{"id":2514697,"date":"2025-11-26T07:44:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T12:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/transgender-inmates-separated-from-female-detainees-at-texas-prison\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T07:46:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T12:46:42","slug":"transgender-inmates-separated-from-female-detainees-at-texas-prison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/transgender-inmates-separated-from-female-detainees-at-texas-prison\/","title":{"rendered":"Transgender inmates separated from female detainees at Texas prison"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftransgender-inmates-separated-from-female-detainees-at-texas-prison%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2514697&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge has issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-gives-trump-a-major-win-as-justices-rule-against-dei-ideology\/\" title=\"SCOTUS Gives Trump a Major Win as Justices Rule Against DEI Ideology\">temporary restraining order requiring<\/a> the separation of transgender inmates-biological men-from female detainees at the Federal Medical Center-Carswell, a Texas prison for women with special medical and mental health needs, following allegations of sexual abuse by some male inmates. The order mandates that transgender men either be reassigned or housed in a secure, segregated unit, and bars them from accessing female-only private spaces such as showers and restrooms.<\/p>\n<p>This ruling is an early procedural development in a broader legal battle over policies instituted during the Trump management that rescinded many transgender inclusion measures in prisons.while the Trump-era directive allows for housing inmates by biological sex and removing transgender inmates from female-only facilities, several lawsuits filed by transgender prisoners seek to block such moves, citing risks of abuse and claiming such transfers amount to cruel and unusual punishment. These cases have had mixed results in lower courts but some victories in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit leading to the restraining order was spearheaded by Rhonda Ann Fleming, a female inmate and activist concerned about safety at FMC-Carswell. The case highlights serious incidents at the prison, including allegations that a transgender male inmate, Kara Sternquist (formerly Michael), sexually assaulted a disabled female inmate, though the prison closed the inquiry as unsubstantiated despite eyewitness accounts and video evidence. Other female inmates have reported harassment and violations of privacy due to the presence of transgender men,including voyeurism and fear of using communal bathrooms.<\/p>\n<p>The situation underscores broader tensions and debate around transgender rights in the prison system, safety concerns for female inmates, and the legal complexities of enforcing sex-based housing policies. Advocates emphasize the vulnerability of women in prisons who frequently enough have histories of trauma, and call for prioritizing their safety over gender identity accommodations. Meanwhile, transgender inmates and their legal representatives argue for protections from discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n<p>the case illustrates ongoing conflicts over transgender policies in correctional facilities, legal challenges to the Trump administration&#8217;s rollback of previous inclusion policies, and the arduous balance between protecting inmate rights and ensuring safety within prisons.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Transgender inmates separated from females at special needs women&rsquo;s prison following sexual abuse claims<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1978694\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order separating&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_tag_transgender_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=QrOwUsi4hwA_GeoBOWBWGWSWU9gMC1vWUwfxzyYq1qA&amp;e=\">transgender<\/a>&nbsp;inmates from&nbsp;female detainees at a<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_tag_texas_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=gSZhkBnlGeoHWZAabolGwg2ZW8if7PNGHo8f2mUo4-8&amp;e=\">&nbsp;Texas<\/a>&nbsp;correctional facility for women with special needs, following claims of sexual abuse allegedly committed by some of the biological men housed there.<\/p>\n<p>Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, a Reagan appointee, ruled last week that any&nbsp;transgender&nbsp;biological man at&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.bop.gov_locations_institutions_crw_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=2MKpT_zgbqoJEssX6H8RJVokaA5v9ogcwE8zvxr4eR0&amp;e=\">Federal Medical Center-Carswell<\/a>, a women&rsquo;s prison in Fort Worth for female inmates primarily suffering from medical and mental health problems, who shares living quarters with two female plaintiffs in&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.courtlistener.com_docket_69662117_fleming-2Dv-2Dwarden-2Dt-2Drule_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=i_72Kn7n4b-tYs12hSbmlmCP8uacAl_460vqGW_f4OQ&amp;e=\">a civil rights case<\/a>&nbsp;must be housed separately, either &ldquo;reassigned away&rdquo; or in placed a &ldquo;secure, segregated&rdquo; unit within FMC Carswell.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3898318\/who-is-funding-the-refuse-fascism-rallies-in-dc\/\">Who is funding the &#8216;Refuse Fascism&#8217; rallies in DC?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3898612\/how-visa-programs-that-admit-foreign-workers-affect-americans\/\">How visa programs that admit foreign workers affect Americans<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3897219\/how-millions-illegal-immigrants-got-jobs-us\/\">How millions of illegal immigrants got jobs in the US<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The&nbsp;men are all also temporarily prohibited from <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >accessing female-designated private spaces<\/a>, such as showers, restrooms, changing areas, and dormitories, according to a copy of the<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_2025_11_TRO-2DFleming-2Dofficial.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=9rQHGEY_Vgs4m-UakuvQ5eNArz13KyEmR-BDu6fZ5yI&amp;e=\">&nbsp;court order<\/a>&nbsp;obtained by the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s order marks one of the first judicial actions enforcing separation by biological sex, although it represents a narrow, procedural victory in the early stages of litigation over President Donald Trump&rsquo;s transgender policies. The Trump administration has suffered&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_justice_3355184_department-2Dof-2Djustice-2Dargues-2Dtransgender-2Dmilitary-2Dban-2Dmedical-2Drestrictions_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=gAJ2IPC-WZT-ywE8AH886hv-py9gudnTMONSgp23UeY&amp;e=\">multiple<\/a>&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_justice_3311036_judge-2Dblocks-2Dfederal-2Dprison-2Dsystem-2Drelocating-2Dtransgender-2Dinmates-2Dtrump-2Dorder_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=xPkS3lI3mJo1Jo95qfFS-wsXnikNpfCWbbWJVhhr1Mw&amp;e=\">setbacks<\/a>&nbsp;in lower courts over efforts to limit the government&rsquo;s recognition of gender to biological sex. However, it has seen some&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_supreme-2Dcourt_3878384_supreme-2Dcourt-2Dhands-2Dtrump-2Da-2Dwin-2Don-2Dpassport-2Dbiological-2Dsex-2Drule_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=-cZrfNi_z5tnb1D_Ss0T5RjdI2pokLDyesN0kf2LyPs&amp;e=\">success<\/a>&nbsp;at the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__rhondaannfleming.com_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=xN_r0jkJxeqmTsiF9sa5-GGIPS4-d4zliuarLbCn930&amp;e=\">Rhonda Ann Fleming<\/a>, a longtime<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.courtlistener.com_docket_67384443_rhonda-2Dfleming-2Dv-2Dfci-2Dtallahassee-2Dwarden_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=qNYdFjLgnFX2B-vuCAidZxkGX3ir3eACIXVBuOC1-5U&amp;e=\">&nbsp;litigant<\/a>&nbsp;fighting the infiltration of men in&nbsp;women&rsquo;s prisons, is spearheading the lawsuit to get the biological men out of FMC Carswell altogether.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t sleep at night worrying about my safety and that of disabled women and the mentally ill,&rdquo; Fleming, 60, told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Fleming lambasted gender ideologues for &ldquo;testing [transgender policies] out on helpless women in prison,&rdquo; many of whom were already&nbsp;battered&nbsp;by childhood sexual abuse or domestic violence.<\/p>\n<p>The temporary restraining order, however, only applies to Fleming and her co-complainant, specifically to the areas of the prison they access, but it could be extended to other plaintiffs&nbsp;if&nbsp;they are added.<\/p>\n<p>An evidentiary hearing is&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241.86.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=h9kXf5CXvaEkoLJO_qe3DNFvjZd2h5fIzGx-3CGEW2Y&amp;e=\">scheduled<\/a>&nbsp;for Dec. 18, when the plaintiffs can call on other witnesses in custody to testify.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rhonda Fleming | Courtesy of Jeanette Driever, a friend of Fleming and former FMC Carswell inmate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-impact-on-lawfare-targeting-trump-s-transgender-prisoner-policy\"><strong>Impact on lawfare targeting Trump&rsquo;s transgender prisoner policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Monday&rsquo;s ruling is limited to the men imprisoned at FMC Carswell, with the female inmates named in the lawsuit. It does not affect another case advanced by 19 transgender plaintiffs, all biological males from multiple federal prisons, who are part of an anonymous &ldquo;Jane Doe&rdquo;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.courtlistener.com_docket_69835212_jane-2Ddoe-2Dv-2Dpamela-2Dbondi_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=r7fmhwmxM-CvickLscaaEohlsnKRXwyzHU0fMMnyAZ0&amp;e=\">&nbsp;appeal<\/a>&nbsp;challenging Trump&rsquo;s<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.whitehouse.gov_presidential-2Dactions_2025_01_defending-2Dwomen-2Dfrom-2Dgender-2Dideology-2Dextremism-2Dand-2Drestoring-2Dbiological-2Dtruth-2Dto-2Dthe-2Dfederal-2Dgovernment_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=5thjXH11QvUvWn9NuXYvDqnPVeS1CB9MyadwP_qjGAw&amp;e=\">&nbsp;executive order<\/a>&nbsp;on safeguarding women&rsquo;s spaces.<\/p>\n<p>The presidential directive, which<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_policy_healthcare_3294856_trump-2Dsigns-2Dorder-2Dabolishing-2Dgender-2Dideology-2Dfederal-2Dpolicy_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=JQm_Ff2n_Q1Bw0XApfHWf6jst4xMjdCzqPZ2qAOlqk0&amp;e=\">&nbsp;rescinded<\/a>&nbsp;a slew of Biden-era transgender inclusion policies, in part authorized the removal of biological men from female-only federal detention centers as well as the withdrawal of federal funding for all sex-change services offered behind bars.<\/p>\n<p>In January, a group of male-to-female transgender inmates<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.gladlaw.org_cases_doe-2Dv-2Dbondi_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=11C8NsAH4BiS4i7BVaZJzuSjQ-JUB8RVPL-KiRGlvA8&amp;e=\">&nbsp;launched<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.gladlaw.org_cases_moe-2Dv-2Dtrump_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=RJAsog4kmZOnFZKwLExk_5reQNavWi9Uu-uEoL62kGw&amp;e=\">&nbsp;separate<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.gladlaw.org_cases_jones-2Dv-2Dbondi_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=LDh02MOXPOZdiRZFiFMmmimB1dkKKrLzNry7-Bt7wt0&amp;e=\">&nbsp;lawsuits<\/a>&nbsp;against the&nbsp;Justice Department to prevent their transfer to men&rsquo;s prisons, arguing that they would be at risk of sexual assault. Placement in such sex-based housing,<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_crime_3328568_federal-2Djudge-2Dhalts-2Dtrump-2Dorder-2Dhousing-2Dtransgender-2Dprisoners_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=jXd-5Ye46MVLUcImANx0h4TpO6QUsBw3QZHBUC6wfQo&amp;e=\">&nbsp;they claimed<\/a>, constitutes &ldquo;cruel and unusual punishment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The biological men won<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__rbgg.com_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_Dkt-2D089-2DOrder-2DGranting-2DPI-2D08-2D20-2D25-2D672-2D10.