Chelsea Gilliam, a Black transgender woman, has filed a lawsuit against Maryland prison officials for allegedly mistreating and raping her while imprisoned with cisgender men. According to The Baltimore Sun, Gilliam was initially arrested on an assault charge in December 2021 and detained in two different prisons until May 2022, despite not being convicted of a crime. She claims that officials repeatedly misgendered her and detained her alongside cis men, leading to her sexual assault by a male inmate.
Gilliam also alleges that after the assault, prison officials denied her necessary medical treatment and placed her in solitary confinement, which the United Nations considers a form of “psychological torture.” She asserts that the prison violated her 14th Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment, as well as the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by denying her medical hormone treatment for her gender dysphoria.
Gilliam’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief against the prisons’ alleged transphobic practices, as well as monetary damages. She is also calling for the state corrections department to implement new policies, procedures, and training to prevent similar mistreatment from happening again.
Gilliam’s experience is unfortunately not unique. A 2011 survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality found that 35% of previously incarcerated trans people faced harassment by other inmates, and 37% reported being harassed by correctional officers or staff.
In the wake of her ordeal, Gilliam says she feels anxious around crowds larger than five people. She hopes that her lawsuit will hold Maryland accountable for its alleged mistreatment of trans prisoners and prevent other trans women from experiencing similar trauma.