contexts. Such terms and language provide a valuable opportunity to understand the sources and mechanisms used by advocates of anti-LGBT prejudice in terms of indoctrination and its impacts.
Offensive terms are the rocket fuel of discrimination and prejudice that dare not speak their names. They are a reminder that the shadow of ingrained, almost always intolerant forms of anti-LGBT prejudice (echoed in parallel sexist/misogynist, racist, and dis-phobic values/perspectives and prejudice phenomena).
Some people are clearly still not comfortable with minorities existing that don’t conform to their ethically and spiritually dysfunctional ‘World View’ perspectives which have association with the so-called Spanish Inquisition, and Hitlerite Nazism.
Also from Outreach Youth.org.uk this excellent resource: https://outreachyouth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Common-LGBTQ-terms.pdf
f) Misgendering (for Trans community members: currently a ‘hypothetical/academic’ concept until full support for Trans & Non-Binary community members in custodial settings)
Pronouns (relevant to direct person to person communication and in regard to forms & records for BOTH residents AND staff):
Misgendering can be completely accidental, caused by lack of awareness by Cisgender people of how important names and pronouns are for Trans and Non-Binary community members: not using the community member’s advised personal name or not matching that name with the right pronoun. It can also be deliberate and intended as an act of wilful ignorance to belittle, humiliate, or harass. The following details provide helpful background details concerning the phenomenon:
What is misgendering?
For people who are transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming, coming into their authentic gender can be an important and affirming step in life.
Sometimes, people continue to refer to a person who is transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming using terms related to how they identified before transition. This is known as misgendering.
Misgendering occurs when you intentionally or unintentionally refer to a person, relate to a person, or use language to describe a person that doesn’t align with their affirmed gender. For example, referring to a woman as “he” or calling her a “guy” is an act of misgendering.
Why does misgendering happen?
There are a number of reasons why misgendering happens.
For example, people may notice that a person has primary or secondary sex characteristics and make assumptions about that person’s gender.
This includes a person’s:
• facial hair or lack thereof
• high or low vocal range
• chest or breast tissue or lack thereof
• genitalia
Of course, misgendering can also be a deliberate act. People who have discriminatory beliefs and ideas about the trans community can use misgendering as a tactic for harassment and bullying. This is evidenced by the 2015 U.S. Trans Survey, which found that 46 percent of respondents experienced verbal harassment because of their identity, and 9 percent had been physically assaulted.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/transgender/misgendering#why-it-happens
Two examples of anti-LGBT+ prejudice and its devastating and inhumane impacts:
g) Suicide and its causes:
Suicide and risk of suicide is disproportionately high amongst LGB&T community members, especially youth due to the younger age groups being those who have the challenge of coming Out as LGB or Trans in family settings that can be homophobic, bi-phobic, or transphobic.
The following information and links detail the statistics and common causes of the phenomenon, which ranks with homelessness as the most severe impact of anti-LGBT prejudice, rejection and bullying:
The Trevor Project — Facts About Suicide
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.1
• LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.2
• LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.2
• Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth.2
• Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.2
• In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.3
• LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.4
Source: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/preventing-suicide/facts-about-suicide/
Research has found that attempted suicide rates and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) youth is significantly higher than among the general population.[1][2]
The passage of laws that discriminate against LGBT people have been shown to have significant negative impacts on the physical and mental health and well-being of LGBT youth; for example, depression and drug use among LGBT people have been shown to increase significantly after the passage of discriminatory laws.[3] By contrast, the passage of laws that recognize LGBT people as equal with regard to civil rights may have significant positive impacts on the physical and mental health and well-being of LGBT youth; for example, a study of nationwide data from across the United States from January 1999 to December 2015 revealed that the establishment of same-sex marriage is associated with a significant reduction in the rate of attempted suicide among children, with the effect being concentrated among children of a minority sexual orientation (LGBT youth), resulting in approximately 134,000 fewer children attempting suicide each year in the United States.[4]
Bullying of LGBT youth has been shown to be a contributing factor in many suicides, even if not all of the attacks have been specifically regarding sexuality or gender.[5] Since a series of suicides in the early 2000s, more attention has been focused on the issues and underlying causes in an effort to reduce suicides among LGBT youth. Research by the Family Acceptance Project has demonstrated that “parental acceptance, and even neutrality, with regard to a child’s sexual orientation” can bring down the attempted suicide rate.[6]. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_among_LGBT_youth
Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations: Review and Recommendations Academic article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662085/
Lockdown: Suicide fears soar in LGBT community: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53223765
Trans community & suicide – Stonewall statistics: Almost half (48 per cent) of trans people in Britain have attempted suicide at least once; 84 per cent have thought about it. More than half (55 per cent) have been diagnosed with depression at some point. (Trans Mental Health Survey 2012, sample size = 889. Source: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/sites/default/files/trans_stats.pdf
Royal College of Nursing and Public Health England — Preventing suicide among lesbian, gay and bisexual young people: A toolkit for nurses. Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/412427/LGB_Suicide_Prevention_Toolkit_FINAL.pdf
h) Homelessness and its causes:
Of almost equal level to the LGBT+ suicide phenomenon is that of LGBT+ homelessness, with core causative factors being largely identical. Here we provide some useful links (below) that give an overview of the phenomenon. The LGB&T Dorset Equality Network has also developed a dedicated LGBT+ homeless community & NHS healthcare information resource.