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=dkb7O7_K8lcRJ4myKZEccS0vSGxzxTdmWMk_13mSoH0&amp;e=\">&nbsp;preliminary injunctions<\/a>&nbsp;keeping them in their current facilities while the case plays out in court, and a surge of transgender complainants<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__glad-2Dorg-2Dwpom.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_2025_02_20250224-5FDoe-2Dv-2DBondi-5FOrder-2DGranting-2DPI.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=Ib2zDo-MVcdROrNSAo0lO-0fsvUGrsfAmFbfqgjiA0s&amp;e=\">&nbsp;joined<\/a>&nbsp;the now-<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908.01208735223.1.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=p1EMCRD5SvAvvRp1MjFtPcO5h1Rw499nsq_rgpf-qHM&amp;e=\">consolidated<\/a>&nbsp;case currently before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_justice_3795207_appeals-2Dcourt-2Dpanel-2Dgrills-2Ddoj-2Dprisons-2Dbiological-2Dsex_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=2PNRCHGmcC8z_a7QY4LAsg1cDQgjEloNn8bh5-T8kZg&amp;e=\"><strong>APPEALS COURT PANEL GRILLS DOJ OVER TRUMP ORDER RESTRICTING PRISONS BY BIOLOGICAL SEX<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As written, Fitzwater&rsquo;s court order does not conflict with the&nbsp;<em>Doe v. Bondi<\/em>&nbsp;lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Doe v. Bondi<\/em>&nbsp;injunctions forbid the federal government from transferring those male inmates back to men&rsquo;s prisons. In contrast, Fitzwater&rsquo;s order requires that the men at FMC Carswell, specifically, be housed separately from the females. If the&nbsp;<em>Doe v. Bondi<\/em>&nbsp;injunctions were dissolved, then the Federal Bureau of Prisons would be free to move all of the men out of female facilities and jail them by biological sex, pursuant to Trump&rsquo;s mandate. Until then, the order of injunctive relief in&nbsp;<em>Fleming v. Warden T. Rule&nbsp;<\/em>shields only the specific women who challenged their conditions at FMC Carswell.<\/p>\n<p>There are over 1,300 male prisoners who identify as transgender in federal lock-ups, according to<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__usa.kpssinfo.org_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_2025_05_BOP-2DTransgender-2DInmate-2DReport-2D2025-2D01832.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=7Dzcb-mDDytQ4MpSY5Hu6oe_Y7weRNJICyfth40bQVU&amp;e=\">&nbsp;an internal BOP report<\/a>. More than half of the transgender-identifying male inmates, 51.3%, are imprisoned for sex offenses.&nbsp;Per BOP statistics,&nbsp;that&rsquo;s nearly four times the sex-offense rate of the total federal prison population, which is 93.5% male.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The front entrance of the Federal Medical Center prison is lit up by lights in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, May 16, 2020. (AP Photo\/LM Otero)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Because the plaintiffs in<em>&nbsp;Doe v. Bondi<\/em>&nbsp;are anonymous, we do not know which male prisoners it protects, or if they are violent sex offenders,&rdquo; John Greil, of the law firm Schaerr Jaffe LLP, told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. Greil is counsel for two additional inmates at FMC Carswell who are looking to join Fleming&rsquo;s lawsuit as plaintiffs.<\/p>\n<p>According to the government&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908.01208738328.0-5F1.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=zFq6YSFFWlMJ6vtPfToXaNoPR1fjc1oYZIQp9gt5rcY&amp;e=\">brief<\/a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Doe v. Bondi<\/em>, 22 biological men were housed in women&rsquo;s prisons as of February. So far, 19 transgender prisoners are part of the appeal.<\/p>\n<p>Rosen Bien Galvan &amp; Grunfeld LLP, which<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__rbgg.com_best-2Dlaw-2Dfirms-2Dranks-2Drbgg-2Din-2D1st-2Dtier-2Dnationally-2Dfor-2Dappellate-2Dpractice-2Din-2D2025-2Dand-2D1st-2Dtier-2Din-2Dsf-2Din-2D4-2Dlitigation-2Dcategories_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=FLq5SCybwBu3pgM_EUvPvGBWd2xnNvXQAxmBA6gXCQY&amp;e=\">&nbsp;ranks in the top tier<\/a>&nbsp;nationally for appellate practice, is<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__rbgg.com_transgender-2Dwomen-2Dfile-2Dsuit-2Dagainst-2Dbop-2Dchallenging-2Dtrump-2Dpolicy-2Dterminating-2Dmedical-2Dcare-2Dand-2Dmoving-2Dthem-2Dto-2Dmens-2Dprisons_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=ncdgVu2O3TR24eUPOWactSIV66lc4MiEbXPSYu7Usp4&amp;e=\">&nbsp;partnered<\/a>&nbsp;with a consortium of gay rights groups to represent the transgender appellees.