Transgender women are incarcerated in men's prisons across the U.S., where they are denied medical and psychological treatment by the authorities and are the victims of rape and violence by the inmates. This award-winning, eye-opening documentary seriously questions whether the punishment for their crimes is indeed CRUEL AND UNUSUAL. An unflinching exposé of the lives of imprisoned pre-op transwomen, this unsettling documentary challenges the viewer's basic ideas about gender and justice with poignantly graphic stories, vibrant landscape portraits and stark prison footage. The women’s stories are interwoven with commentary by lawyers and prison custodians who discuss the problems transgender inmates face; foremost is the authorities’ refusal to recognize Gender Identity Disorder as a legitimate medical condition. This uncommon portrayal humanizes this invisible segment of our society, giving a glimpse into the hearts and minds transwomen on the inside who maintain their dignity and courage in the face of great obstacles.

CRUEL AND UNUSUALl; Janet Baus & Dan Hunt & Reid Williams, directors; 2005; US; 66 minutes; video