The LGBT+ homeless and hidden homeless community issues and needs:
The following links are representative of the experiences of LGBT+ homeless community members, the negative often menacing receptions to their Coming Out in hostile family and cultural environments, and the current lack of multiagency coordinated response and support:
Some comments from video viewers:
‘…Honestly I just feel AWFUL this happens to good people. Why does it matter SO much that being gay is how you should treat others? No one in the LGTBQ community deserves this. I have friends who are part of this community and they’re my best friends. I don’t care who they love, I just care about their personality. …’
‘… I hope their “parents” are ashamed of themselves. They are disgusting! I’m a parent and would stick by my child no matter what.’
‘LGBT and homeless: ‘I was told to contact my abusive dad’
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/2d6a278d-f279-41dd-a4d2-0ceea2882ade
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/wires/pa/article-4924400/Hidden-homeless-sleeping-public-transport-sofa-surfing-report-says.html ‘ … The report said young people are most likely to be affected, particularly people who identify as LGBT, and the authors of the report also heard this affects people who are not eligible for homelessness support and people fleeing domestic violence.
Only one in five young people affected present to a council, meaning they remain hidden from possible support, and some that do seek help from councils fail to be recognised as vulnerable despite being in danger, the report said. …’
Excerpt: Why is youth LGBT homelessness still happening, is homophobia at the root of most cases?
‘ … I would say homophobia is absolutely the root of the vast majority of cases we come across. Faith can also be a big driver, and that’s tied very intrinsically to homophobia. A lot of the young people we saw last year said that abuse and rejection from their family was a major cause of their homelessness – and that’s very strongly tied to homophobia. …
… Is it sometimes difficult for the team on an emotional level?
It can be. I’m meeting young people almost daily. You get to know these people and their circumstances. It can be jaw-dropping at times. When you hear people’s problems, a natural reaction is to put yourself in their place; I certainly couldn’t deal with any of the issues with the grace and humility that a lot of our young people do. It’s difficult not to become emotionally involved, but we have to make sure we’re giving those young people the support they need and deserve …’
Source — Albert Kennedy Trust: https://www.fyne.co.uk/lgbt-youth-homelessness-and-the-albert-kennedy-trust/
Other — Sexual orientation and gender identity monitoring:
The Prison Service (and trades unions and private sector companies and community and voluntary sector organisations) requirement to record sexual orientation and gender identity for staff and residents. This includes on record keeping, such as inductions, and especially medical & healthcare settings.
Monitoring is crucial for many reasons, especially reminded the hardcore prejudiced that minorities (and the female sex/gender) are realities, and that they have the right to be treated with respect and be free of oppression and bullying by the wilfully ignorant.
Types of prejudice – the importance of counteracting ‘banter’: ‘Banter’ and related anti-LGBT ASB:
So called ‘Banter’ is the by far the commonest form of prejudice in action.
Commonly banter can escalate to verbally threatening and physically intimidating behaviour, whilst sometimes it is absent, with just direct verbally threatening language swiftly leading to physical assault.
Anti-LGBT communications contexts related — ASB Phraseology – Anti-LGBT ‘Banter’:
Why words of offense and insult are prescribed:
Not only to comply with core aspects of the Equality Act 2010, but to ensure the related principles and values of respect for and enablement of Diversity and Inclusion are able to thrive for the benefit of All. Non-compliance in such instances can lead the given organisation or business subject to prosecution, external investigation, litigation affecting many others beyond those responsible.