&nbsp;When reached for comment, RBGG declined to identify its clients.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The transgender inmates in the case all assumed aliases, such as Sara Doe, Maria Moe, and Donna Jones.<\/p>\n<p>In this type of litigation, activist attorneys strategically<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908_gov.uscourts.cadc.41908.01208753376.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=rwDcrQZ44ihPiioABmNpEp8TOlRYEm4gDjzEvhth9us&amp;e=\">&nbsp;redact the name of a prisoner<\/a>&nbsp;and the location where they are held, explained Elspeth Cypher, a retired Massachusetts Supreme Court<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.mass.gov_news_supreme-2Djudicial-2Dcourt-2Djustice-2Delspeth-2Db-2Dcypher-2Dto-2Dretire&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=x7EVDOAx74-AdS0mTr-TRvpu_MWz2W5kFdH50QW30tw&amp;e=\">&nbsp;judge<\/a>&nbsp;serving as<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__womensliberationfront.org_news_retired-2Dmass-2Dsupreme-2Dcourt-2Djudge-2Delspeth-2Dcypher-2Djoins-2Dwolf-2Dboard&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=PHMSsbMIfFgCtuJtO5V0-wIdWi426pUa48tSjtM2xOk&amp;e=\">&nbsp;secretary<\/a>&nbsp;of the Women&rsquo;s Liberation Front.<\/p>\n<p>Hiding the plaintiff&rsquo;s identity, Cypher said in an interview with the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, makes it difficult to find the case in the federal court docket system, which is<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.courtlistener.com_-3Fq-3DJane-2520Doe-2520v.-2520Pamela-2520Bondi-26type-3Dr-26order-5Fby-3Dscore-2520desc&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=_lvfbbYre6562c0y8JN_29GfisFA_iMw-lDLl2BDzLA&amp;e=\">&nbsp;teeming<\/a>&nbsp;with similarly titled complaints, generally concerning immigration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lawyers for the unnamed transgender inmates&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.dcd.276959\/gov.uscourts.dcd.276959.3.1.pdf\">said<\/a>&nbsp;anonymity is necessary &ldquo;to avoid the grievous harassment, retaliation, and violence&mdash;including sexual violence&mdash;they would be likely to face from other incarcerated people and corrections officers if their identities were disclosed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_justice_3311036_judge-2Dblocks-2Dfederal-2Dprison-2Dsystem-2Drelocating-2Dtransgender-2Dinmates-2Dtrump-2Dorder_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=xPkS3lI3mJo1Jo95qfFS-wsXnikNpfCWbbWJVhhr1Mw&amp;e=\"><strong>JUDGE BLOCKS FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM FROM RELOCATING TRANSGENDER INMATES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>WoLF, a women&rsquo;s rights advocacy organization,<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__womensliberationfront.org_news_can-2Dwe-2Dget-2Dmen-2Dout-2Dof-2Dwomens-2Dprisons-2Dwolf-2Dfiles-2Damicus-2Dbrief-2Din-2Djane-2Ddoe-2Dv-2Dpamela-2Dbondi&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=VtBM95yqLke-C8uvhI1QKZLyWjJCWsa4BprZ91NGwIU&amp;e=\">&nbsp;filed<\/a>&nbsp;an eleventh-hour<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__static1.squarespace.com_static_5f232ea74d8342386a7ebc52_t_68b9f32b9dc76f429993fbb0_1757016875372_25-2D5099-5FAmicus-2BBrief-2B-2528File-2DStamped-2529-2D2.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=k-thDcmdM1h0IaqNJCWpEqAL8JxK4lmfIbt5Zz6tSVQ&amp;e=\">&nbsp;amicus brief<\/a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Doe v. Bondi<\/em>&nbsp;on behalf of incarcerated women across the country, whose voices are typically not heard by the court in these kinds of cases.<\/p>\n<p>Cypher told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner&nbsp;<\/em>that such<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__rbgg.com_wp-2Dcontent_uploads_013-2D4-2DExhibit-2DDeclaration-2Dof-2DJane-2DDoe-2DRedacted.