From NBC News in 2017:

‘Overwhelming’ Number of Lesbians, Bisexual Women Incarcerated

A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health includes startling findings about the overrepresentation of sexual minorities in prison.

March 3, 2017, 1:47 PM EST / Updated March 3, 2017, 1:47 PM EST
By Julie Moreau

…For women, the overrepresentation is much more pronounced: Researchers found roughly a third of incarcerated women identify as lesbian or bisexual, “a proportion that is about 8 to 10 times greater than the 3.4 percent of lesbian or bisexual women in the U.S. population.” When women who engaged in same-sex sexual activity prior to their detention are factored in, sexual minority women account for a staggering 42.1 percent of the female prison population and 35.7 percent of women in jails.

… Limitations of the data make it impossible to speak definitively about the cause of this overrepresentation, according to Stemple. However, she noted, “Thinking about gender theory, women who defy norms of femininity may be more likely to be perceived as aggressive and dangerous.”

Alternatively, women who are aggressive and dangerous may be more likely to defy norms of femininity. But the way Dr. Stemple phrases it denies the Good People (lesbian bisexual convicts) any agency and blames the Bad People (Society) for misperceiving their goodness. That’s a more complicated and thus less likely to be a true theory than mine, so Occam’s Butterknife says it’s better.

Stemple also said it is important to take race into account, given the disproportionate number of people of color who are incarcerated.

“Societal perception of masculinities of color as threatening could apply to women. There is already good evidence that it applies to men,” she said, adding that the overrepresentation of sexual minority women may be connected to “the over-policing of masculinities of color.”

Once again.

[Comment at Unz.com]