Non-compliance in regard to this form of anti-social behaviour has however still more important impacts for it indicates and encourages a prejudice, bullying, discriminatory environment – a bullies ‘green light’ and hell for the latter’s victims, and an overall change to that environment being a non-professional, worst practice one harming the welfare and wellbeing of all as well as the bullies targets.
Most important of all prejudice related words cause major, often very difficult to heal mental health scarring.
Using such words is part of the culture of anti-social behaviour and about victimising and intimidating: forms of crime where such ASB feature indicate that counteracting offensive words through censure/education-‘lecture’/appropriate duly sanctioned punishment agrees with the core purpose of in all most cases of custodial sentences, of prevention and minimisation of reoffending.
If officers condone or use such offensive phraseology themselves then they are demonstrating their lack of comprehension and compliance with the latter (meaning they may not be suitable for employment or continued employment by HMPPS), as well as de-facto reinforcing the behaviour of residents acting in such ways. A ‘”put the lights out in a completely dark room,” let the resident or prison service officer speak and use such anti-LGBT offensive terms and ‘banter’ and “guess which voice belongs to the individual serving the custodial sentence, and which working for HMPPS”’ scenario.
Perceived intentions underlying use of proscribed anti-LGBT names and words:
To bully, to disempower, their targets and make the latter feel diminished, of lesser worth, and uneasy on a standing basis. To exercise at will control over others. In older times these intentions belong to the motivations underlying witch-hunting, pogroms, lynch mobs and in the world of today associated with anti-social behaviour in its more extreme forms, hate crimes and akin to encouraging PREVENT context type extremism and terrorism.
These are all unacceptable intentions and perceived motivations – they are not particular to prison & YOI contexts, to UK prison & YOI contexts, but can be found anywhere in the world or indeed other workplace and living settings in the UK where bullying and prejudice are tolerated, nurtured, or protected from challenge. They are completely unacceptable in a prison & YOI setting where the purpose of a custodial sentence is not to provide a de-facto setting to do ASB related crime more effectively, but to encourage social interaction of all kinds including Diversity and minority communities, competence. Which helps inhibit reoffending.
Dealing with the homophobe, biphobe, transphobe ‘it was only a joke, only “banter’ defence:
Re batting away censure and criticism for anti-LGBT language weak evasive explanation for such conduct ‘you can see its funny too I am sure, and please let me carry on bullying others because of my social incompetency on ‘difference/diversity’ character & educational defects’ response:
This phenomenon is the standing major anti-LGBT bullying, let me bully, but not be held accountable or required to stop device used by homophobes, transphobes, biphobes. It requires challenge and intervention action at all times.
There are ‘like with like’ salutary, imaginative responses that can be utilised on a ‘lecture-basis’ to help the individual concerned swap places with their target, victim, that can completely help in their developing changed perspectives on such deeply traumatising, cowardly, offensive ‘it was only a joke/banter.’
In this the onus must be on a) enlightening the victimiser on their poor socially defective, coward-bully perceived character, and on the contrasting social competence, courage and maturity of their victims.
Self-evidently these ‘seeing offensive words and “banter” from a target’s / different point of view’ resolutions – that can literally if delivered effectively change lives in major ways for the better (i.e. helping to mindsets that don’t feel comfortable with reoffending and receiving new custodial sentences where ASB is the core issue), be seen in parallel to the ant-LGBT bullying & banter phenomenon in schools.
When such incidents occur in staff with staff, residents with residents (victimiser and victim) and staff and resident interactions are concerned it is crucial that when offensive words and ‘banter’ occur that the offender be instantly challenged on their knowledge of the words they have used, origins and history (they will not know these in 99% of occasions), AND that they explain why they have chosen in the given point of time and interaction with their victim(s) to use such words and ‘banter.’
This will always have a salutary effect. After this request for clarification is made it will be important that the officer explain the reasons that perceived prejudice related hate is a crime and impacts on the prison or YOI duty to see residents [or in staff to staff contexts, staff] not verbally abused/intimidated and offended.
Responses to anti-LGBT banter and ASB:
NOTE: Please also see our The three main demographic groups (Allies to hardcore prejudiced) response to anti-LGBT prejudice section, relating to this important subject.
Why zero tolerance of anti-LGBT prejudice matters, and Allyship:
This awareness resource has been created to assist in making the zero tolerance approach to anti-LGBT prejudice on prison premises a reality.
