Via Angry Brown Butch and BFP, a story from New York about a transwoman who’s been unjustly imprisoned and subjected to abuse in prison:
http://www.angrybrownbutch.com/2007/08/13/171
http://brownfemipower.com/?p=1810
Early in the morning on July 17, Mariah Lopez, a young Latina transgender woman and community activist, got arrested after she went to the police department to file a complaint about getting beaten up in the West Village. She has been in jail since then, held on bail ($1.500) that she cannot afford to pay.
Since she has been in jail, we have had reports that:
* She was first taken to a women’s jail, then ordered to drop her pants to show her genitals so they could decide if she belonged there. When she refused a ‘genital check,’ she was moved to a hospital and then lock-in (isolation) in a men’s jail.
* She had her clothing, bra, and underwear withheld from her.
* A male prisoner sexually harassed and assaulted her.
* An officer assaulted her.
Ms. Lopez has been in the news several times over the years.
Original post here:
http://www.angrybrownbutch.com/2007/08/06/170
Mariah’s statement about police abuse here:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/Stonewalled_A_Report/Statement_of_Mariah_Lopez/page.do?id=1106613&n1=3&n2=36&n3=1121
More on abuse of transpeople here:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGAMR511642006
(Link to another story about Christina Sforza, the woman who was beaten with a pipe and then arrested for trying to use a public restroom, here:
http://www.srlp.org/index.php?sec=03K&page=action101106)
Mariah was in the news recently for her lawsuit against NYC Administration for Children’s Services, demanding that they pay for transition-related medical treatments. She won, although each story mentions that ACS plans to appeal.
Article here:
http://www.antijen.org/Articles/Right_to_Sex_Change_Upheld.html
Links to legal docs here:
http://thecoup.org/projects/mariah-lopez
The Post wrote a transphobic article and editorial about the court decision and Mariah herself.
She also won the right to dress in the women’s clothing she preferred while in foster care. She was seventeen at the time:
http://www.srlp.org/newsletter/v1n1/fostercare.html
Another story about that decision with some background info on Mariah:
http://www.tgcrossroads.org/news/archive.asp?aid=610
The last story mentions “violent incidents,” but I’m skeptical. As she says, I doubt that many of her situations have been safe, and I also have no trouble suspecting that she would be blamed for fighting back. Look at what happened to Christina Sforza. She also sounds like the kind of person–tough, aware, capable, uncompromising, successful–who would very quickly be labeled a troublemaker by any administrator and punished accordingly. The article also contains some information on what arguments were used to allow Lopez her clothes and what counterarguments came up in response (“No flag, no country!”).
Is there anyway we can send money to an organization for her bail?
Thealogian, I’m pretty sure BFP said she’s represented by the Sylvia Rivera Law Project – you could kick some money toward them for her continued representation.
i’d also be interested to know this.
also, piny, your links are broken fyi.
Me three. If her bail is only $1500, could no one afford the $150 bond? That can’t be hard to raise.
Hold on, WHY was she arrested? This sort of stuff makes me physically sick
If you’re in NYC, I think the plan is to do some fundraising for her bail at the Audre Lorde Project picnic at Prospect Park this Saturday:
http://www.alp.org/calendar.php
I don’t know what the exact details are, but you can try calling SRLP for more information.
by the way, here are the details:
Free Mariah! Help Raise Money for Bail for Community Trans Activist!
On July 17, Mariah Lopez, a young Latina transgender woman and community activist, got arrested after she went to the police department to file a complaint about getting beaten up in the West Village. Since then, she has been held in jail while waiting for trial.
Since she has been in jail, we have had reports that:
* She was first taken to a women’s jail, then ordered to drop her pants to show her genitals so they could decide if she belonged there. When she refused a ‘genital check,’ she was moved to a hospital and then lock-in (isolation) in a men’s jail.
* She had her clothing, bra, and underwear withheld from her.
* A male prisoner sexually harassed and assaulted her.
* An officer assaulted her.
She is being held on $1500 bail, far more than she can afford. Mariah’s lawyer has argued twice for the bail to be reduced or for Mariah to be released on her own recognizance, but the judge refuses to reduce her bail. Mariah is a long-time community member and activist who has deep roots in New York City. There is no reason for her to remain in jail while waiting for trial-especially not in punitive isolation in a men’s prison!
Her trial is scheduled for more than two weeks from now, so unless her bail is paid, she will be forced to remain in jail for at least another two weeks.
**How You Can Help**
We are trying to raise enough money to meet Mariah’s bail, so that she doesn’t have to continue to face the inhumane and dangerous conditions she is experiencing in jail.
SRLP as an organization cannot raise bail for Mariah. However, Gael Guevara, an SRLP collective member, is collecting and raising the money as a personal matter.
To contribute, either:
1) Make donations directly to Gael at ALP’s upcoming Chillin’ and Grillin’ Event on August 18th, Prospect Park, Near Picnic House, 12 noon to 6 pm.
Or
S.O.S. Collective Safe PartyAFTER PARTY: August 18th 9PM – until @ OUTPOST-1014 FULTON ST (btwn Classon & Grand) BROOKLYN, NY
2) Stop by the SRLP office, where Gael works, to drop off the money early next week. 322 8th Ave. 3rd Floor NY, NY 10001
3) Make a donation directly from your bank account using PayPal.com.
You can send the money to jesse@tmcnetwork.com.
If you would really like to help, but can only make a donation from your credit card, you are welcome to make a credit card donation through PayPal to this address: merch@tmcnetwork.com (please use this address for credit cards only; use jesse@tmcnetwork.com for payments by bank account transfer). Please keep in mind that we have to pay a fee for credit card payments, so making a no-fee donation directly from your bank account is the best way to ensure that we meet our fundraising goal and get Mariah out sooner.
The total amount of bail we need to raise is $1500, once the case is over we will be donating the remaining funds to the S.O.S. Collective Safe Party and the New Jersey 4 campaign of FIERCE!
Join us in raising our community collective power and help a fellow community member in need. I hope that you all can pitch in!
Thank you for your support!
For more information contact: Gael Guevara at 917-459-8779
For updates and dates for Mariah’s upcoming trial, please send an email to wapinpana@yahoo.com with subject line: support for Mariah. Thank You!
[...] day when our community marches for the rights and well-being of the living. And I thought about Mariah Lopez… who, I am very sorry to have to report, was beaten up and arrested [...]