Trans Prisoner Moved to Female Prison Following Online Petition

A trans woman has been moved into an all female prison following an online petition that gained thousands of signatures. 26-year-old Tara Hudson was sentenced to 12 weeks in a violent all male prison Bristol prison for a bar assault. Despite having lived as a woman for the past six years, Tara was placed in the men’s prison, as her legal gender has not yet been altered. MP Ben Howlett spoke out against the treatment, and raised the issue before Parliament’s Women and Equalities Select Committee. However action was taken following a change.org petition that attracted over 55,000 signatures. A Prison Service spokesman said: “It is long-standing policy to place offenders according to their legally recognised gender. “However, our guidelines allow room for discretion, and in such cases medical experts will review the circumstances in order to protect the emotional well-being of the person concerned.” Ms Hudson has now been given leave to appeal against the sentence itself for the assault conviction. Her mother is calling for an electronic tag or attendance in an alcohol awareness programme.