Zero tolerance of prejudice is an implicit, and increasingly a formal and publicly extolled policy in prisons and other institutional settings such as NHS hospitals and UK police constabularies, and also often public transport amongst other settings. However – and this is particularly known to not a few targets of prejudice – zero tolerance policy statements are not the same as making those statements a reality at operational level. For this an effective implementation strategy is required which is based on multiple real life contexts and settings, with coordinated, joined up action from induction (staff as well as residents) to exit/rehabilitation (or in the case of staff, retirement), and with all appropriate means (such as focused and committed use of the DIRF, messaging in sports settings, in staff rooms, in the multi faith chaplaincy, Awareness Days and History Months, etc.) utilised.
The three main demographic groups (Allies to hardcore prejudiced) response to anti-LGBT prejudice:
The three groups referred to are:
- Allies – the ignorance/prejudice-free: Evidence-backed knowledgeable operational level ‘Allies’ of frequently targeted and bullied — banter and beyond — LGBT & LGBTQ+ [or assumed or accused of being] community members (and by extension ethnic minority [including overseas nationals] Allies, and Women’s rights and safety Allies).
- The prejudiced by default but not deliberately so: A large group that is not in fact bigoted where LGBT equality, safety, and quality of life are concerned, but who to varying degrees are subject to and have unthinkingly absorbed through ignorance/want of actual facts and knowledge of the kinds that make prejudice, banter, and associated stereotyping and myths untenable. We can sum up this group as Not wilfully ignorant, but ignorant by default.
- The hardcore wilfully prejudiced: A very small group, the hardcore prejudiced and ignorant.
NOTE: In regard to the Allies and Allyship section of the staff and stakeholders information resource; the details of the section will assist in micro-cultures of prejudice being addressed directly, counteracting them. For more information on Allyship please see: https://guidetoallyship.com/
Concerning becoming a real Ally and meaningful Allyship – two stages:
The first stage and type are individuals who have newly become Allies and their Allyship may be initially frail and defective. These may follow more of a ‘tick box’ (will wear badges and lanyards, etc. on relevant occasions in the annual calendar) approach to Allyship, than a solid, thoroughgoing one of being an Ally at operational level day in day out, within and outside of the workplace.
The second stage and type of Allyship involves grasping and applying Allyship and being an Ally 24/7 in all settings and settings and circumstances. These second stage Allies are commonly leaders, public speakers, and advocacy cases experts. They understand and can talk confidently about the causes of prejudice and its manifestations, as well as solutions.
The length of prison sentences reference concerning the effectiveness and power of Allies and Allyship in the context of the extreme homophobic culture of Ghana is referenced in the following BBC news article: https://www.theweek.co.uk/96298/the-countries-where-homosexuality-is-still-illegal
Allies Zones:
The lessons from the Hampshire Police unit at Basingstoke and that of the Metropolitan Police unit in Charing Cross Police Station (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10606557/Protesters-set-1-000-rape-alarms-outside-Charing-Cross-Police-Station.html) indicate that close-knit groups/cadres have had and continue to offer opportunity for overt and extreme prejudice and misogyny indulgence environments that are not openly stated and may be, indeed usually are, concealed from colleagues outside of those units and the physical locations they are based from.
The opportunity therefore exists to through EDI audits to discern these, and subsequently progressively transform them through transparency and CPD training (log or diary of learning and adjustments) to be dismantled and turned into Allies Zones. An initial EDI audit, and subsequent regular EDI performance ‘weather checks’ COMBINED with gender balance and diverse communities membership of those units [as and where new jobs are available] – ideally on a NATIONAL not Local society demographics proportionality basis – will address this.
Major to minor settings where prejudice incidents occur and counteracting and minimising the latter — the gym and sports; communal shower and toilet facilities; cells/rooms:
There is virtually no setting in prison – and this includes not only residents ones, but staff ones too – where prejudice incidents (such as graffiti to the all too commonplace verbal ‘banter’ of homophobic bi-phobic, transphobic, and of course racist, dis-phobic, and misogynist kinds) can and do take place. Facial gestures, menacing or derisory body language and postures are further examples of the problem, giving an indication that the phenomenon is often fleeting (such as chance opportunities occurring in corridors, outside, etc.), difficult to record, but highly and negatively impactful nonetheless.
However, there do exist some major physical location settings where prejudice incidents from mocking and unpleasant ‘banter’ to [the latter commonly being the setting for/precursor to] physical body to body contact [sometimes multiple individuals against one] intimidation, up to major violent assault level, occur.
