New York, N.Y. — In response to coverage of the conditions faced by transgender inmates in Georgia State prisons, Sir Elton John, the founder of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and foundation ally Michael Stipe, musician and activist, issued the following statement:
“Transgender women in male prisons have an equal right to protection from violence and abuse in prison, and yet they continue to face horrific injustices.
The experiences of Ashley Diamond and Zahara Green cast a harsh light on the brutality, torture, and horrible conditions inside Georgia prisons today. They are emblematic of the continued discrimination experienced by transgender inmates – who are 13 times more likely to be sexually assaulted while incarcerated.
More often than not, assaults in part go unreported because the perpetrators are prison guards, wardens and staff.
This is outrageous, and the message it sends is horrific: that violence against and discrimination of trans people is not only allowed, but sanctioned.
We applaud the US Department of Justice for supporting Ashley Diamond and the trans community in arguing that Georgia’s policy of denying transgender inmates their medically necessary hormone treatment is unconstitutional.
But we must do more to end the culture of violence and discrimination surrounding gender identity and expression.
We urge the state of Georgia to embrace desperately needed changes to their correctional system.”
