Panty in Male Prisons

Panty in Male Prisons or (PIMP) for short.

New rulings which apply to transvestite and transsexual prisoners will see them allowed dresses, make-up, padded bras, and panties etc in British prisons.

New government guidelines announced by justice minister Ken Clarke will allow prisoners who are undergoing gender reassignment treatment, have already changed sex and transvestites to purchase ‘gender-appropriate’ clothes and make-up from a home shopping catalogue. Up until now, they have been forced to wear the standard issue grey tracksuits.

In a wise move, warders and prison governors who refuse to go along with the new rules could face legal action. The mandatory guidelines, due to be enforced later this month, were circulated by the Justice ministry to all UK prisons last month. Immediate fury from those who see the move as being soft on criminals is expected.

The entire 20 page document codifies prisoners’ rights in addition to stating guidelines on issues likely to cause difficulties for staff, such as access to showers in the facilities. Due to come into force on 14 March, advises staff with queries on policy implementation to liaise with the MoJ’s ‘gender recognition policy team’, expected to be a very busy department.

The highly detailed document includes advice on the requirements of transgender and transvestite prisoners such as ‘sophisticated prostheses’, padded bras and make-up to cover beard stubble. Clothes will be able to be ordered from the Argos Additions catalogue or provided by prisoners’ relatives.

Guidance on how to deal with other inmates who wish to wear their own clothes is also given, with an emphasis on polite explanation. Controversially, the guidelines also state prisoners who have undergone surgical gender reassignment to female are entitled to places in women’s prisons, but stresses the issue is legal rather than anatomical and that physical searches must not take place.