The four major settings (and these involve intensifying situations of person(s) to person that can be the prelude to actual prejudice incidents) are:
The gym and some sports:
The setting can be particularly effective for opportunistic banter, that can escalate from between two people, to a group against one. The Network knows of this from HMP The Verne reports of incidents provided to us.
Communal shower and toilet facilities:
Same as above
Meals and eating settings:
Again, as above.
Cells/rooms (the latter may in some instances include staffrooms):
NOTE: we need more information on numbers in cells and visits by other residents. In regard to staffrooms (and we include these from a joint residents and staff approach rather than this awareness resource only covering the former)
Prejudice and bullying reporting – contexts to use of the DIRF and greater clarity and prominence for its use:
There are many opportunities and settings for providing the reporting of prejudice and prejudice related bullying. These opportunities and settings span every section of prison staff and the staff of HMPPS stakeholder partner organisation staff; in both cases these opportunities exist every minute of the working day. Up until recent times (early 2022), except where the most clear examples of severe bullying of violent kinds, the culture in regard to reporting had been one where prejudice and related bullying were concerned, of this being essentially a matter for the Prison Equality Officer and to some extent Resident Equality Reps. This needs to be expanded to make it a general responsibilities one for both residents and staff contexts for discipline/prison environment harmony/good HR.
Use of the DIRF:
A DIRF dissemination and use campaign will supplement this awareness resource. This campaign will Not be exclusively LGBT related but include racist, dis-phobic, and misogynist banter too.
Specific inclusion reference to Banter as an incident context on the DIRF form will be a great assistance.
Also regarding use of the DIRF, it will be most helpful to in the suggested DIRF awareness campaign (and/or beyond this) to include mention of action outcomes that result from using/completing a DIRF form, and ALSO that the latter exists for staff use as well as residents and can include exclusive staff setting contexts.
Awareness of and ready access to the DIRF in prison medical & healthcare settings/medical centre is particularly important due to the direct very strong link between discrimination/prejudice & related bullying and banter, and mental health.
Mental health is the single biggest factor in regard to harmony or disharmony in the prison environments; this across resident to staff borders and within staff to staff and resident to resident settings. Seeing effective structured use of the DIRF and actions on incidents will improve mental health of both prejudice targets and their victimisers.
AS SUCH DIRF USE IS A MATTER NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED AS MUCH AS INDIVIDUAL PREJUDICE TYPES COUNTERACTION AS ABOUT CALLING OUT THESE NEGATIVE FORMS OF BEHAVIOUR & PERSPECTIVES TO ASSIST ON DEVELOPING/PRESERVING HARMONY IN THE PRISON SETTING.
Staff duties and residents interactions – opportunities for challenging prejudice and not unintentionally reinforcing it:
Knowing what unintended prejudice is, and about the forms unintended verbal indirect discrimination can take, is the starting point for challenging prejudice and avoiding reinforcing it unintentionally. This information resource provides all of the necessary detail required to understand about the LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ communities, about anti-LGBT prejudice and the forms it takes generally in society and in the prison and YOI environment (therefore for residents and staff that are not attached to hardcore anti-LGBT prejudice perspectives) including forms and contexts for related ‘banter’ bullying, and even assault.
Prison Service staff duties relate to undertaking the given staff member’s duties professionally, which includes in a prejudice-free way and involving conduct and services delivery that includes responding proactively and in earnest where prejudice banter and incidents against minorities (LGBT, ethnic minority, disabilities) and in regard to misogyny. All staff – Prison Service AND associated stakeholder/partner organisations/service providing staff – therefore have a duty to respond to such incidents within staff with staff contexts, and in regard to interactions with residents.
The Residents Equality Reps also exist to be a key route for constructive engagement on counteracting ‘banter’ and where incidents have occurred – whether recorded on a DIRF, or verbally communicated to ANY HMPPS staff member or stakeholder/partner organisation staff member – constructive dialogue to take place with those involved when it is clear that the prejudice is not wilful or purposely malevolent/destructive in character. This resource provides a number of starting points that staff can use to enable colleagues or residents to be self-liberated by knowledge and facts where the nature and harmful impacts of anti-LGBT & LGBTQ+ prejudice are concerned.
About and constructively challenging young male heterosexual adults and anti-LGBT prejudice ‘cultures’:
Challenging these ‘cultures’ is most important to achieve, and involves identifying how and who can make constructive interventions, and of course when and where. Banter, which is central to those cultures existence and ways of manifesting, takes place at unknown times and in given real times situations. These dynamics are very similar to comparable cultures in particularly schools and sports settings.
The ‘pack’ mentality and the ‘herd’ mentality: these are well known phenomena, especially where children, adolescents, and young adults are concerned. They involve fear of those perceived as different, and a desire to belong to a given group of often tribal and non-inclusive kinds.
Competitiveness to be considered the most ‘macho’ and ‘manly’ through targeting those that don’t fit the view of what both the latter are viewed as needing to be (the 10 million Americans must be right mentality) and though mocking and intimidating the latter as a proof of young heterosexual British male masculinity. These seen in regard to banter cultures aligns closely to childishness/personal immaturity that can only be counteracted by educational (providing knowledge of full and balanced facts and the reflective thinking power these have).
Absence of alternatives to the above has other negative consequences, particularly centring on the loss of opportunity for bringing about the type of reflective thinking and social interaction and communication competence crucial to diminishing ASB and to some extend reoffending.
Alternatives can however be instituted – the Resident Equality Reps is an instance – and there are settings where these can take place, with sport, education services, the multifaith chaplaincy, and healthcare settings being all key ones. But to be so there has to be a combination of direct and indirect to subliminal messaging/communication, messages, and focal points.
Mental health – for ALL (not only those targeted, but staff, and residents) and in healthcare settings (including for reporting incidents):
Examples of the more extreme, but sadly commonplace, results of anti-LGBT prejudice from family members, fellow given community and society/social & cultural group, have been detailed elsewhere in this resource under the two headings of ‘suicide’ and ‘homelessness.’ However, beyond these the negative mental health impacts on both targets and victimisers of targets, are insidious and highly detrimental in the broader custodial setting. In particular toleration of prejudice cultures and related banter creates oppressive environments affecting the institution and almost all sections of the prison residents and staff populations as de-facto and actual bullying is given a strong hand with resulting discipline incidents and oppressive atmosphere that affects everyone in negative mental health ways.
Messaging (including visual images in the right places and settings [gym, etc.] as well as History months, Awareness days, etc.), combined with effective use of the DIRF, and disciplinary interventions (including education related ones) can do much to counteract these negative mental health impacts.
Other:
1. Awareness on potentiality of anti-LGBT ‘cultures’ within staff settings, and how these undermine the prison positive purpose & ethos
As we all know within large organisations and services providers, there sometimes exist factors that can allow covert hardcore misogynist, racist, homophobic ‘cells’ sadly to exist, as illustrated by the Met Police and Hampshire Police — please see: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10606557/Protesters-set-1-000-rape-alarms-outside-Charing-Cross-Police-Station.html and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55346154 https://news.sky.com/story/hampshire-police-officers-in-toxic-unit-recorded-using-racist-sexist-and-homophobic-language-misconduct-hearing-told-12108168)
The multiagency, service-user and service-provider nature and approach of the use and implementation strategy for this awareness resource and related training, allow for and provide effective means for counteracting such ‘cells/units’ to carry on in any given setting. In particular, the chief characteristic of such cells/units as illustrated by the two UK police constabulary examples, indicate exactly what they look light, and the central role of hate against women and minority communities ‘banter’ revealed as their main hate & prejudice inducing daily fare. Regarding this the following reflections are pertinent:
To be misogynist is an attack on one’s mother, grandmother, daughter – for example in the police unit where Wayne Couzens worked and misogynistic banter was so extreme [up to mocking rape victims], the latter’s colleagues could in theory have found their daughters, sisters, mothers to have been in the position of Sarah Everard – raped and murdered.
This ‘banter’ as ‘thin end of a very ugly and destructive wedge’ reality is crucial to understand as the consequences of ill-thought through words having great power to eventually lead in some cases to the most vile crimes of hate and brutality is a powerful antidote to unthinking absorption of prejudice and hate of difference of any kind.
2. The role of Trades Unions:
Whilst the Prison Officers Association (POA) is the main union working in the prisons sector, there are a number of other trades unions working in the latter (listed in the link below) which are named in the Joint Unions in Prisons Association (JUPA) trades unions group: https://www.ucu.org.uk/jupa
These range from the Royal College of Nurses (RCN) and British Medical Association (BMA), through to the GMB, Unite, Unison, and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
All of these trades unions have clear and strong policy statements and related in the public domain policies implementation commitments on prejudice & discrimination, including specifically homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, that deal with not only engagement with UK Government relevant departments (MoJ) and related agencies and partnering stakeholder agencies and private sector businesses working in the sector, but commitments in regard to their respective trades unions members supporting these policy commitments.
Regarding this dimension of trades union support for development of improvement in regard to counteracting prejudice in custodial settings, the following will be most important:
Through Portland Prison branches involving proactively with the initiative THROUGH each committing to on-the-ground, operational level setting of minimal to dynamic/strongly proactive supportive actions and monitoring, recording, sharing of those actions delivery.
Structure support at a detailed specific job type, location [wings, etc.], level. For this the Network will formally request through HMP & YOI Portland, for designated Points of Contact for the given trades unions at job type and location level.
NOTE: The latter’s leads (one for each of the trades unions represented at Portland Prison) should be brought into the initiative Steering Group.
3. CPD:
As Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a requirement across most if not all job roles from on-the-ground operational to senior management, it can be deployed to reinforce joined up learning, communication, and messaging where prejudice and related bullying are concerned AND the broader related problem of prejudice-related banter (this including misogyny).
It can be directly linked to study of and learning/reflective thinking of one’s own practice and responses to prejudice resulting from use of the awareness resource and related training. Both of the latter strengthened by awareness days and history months in the annual calendar.
Using a CPD diary:
The CPD ‘diary’ or log is the main and most important output of CPD as it records learning and potential change in how one responds to prejudice, and especially related banter, and by extension one’s mind set and perspectives on prejudice. This with a view to evidencing becoming an Ally and understanding the concept and application of Allyship; and certainly moving away from overt prejudice and de-facto toleration of the latter and related banter.
How often used/regularity and mandatory nature + further study:
Regularity of undertaking CPD activities, such as training undertaken, and especially using regularly a CPD diary, are most important for effective CPD in this area. There are different amounts of minimal time required on undertaking CPD depending on job and position/job level held. It will be important to embed the LGBT & LGBTQ+ anti-prejudice, inclusion training and especially study of the related awareness resources in CPD, and also to record per job/position how much CPD is undertaken so as to evaluate and map any resistance and disregard trends.
Suggestion for perhaps 2 – 3 core standing/continuing CPD questions that regularise CPD learning benchmarks for individual staff members:
- ‘What does it teach on real life operational learning lessons and experiences’ for both a) residents interaction and b) staff to staff interaction
- ‘Role in rehabilitation and non/minimising reoffending as a result of counteracting sociopathic prejudice deepening and defending learning
- ‘What are the common factors where prejudice of all kinds – misogyny to racism and homophobia, biphobia, transphobia?’ Relating to this; mental health impacts of an environment in which prejudice is commonplace and poorly challenged, compared to those for an inclusive prejudice-free environment.
NOTE: Mental health as a topic would feature particularly strongly in all of the above, and statistics on prejudice impacts should feature in CPD learning and in the CPD diary content.
4. Residents Equality Reps:
The involvement of the Residents Equality Reps in the initiative, formally through its Steering Group, and directly at the crucial operational level of equality and anti-prejudice in the wings of the prison, is extremely important where on-the-ground operational level change and improvement is concerned.
This importance lies not only the reps being the direct Residents representation dimension to the initiative within the Steering Group, BUT through being the direct, on a regular/daily basis, interface group where prison officers as well as residents are concerned. This communications role is the ‘coal face’ where prejudice and related bullying reporting, and responses to the latter, is concerned. The Reps need support through their roles carrying clear authority, and [I am sure this is already the case] that their undertaking their roles is an evidence of good conduct and social competence/responsibility. We must bear in mind that they may/would be regularly exposed to prejudice banter
Both residents and staff must have absolute clarity on the role and importance of the role of being a Wing Equality Rep, and the practicalities of how the latter works and how prejudice and discrimination related incidents can be brought to their attention WITH THE KNOWLEDGE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN and that ANYTHING DISCLOSED WILL BE SO ON A CONFIDENTIAL BASIS
Reps are being provided with course of action clarity on noting an incident/using a DIRF form/and understanding the main direct and indirect prejudice and discrimination types, on encountering prejudice experience and banter in a member of staff: this is crucial, and it is assumed that the point of contact for this will be the prison Equality Officer and ultimately the Prison Board Equality Portfolio holder – with Learning & Development counterparts.
Most importantly, Reps should within their description include reference to being reps for prison environment cohesion at resident to resident and staff to resident levels regarding prejudice & ASB.
SUGGESTION: Reps could potentially have one or two deputies, which would strengthen their effectiveness.