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=MUEvOayGSwORXhtlx17m14ElGF3G0BX6loExzRPd9wM&amp;e=\">&nbsp;pseudonymous cases<\/a>, set up to protect transgender plaintiffs&rsquo; identities, often&nbsp;proceed with no notice for third parties to file briefings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way to represent any of the women,&rdquo; Cypher said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Cypher urged officials to recognize the harm done to these women, frequently a forgotten population, and the risks they face while stuck in close confinement with men, many of them fully intact.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to measure this man&rsquo;s [gender] dysphoria against the fact that women could be raped while they&rsquo;re sleeping?&rdquo; Cypher said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s this acceptance of male feelings as so important over physical safety of the females.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-pervasive-problem-of-systemic-sexual-abuse\"><strong>A pervasive problem of systemic sexual abuse<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>One of the men at FMC Carswell was allegedly caught preying upon an incapacitated female inmate in the dead of night. Kara Sternquist, formerly &ldquo;Michael,&rdquo; is accused&nbsp;by fellow inmates&nbsp;of sexually assaulting a disabled detainee while she was asleep.<\/p>\n<p>Fleming&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241.61.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=3mB1xZ6ZPY9-hs6lQpQgyUz4Rh10UU417st0WIfMykQ&amp;e=\">complaint<\/a>&nbsp;alleges that at approximately 2 a.m. on July 19, Sternquist snuck into a restricted section of the prison&rsquo;s hospital wing and molested a handicapped woman, allegedly telling her, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not trans, I&rsquo;m bisexual and everything works.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Tamarisk Trejo Mathews, 53, said she woke up to Sternquist standing over her, speaking sexually with &ldquo;a big smile on his face,&rdquo; before grabbing her by the foot, rubbing his hands along her thighs, and yanking her toward him.<\/p>\n<p>Mathews, who has secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis and wears<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.advancedpro.biz_products_orthotic_hkafo&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=_DRmzGcgmgJiaJbeb3fyE1_TfdvL6CHT1M-sn71QSoU&amp;e=\">&nbsp;a full-leg orthotic device<\/a>, recalled screaming at Sternquist, waking the rest of the hospital ward. Afterwards, another inmate alerted the nighttime guard, but he told the women to go back to sleep, Mathews told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>That night, <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">however, Sternquist was taken to the<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.bop.gov_policy_progstat_5270.12.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=JApAa5lZKbX0ZxEq5_VTM2dZRRgbI2FYCNX80LpENUU&amp;e=\">&nbsp;Special Housing Unit<\/a>, an area of isolated confinement that separated<\/span> Sternquist from the prison&rsquo;s general population.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FBI says Kara Sternquist followed the LGBT gun group Armed Equality, which compares cops to &ldquo;Nazis&rdquo; | Source: Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The following morning, Mathews said she filed a victim statement because the guard on duty simply reported the incident as Sternquist being &ldquo;out of bounds,&rdquo; i.e., in an unauthorized area.<\/p>\n<p>However, within a week and a half, the facility&rsquo;s administration closed the sexual assault investigation after finding the claims to be &ldquo;unsubstantiated,&rdquo; despite eye witnesses and security cameras capturing the incident, Mathews said.<\/p>\n<p>Mathews was prescribed Zoom therapy, and Sternquist was quickly let out of the SHU. Mathews said she was not notified that Sternquist had been released and had to encounter her attacker daily.<\/p>\n<p>Mathews said she felt like that was her &ldquo;added-on punishment to being here.