Transgender inmates in Naples prison demand equality in letter to Pride

A handwritten letter from transgender inmates at Naples' Secondigliano prison has emerged, reaching the Napoli Pride event with a powerful plea for equality and dignity. The inmates, identifying themselves as "Le Sirene di Secondigliano" (The Mermaids of Secondigliano), penned the message to institutions and the wider community.

“

In Italy, politics controls everything, which is why trans women in prison must get what they want in primitive ways. Therefore, collectively, through the power of words, we ask the State for: parity, equality, and gender inclusivity in the penal institutions of the Campania region.

Their appeal, facilitated by the volunteer initiative "Al di là del Muro" (Beyond the Wall), run by Antinoo Arcigay Napoli in collaboration with Trans Napoli and Pride Vesuvio, calls for "parity, equality, and gender inclusivity" within the penal institutions of the Campania region. The inmates emphasize that they are not seeking sentence reductions but a penitentiary system that prioritizes the "human, social, and psychological aspect of the offender" to ensure fair social redemption and prevent recidivism.

“

We are the lowest voice, the mute voice that is not heard. We want to make our voice heard; we are inmates, but we are here. We are not just here to serve our sentence!

"We are the lowest voice, the mute voice that is not heard," the letter states. "We want to make our voice heard; we are inmates, but we are here. We are not just here to serve our sentence!" The message concludes with a strong affirmation of non-violence, stating, "We know that the antidote to all this is peace."

“

We know that the antidote to all this is peace.

Rosa Rubino, an activist with Antinoo Arcigay Napoli who directly supports the transgender inmates, described the letter as "a cry of hope and a demand that we cannot, and do not want to, ignore." She highlighted the pervasive issue of prisons becoming places of oblivion where identity and dignity are often erased. The inmates' initiative is seen as a crucial effort to reclaim their visibility and humanity from within the confines of the correctional facility.

“

This letter is a cry of hope and a demand that we cannot, and do not want to, ignore. Prison too often risks becoming a place of oblivion, where identity and dignity are annulled.