5. The role of counteracting prejudice during custodial sentences, and strengthening positive Rehabilitation Outcomes:
As highlighted at the start of this awareness resource, counteracting prejudice and misogyny, has a central relevance to more successful rehabilitation and non-reoffending outcomes for both residents and the Prison Service. Not a few custodial sentences result from crimes in which hate and related prejudice against minorities, feature. Therefore the prison rehabilitation and education teams have a particularly important role in providing information to such residents whilst they are still completing their custodial sentences, such as this resource contains. In particular social incompetence and the origins and impacts of anti-LGBT banter and bullying are all highly valuable to highlight through regular opportunities and facilities such as LGBT History Month, Pride Month, IDAHOBIT, Trangender Remembrance Day, etc. as well as through the prison multi-faith chaplaincy and inductions.
There is a lot of evidence that for younger age groups in particular if opportunities for engaging with the issues at the heart of prejudice & hate (including misogyny) are utilised major breakthroughs in changed hearts and mines, resulting in a move to more mature/grown up perspectives and social competence where diversity is concerned, occurs.
Joint staff with residents learning opportunities can be particularly valuable as the issue involved occurs outside of the prison residents population group, so for maximum effectiveness and impact on residents, staff need to demonstrate their understanding in this field so as to avoid condoning or reinforcing prejudice perspectives through buying into ‘banter is only a joke’ justifications.
6. Learning in regard to International residents:
The presence of both LGBT & LGBTQ+ and heterosexual and Cisgender — including moderate to extreme anti-LGBT — overseas nationals provides not only safeguarding challenges, but a standing/daily opportunity for UK national prison residents and staff to learn about homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. This including for the prejudiced to learn how anti-LGBT open or secretly held/non-disclosed prejudices relate to kindred spirits within the worst contemporary overseas regimes/tyrannies, and worst medieval mindsets.
Staff as much as residents should for example be aware of the deep and often murderous record of Putin’s regime in Russia on LGBT community members; the existence of ‘Gay free’ towns and villages in Poland, etc. and the origins of the prejudices supporting these brutal dehumanising phenomena. In the case of Putin’s regime, it is particularly instructive because it indicates how where anti-LGBT hate is nurtured and justified many other evils can and do take place.
The following link is a valuable starting point for awareness of the international dimension: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-43822234
Importance of extreme anti-LGBT cultures fearing the phenomena of Allies and Allyship:
Gay and transgender people could be sentenced to up to five years in prison while “allies” could be jailed for a decade under legislation being voted on in Ghana. Link: https://www.theweek.co.uk/96298/the-countries-where-homosexuality-is-still-illegal
Two links to assist the Prison Service on knowing of entrenched anti-LGBT nations/countries:
7. Education settings (library, and other):
The Prison Service provides a wide range of educational services, from the library, to activities that support rehabilitation and day to day mental health through education activities. This awareness resource is being joined to the latter in relevant and appropriate ways. In some cases this will involve linking up with the medical centre/healthcare provider as resources to counteract prejudice & hate, and also supporting those who are on the journey to self-identify as gay, bisexual, trans or non-binary WHETHER OR NOT THEY DISCLOSE THIS TO ANYONE ELSE (‘be ‘Out’ as LGB or T to others), all support much better mental health and wellbeing.
The education services also include this resource and information provided by the LGBT+ Network for Change on a number of related subjects, such as ethnic minorities [BAME/BME] LGBTQ+ community profiles and support issues and needs.
The Network has produced a – separate to this awareness resource – thematic information resource for more in-depth study, available to be used as part of Prison Service staff and stakeholder staff CPD.
8. The HMP & YOI Portland Multi-faith Chaplaincy:
Whilst some more fundamentalist and less inclusive religious faiths have in some cases records and histories of directly often extreme persecution of LGBT people (especially gay men), these are entirely absent in the case of HMPPS multi-faith chaplaincies. On the contrary the latter, as at Portland, have clear non-dogmatic, spiritual welfare values, perspectives and remits; in these the theme of the unacceptability of prejudice and prejudice-related bullying are clear.
The Multi-faith Chaplaincy has a major positive role to play in support of the initiative. We need to involve the Chaplaincy in the latter’s steering group, and how the Chaplaincy can in its general [religious] services, as well as direct Residents AND Staff individual interactions level, involve with the initiative in a structured way as this will powerfully message re both the LGBTQ+ community and the prejudiced (almost all of whom take their given religion as an excuse for prejudice related bullying).