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I have felt dismissed and like I&rsquo;m in the wrong, [as if] he has more rights here than I do,&rdquo; she said.<\/p>\n<p>Mathews, who is no longer at FMC Carswell, was eventually moved to a halfway house.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Sternquist is serving a five-year prison term for<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.courtlistener.com_docket_65738952_united-2Dstates-2Dv-2Dsternquist_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=OhBcCm2PRc-ZJJv1SqQfou-zLIVRyVeAbuoNM9yztJg&amp;e=\">&nbsp;possessing firearms<\/a>, <\/span>fully automatic rifles, that Sternquist had assembled as a previously convicted felon.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2022, investigators seized a cache of silencers and firearms, including<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.ca2.d8445ab4-2Da643-2D40c3-2D89e3-2D5fd4445785c9_gov.uscourts.ca2.d8445ab4-2Da643-2D40c3-2D89e3-2D5fd4445785c9.30.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=Qn2h46yAhdAYj-0ovplCjRNG2kZ_DxItQeWcTffFFhw&amp;e=\">&nbsp;a machine gun<\/a>, in various stages of construction from Sternquist&rsquo;s New York City apartment. On<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.ca2.d8445ab4-2Da643-2D40c3-2D89e3-2D5fd4445785c9_gov.uscourts.ca2.d8445ab4-2Da643-2D40c3-2D89e3-2D5fd4445785c9.38.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=U1VkVZJZVBUuZDZCewmSRqSprfHFOh9SrGDa6PsXgZw&amp;e=\">&nbsp;appeal<\/a>, Sternquist claimed to be stockpiling weapons for self-defense because Sternquist had allegedly been attacked in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-semitic-attacks-in-2020-outnumbered-attacks-against-muslims-asians-transgender-people-combined\/\" title=\"Anti-Semitic Attacks in 2020 Outnumbered Attacks Against Muslims, Asians, ... People Combined\">anti-transgender hate crime<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities also<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.nyed.487373_gov.uscourts.nyed.487373.1.0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=gfAs7meOEkNSHAp6A_PgiyZuCxr6ZD4vgdldR_F11z8&amp;e=\">&nbsp;discovered<\/a>&nbsp;in Sternquist&rsquo;s possession over 50 fraudulent law enforcement badges from more than a dozen different federal agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and counterfeit security-clearance cards depicting Sternquist as an active-duty Navy officer, U.S. Defense Department personnel, and an employee in the Central Intelligence Agency, among many other personas.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kara Sternquist&rsquo;s fictitious IDs | Source: U.S. Department of Justice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sternquist has an extensive<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.govinfo.gov_content_pkg_USCOURTS-2Dnyed-2D1-5F22-2Dcr-2D00473_pdf_USCOURTS-2Dnyed-2D1-5F22-2Dcr-2D00473-2D0.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=AQt05QZy_uGkEEkgsM9I335B537cVjykMeLtfwtMAcE&amp;e=\">&nbsp;criminal history<\/a>&nbsp;stretching across several U.S. states, including felony convictions for forging police credentials, manufacturing fake identification documents, identity theft, grand larceny, and carrying a concealed weapon.<\/p>\n<p>While in prison, Sternquist attracted<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3DWK6SFmHxhX0&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=gp9MWtYP34zF1QhuNRO3nJCamMeXFbc9znP7Bn9b2cs&amp;e=\">&nbsp;an online following<\/a>&nbsp;as well as the attention of LGBT-friendly media.&nbsp;<em>The Intercept<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__theintercept.com_2025_01_28_trans-2Dwomen-2Dfederal-2Dprisons-2Dtrump-2Dexecutive-2Dorder_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=NO_Vhq6_oPbbdk1Uz2kug5M2Wyb0b_HVdWkIm5VEI8E&amp;e=\">&nbsp;wrote<\/a>&nbsp;about Sternquist facing &ldquo;the terror&rdquo; of being separated by biology under Trump&rsquo;s sex-segregated housing rules.&nbsp;<em>Mother Jones<\/em>&nbsp;published<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.motherjones.com_criminal-2Djustice_2023_01_mdc-2Dbrooklyn-2Djail-2Dhealth-2Dcare_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=_Q8l_27foUbQfqXMgPP1ulY5ZiRHHdp_LpBZBEbjQUM&amp;e=\">&nbsp;a sympathetic profile<\/a>&nbsp;of Sternquist detailing how Sternquist has been &ldquo;misgendered&rdquo; by correctional officers and allegedly denied medical care.