California: Self-identified female inmate transferred to men's prison after being accused of rape

Criminal Tremaine Deon Carroll, a male who identifies as a woman, has been transferred to a California men's prison after two inmates at the women's correctional facility where he was serving his sentence accused him of raping them on two occasions.

One of Carroll's alleged victims, identified only as Jane Doe, claimed that the criminal assaulted her in the shower and raped her. There is another alleged victim, whose name was not revealed, and details of the crime have not been made public, who stated that she was also sexually assaulted by Carroll.

The dangers of California's law for trans inmates

This case is a reflection of what the law enacted by California, SB 132 or The Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, which establishes that a convicted person can serve a sentence in a prison based on their gender identity instead of on their biological sex. What's more, as reported by Fox News, Carroll was one of the public images that the state used to promote this rule.

The law, which went into effect in California on Jan. 1, 2021, "allows incarcerated transgender, non-binary and intersex people to request to be housed and searched in a manner consistent with their gender identity," adding that the Department California Corrections and Rehabilitation Center (CDCR) "is committed to providing a safe, humane, respectful and rehabilitative environment for all incarcerated people, including the transgender, non-binary and intersex community."

This rule sparked numerous criticisms from groups and organizations that defend the safety and physical integrity of women. One of them is the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), whose legal director, Lauren Bone, portrayed the dangers of the law: