"This is a Human Rights Bill. Period." - Trans Prisoners' Rights Coalition Advocates for the G.I.R.D.S Act

The Gender, Identity, Respect, Dignity and Safety Act, more commonly known as the G.I.R.D.S. Act, is a proposed legislative bill in the New York State Senate that would require all New York prisons and jails to house Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, Non-Binary, and Intersex (TGNCNBI) people in accordance with their gender identity, as well as making sure they get access to gender affirming medical care and personal items.The bill stalled in committee during this year’s legislative session, but advocates say their push is far from over. The Trans Prisoners' Rights Coalition (TPRC) is working to raise awareness and build momentum for the next legislative cycleThe passage of the G.I.R.D.S. Act would be a blanket coverage of protection for trans folks in all New York State prisons and jails.However, according to Mik Kinkead, New York State Attorney and TPRC Representative, and Grace Detrevarah, LGBTQ Liaison and Case Management Assistant at the Osborne Association, it is only one step in fixing a carceral system that invalidates and criminalizes trans identity.Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with Kinkead and Detrevarah, about how trans folks are at higher risk of violence in the carceral and criminal justice system and how passing this bill would protect human rights in New York state.