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;fact that&nbsp;Sternquist&nbsp;was found not to have sexually assaulted Mathews&nbsp;is not an isolated episode, inmates say, but is instead reflective of a broader culture of intimidation and predation inside the women&rsquo;s prison.<\/p>\n<p>Miriam Crystal Herrera, 34, said she has been a victim of voyeurism and sexual harassment at FMC Carswell and has been forced to use the bathroom facilities with many biological men presenting themselves as women.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For too long, I&rsquo;ve had to share intimate spaces with them,&rdquo; Herrera, who is Fleming&rsquo;s co-plaintiff, told the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;They can see us shower. I have been stalked in the showers before.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Federal Bureau of Federal Prisons truck drives past barbed wire fences at the Federal Medical Center prison in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, May 16, 2020. (AP Photo\/LM Otero)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The women there seldom use the bathroom at night unless it&rsquo;s an emergency &ldquo;because we are afraid to have one of them waiting in there,&rdquo; Herrera explained.<\/p>\n<p>Brenda Leigh Kirk, 52, and Elizabeth Ann Hardin, 68, the two FMC Carswell inmates Greil represents, say that they have personally witnessed and experienced the male prisoners peeking into the showers.<\/p>\n<p>According to their&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__storage.courtlistener.com_recap_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241_gov.uscourts.txnd.400241.69.1.pdf&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=NZO8FvKFkUsSDAe72WT9beiBLxKDQXhPWr2JTC4511w&amp;e=\">proposed complaint<\/a>, which asks to intervene in the Fleming-Herrera case, the women at FMC Carswell, including Kirk and Hardin, have had to dress inside the shower stalls or toilet areas, rather than in the open changing space, &ldquo;to protect an ounce of their privacy from the male gaze.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sources also say that at FMC Carswell, the transgender prisoners enjoy continued access to &ldquo;gender-affirming&rdquo; accommodations, such as feminine undergarments, while the women are subjected to<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__www.washingtonexaminer.com_news_3023948_california-2Dfemale-2Dprison-2Dguards-2Drequired-2Dto-2Dstrip-2Dsearch-2Dtransgender-2Dinmates_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=rumbWAiIBkdHCeWNc4Z2pOyuMrY2h0Ha2IMAtZrPvwY&amp;m=sCAMIM7xexPnM02OQk7lXNWZfvUayMRDSCc-k_FBpJl7EgUBPJ1jv9H79KEuDity&amp;s=4x4n1I-4LX_ThqdROdkoqYyeDJfh4I6ia6iasfM7JRk&amp;e=\">&nbsp;strip searches<\/a>&nbsp;in full view of the men, must respect their preferred pronouns, and address them accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are not second-class citizens, but last-class citizens,&rdquo; Fleming lamented.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge orders transgender inmates separated from women at Texas prison after abuse claims<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2514698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-collage-5hafbutpq-1763503796095-e1764127948418.jpg?1764109964&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[62705,67732,46778],"class_list":["post-2514697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-prison-policy","tag-texas-prison","tag-transgender-inmates"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-collage-5hafbutpq-1763503796095-e1764127948418.jpg?1764109964&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2514697"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2514702,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514697\/revisions\/2514702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2514698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2514697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2514697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2514697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}