Exploring the lived experiences of transwomen prisoners, and lesbian, gay and bisexual prison officers in Westernised countries

Systematic literature review

A systematic literature review and meta-synthesis was conducted using a critical interpretive lens to explore the lived experiences of incarcerated transwomen, in prisons for males, in Westernised countries. Eleven articles representing 410 participants were identified and synthesised via thematic synthesis. The results highlighted participants’ use of threat responses for survival and coping, how masculinity was perceived to be enforced within prisons with femininity rendered invisible, and ways hegemonic masculinity and hegemonic femininity were reinforced or challenged within prisons. Findings reinforced the importance of systemic and contextualised understandings of lived experiences, reflecting on patriarchal structures and operations of power in society and within prisons.

Empirical research project

Given workplace experiences for LGB prison officers have been shown to be more turbulent than their heterosexual colleagues, greater understanding is needed to underpin organisational level interventions. Volunteer and snowball sampling were used to recruit two male, and four female, gay prison officers. Online semi-structured interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five group experiential themes emerged: “A highly challenging role regardless of sexuality”, “Organisational culture matters”, “Actual and anticipated interpersonal experiences around sexuality matter”, “Coping with additional demands as an LGB prison officer”, and “Societal culture and context in understanding responses to sexuality”. Positive and negative workplace experiences were influenced by participants’ prisons’ organisational cultural context. Thus, HM Prison and Probation Service should renew its commitment to improve workplace experiences for LGB officers. Multiple organisational interventions are proposed, aiming to erase homophobia and increase psychological safety to support LGB prison officers’ wellbeing and job satisfaction.