The Plight of Transgender Prisoners

On June 7th, a black transgender woman named Layleen Polanco was found dead in her cell at Rikers Island. The New York City Correction Department tweeted that they don’t expect any foul play, and ABC News reports that Polanco allegedly had epilepsy, but her family isn’t convinced. “The city failed to protect Layleen,” Polanco’s family said in a press release, “and now it is trying to sweep her death under the rug.”