In a move that has raised eyebrows, the Washington State Department of Corrections (WADOC) has advertised a six-figure salaried position for a Gender Affirming Medical Specialist, despite a hiring freeze declared by the state's governor.
The new role, which comes with a hefty salary range of $198,648 to $267,228, is aimed at overseeing the medical care provided to transgender and "gender diverse" inmates in the state's correctional facilities.
According to The Post Millennial, the hiring freeze was instituted by Democratic Governor Jay Inslee on December 2nd, in response to a projected budget deficit of $10-12 billion, despite record revenues. However, just four days later, the WADOC's Health Services Division posted the job opening for the Gender Affirming Medical Specialist in Thurston County.
The individual who fills this role will be part of a team that includes a Gender Affirming Program Coordinator and Gender Affirming Patient Navigators. The benefits package includes up to 25 paid vacation days per year, 8 hours of paid sick leave per month, 12 paid holidays per year, a "generous retirement plan," and access to "Flex Spending Accounts," "Dependent Care Assistance," among other perks.
However, this move has sparked criticism, as more pressing issues such as safety, recidivism, and mental health treatment remain underfunded. The new specialist will be expected to act as the "treating consultant for transgender patients in conjunction with the on-site staff," managing "assessment for and treatment with hormones and consideration for surgical intervention."
The state has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on gender reassignment surgeries, hormone replacement therapies, and other "gender-affirming healthcare" for transgender inmates. This has raised concerns, particularly as there have been accusations of biologically male inmates identifying as females to be housed with biologically female inmates, posing potential safety risks.
One such case involves Bryan Kim, also known as Amber FayeFox Kim, a transgender inmate convicted in 2008 on two counts of aggravated first-degree murder. Kim was initially placed in the Washington Corrections Center for Women but was later moved back to the Monroe Correctional Facility for men due to "ongoing safety and security concerns." This marked the first time a transgender female inmate was returned to a men's prison.
Another inmate, known as Jonathan or Jazzy, has been accused of grooming, making persistent sexual advances, and committing sexual assault, including an incident where a female prisoner woke up to find Jazzy inappropriately touching her.
While inmates are not required to disclose their gender identity, WADOC reports indicate that over 250 inmates in the system identify as transgender. Documents obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI reveal that as of October 2023, approximately 62 trans-identifying male prisoners were in Washington, accounting for roughly 0.5 percent of the prisoner population. The crimes that led to their incarceration included rape, child rape, and dealing in child pornography. The documents also contained multiple substantiated instances of "inmate-on-inmate sexual harassment."
The decision to hire a Gender Affirming Medical Specialist, despite the hiring freeze and amidst other pressing issues, raises questions about the state's priorities. It also highlights the ongoing debate about the treatment of transgender inmates and the potential safety risks posed by allowing biologically male inmates to identify as females to be housed with female inmates. As the state grapples with these complex issues, the safety and wellbeing of all inmates must remain a top priority.
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