President Donald Trump has issued a groundbreaking executive order reinstating single-sex prisons, reversing policies that allowed male inmates identifying as women to be housed in women’s facilities. Approximately 1,500 male federal prisoners who identify as female will now be relocated back to men’s facilities under this directive, according to reports from the New York Times.
The executive order, titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” also eliminates federally funded transgender-related medical procedures for inmates. This move is being hailed as a major victory by the Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF), a feminist organization advocating for the safety and dignity of incarcerated women. WoLF has been vocal about the risks posed to women in prison by policies allowing male inmates into female facilities, pointing to violations of constitutional protections under the Eighth Amendment.
WoLF emphasized the importance of protecting women from male violence, with spokespersons highlighting the troubling statistics surrounding male inmates identifying as female. According to the Bureau of Prisons, nearly 50% of these individuals have been convicted of sexual offenses, compared to just 11% of biological males who do not identify as female. Furthermore, one-third of men requesting transfers to women’s prisons in California are registered sex offenders, a demographic linked to up to 50% of rapes occurring within the prison system.
Trump will ban trans women from women's prisons by removing trans inmates from rape protections https://t.co/g1P39ZGPIa
— The Advocate (@TheAdvocateMag) January 25, 2025
The executive order has reignited debates over the intersection of safety, rights, and gender identity in the correctional system. Advocates for Trump’s policy argue that it prioritizes the dignity and well-being of women, reflecting concerns raised by inmates who have been victims of sexual violence in these mixed housing scenarios. A sworn declaration from a female inmate at California’s Central Facility for Women detailed the aftermath of a rape allegedly committed by a transgender prisoner, shedding light on the real dangers faced by women behind bars.