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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 16, 2024

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If transferring a male convict to a women's prison was made conditional on their having undergone a penectomy/vaginoplasty, I imagine the policy would be much less controversial than it currently is, as it completely negates the possibility of the male in question raping a female inmate (possibly leading to pregnancy). In many jurisdictions, this isn't a condition of transfer at all: one must simply announce "I am a woman" and the transfer will be carried out, without even the most token effort at social transition.

However, even with his penis having been removed, if this convict is transferred to a women's prison, he will almost certainly be vastly stronger than all of his fellow inmates (even after having undergone hormone therapy). The female inmates might reasonably object to being placed in close proximity to a violent male who can overpower any of them with ease, even if the chances of him raping them are nil.

If transferring a male convict to a women's prison was made conditional on their having undergone a penectomy/vaginoplasty, I imagine the policy would be much less controversial than it currently is, as it completely negates the possibility of the male in question raping a female inmate (possibly leading to pregnancy)

This isn't true. It makes the possibility of pregnancy nil, though the hormone therapy probably already does this. They'd still have a strength advantage and could overpower and rape female inmates though. Just not with a penis, would have to use finger, fist, idk broomstick, etc. Honestly potentially more dangerous for the female.

Rape is generally defined as nonconsensual penetration with a penis. Forcibly penetrating someone with a finger or foreign object would fall under sexual assault.

Even the more strict definitions I'm familiar with usually just define it as forced penetration w/o a penis specifically mentioned. I still don't see why anyone would be relieved that male sexual deviants are forcibly fisting female inmates rather than traditional PIV though.

In the UK:

The legal definition of rape is when a person intentionally penetrates another's vagina, anus or mouth with a penis, without the other person's consent. Assault by penetration is when a person penetrates another person's vagina or anus with any part of the body other than a penis, or by using an object, without the person's consent.

Other jurisdictions use different definitions which include forcible penetration with a body part or object other than a penis.

I still don't see why anyone would be relieved that male sexual deviants are forcibly fisting female inmates rather than traditional PIV though.

While being forcibly penetrated with a fist is obviously intensely unpleasant, the chances of contracting an STD as a result are virtually nil and the chances of becoming pregnant are zero. This is why male-on-female sexual assault is qualitatively, categorically different to other kinds of sexual assault. Female inmates can and do sexually assault other female inmates, but the reduced risk of contracting an STD and the impossibility of being impregnated make it a very different risk calculus.

A male inmate who has undergone a penectomy absolutely can sexually assault (or rape, depending on definition) female inmates using objects or body parts other than the penis which he has had removed, and his physical strength will probably make it much easier for him to do so than a female inmate trying the same thing. But the impossibility of PiV changes the risk calculus significantly.

ah it's a US vs UK thing then

here its federally defined as:

Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

if STDs were one of the main risks taken into consideration you'd think there would be more focus on male prison rape as male to male rape (anal) has a higher chance of spreading disease than PiV. Seems to me that here in the states the objections are more about putting people less able to defend themselves at risk of abuse.

I think the pregnancy thing is the main one, with STDs a distant second.

If transferring a male convict to a women's prison was made conditional on their having undergone a penectomy/vaginoplasty, I imagine the policy would be much less controversial than it currently is, as it completely negates the possibility of the male in question raping a female inmate (possibly leading to pregnancy).

I would support that. We already have various levels of security for male prisoners (minimum / maximum levels). We can adjust the women's prison to be the meek-and-weak prison. Women who demonstrate a history of attacking other inmates can be transferred to the minimum security prison.

Partially severing every muscle in the body should be an integral part of gender-affirming care.

Speak plainly, please.

Seems plain enough to me; he's saying that part of gender-affirming care for male-to-female transexuals in prison (which is the context here) should be to partially sever every muscle in the body, to make them weaker so they fit into the "meek-and-weak" prison.

I didn't find those caveats obvious. Perhaps they were intended, perhaps not. Either way, it makes for a convenient motte and bailey.

C.f. people who claim "kill all white men!" actually, in context, plainly means "politely ask a small subset of white men to voluntarily give up power."

Partial severing of every muscle in the body is just another way of saying "we should kill them" due to the combination of the hazards of the necessary surgeries and the fragility of a number of extremely important muscles (eg, the heart, diaphragm, and intestines).

Is that an oblique way to refer to the microtears that occur during hypertrophy (as an element of well-adjusted cis males’ and trans men’s “gender-affirming” lifestyle), or do you mean “severing” as part of a satirically proposed surgery to decrease over-all strength as part of an MtF transition — not as a genuine part of the personal expression project that is the medical sex/gender transition process, but as a security control, medical harm per se applied prophylactically to male prisoners seeking cross-sex asylum?

I assume they meant the latter, facetiously.