
Quebec to jail inmates according to anatomical sex, not gender identity
MONTREAL — Transgender inmates in provincial detention will be incarcerated according to their anatomical sex, not their gender identity, Quebec’s public security minister said Wednesday.
François Bonnardel said in a statement the measure is to ensure the safety of all inmates.
“With this new directive, the Quebec government is ensuring equitable treatment of all inmates in Quebec,” he said. “Safety must always come first, for the benefit of correctional officers, our fellow citizens and inmates.”
As an example, the directive means that a trans woman who has undergone vaginoplasty — also known as bottom surgery — will be housed with female inmates. If a trans woman has not undergone gender-affirming surgery, she will be housed among male inmates.