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OITNB Controversy

OITNB Controversy

OITNB Controversy

Good Morning! We hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July weekend. For some three days “vacation” is enough but I may speak for most of us when I say.. It simply is not. Any-who, this was a wonderful weekend to catch up with Orange is the New Black (OITNB) since it’s new season released on Netflix mid-June. Season 4 is now known as the most intense and controversial season yet, but not for the reasons you think. I’m going to try and explain without ruining the entire season for those who have not watch it yet. If you haven’t started OITNB, I HIGHLY suggest you do!

I may note: this post really has NOTHING to do with any types of gift baskets.. But I found this article circling Tumblr and happen to be a HUGE OITNB fan! There may be spoilers, so be cautious.

The show is about Piper Chapman (above, center in orange) who gets sent to an all woman’s facility after receiving a drug charge. Things become tense when her ex-lover (even though she was engaged to a man) gets sent to the same prison. The series follows Chapman and the other inmates through their everyday struggles and “highschool-drama” filled days and nights.

The most recent season becomes controversial from subliminal messages seen in some of the episodes. With a high cast of color and LGBTQ members, this move was almost necessary. The Black Lives Matter movement has been heard across the country with the recent frequency of people of color passing away in the hands of law enforcement. I won’t name names in order to keep the spoiling of the season to a minimum, but a main character of color dies at the hands of correctional officers later in the season. Although an accident, OITNB is bringing light to the fact that the CO should still be held responsible and not go unpunished. They are showing what seems to be “behind the scenes” scenarios about what goes on during the government’s process of convicting a CO or police officer. It’s almost as if the writers are trying to get the viewers to become informed of racial injustice in a world where it is pushed to the side. The death of this character and the scenes surrounding it are situations based around real events of the passing of others at the hands of law officials: the body was left on the floor for multiple hours before being moved or looked at, the family was not notified until 5 minutes before the press was to release the news to the television, and from what is seems like now, the officer will not be held responsible; this causes a riot in the facility.

So while browsing Tumblr I came across another blog article by williamsockner. This is just a surname. The blog is written by a 26 year old whose profile states her name as Lisa, a real life lawyer who conveys herself as the hipster stereotype and enjoys cats, bling, and hip hop. She does not speak on the subliminal messages this season has sent but she DOES focus on how WE can help end prison rape, provide resources for LGBTQ people, and help these woman receive proper medical care. To some these ideas are probably absurd; why help woman who committed crimes and landed themselves in jail? But not everyone sees it like that. These woman are still people, not only the woman but the incarcerated men as well. Not every person who is in jail deserves to be there – but that is not what this post is about either. I’m hoping to shed light on how we, as a community, can help these woman be treated as a human should be treated. Everyone deserves the right to medial care, feminine products, and living in a world without abuse.

Lisa has listed several charities across the United States that are real life charities who are tackling these issues with full force. I highly recommended checking out her blog on Tumblr which I have linked below. She seems very passionate about issues across the United States that no one else seems to want to talk about. Check out the different charities that are covering the issues mentioned in Orange is the New Black.

The below text and links were set up and worded by Lisa aka williamsocker herself. I take no credit for this but to help bring this to the attention of more people.


via williamsockner of Tumblr

If you’re outraged by the end of OITNB, let me recommend some charities for you…

Just Detention International, a non-profit fighting to end prison rape, provide resources to survivors, and improve human rights conditions in American prisons and globally.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a New York-based collective that provides resources and legal advocacy to transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex people of color or of low income. SRLP has been fighting to end the abusive use of ‘protective’ administrative segregation of transgender prisoners – the practice Sophia Bursett was a victim of in the show.

JusticeNow, a California-based non-profit which fights for the rights of female prisoners in California to receive adequate medical care. Recently, JusticeNow was key to the outlawing of forcibly sterilizing female prisoners in California.

Transgender, Gender Non-Confirming & Intersex Justice Project provides resources in California to LGBTQ people in poverty, including providing transitional housing for incarcerated people reentering society.

Prison Law Office, a law firm in California that fights against inhumane conditions of confinement. PLO was key in the lawsuit against California keeping their prisons at 200% population capacity – overcrowding similar to and worse than what we saw in S4 of OITNB.

Black & Pink, an organization that provides pen pals to LGBTQ+ prisoners. Pen palling is a low-cost way to support prisoners who may not have LGBTQ+ supportive people in their lives, or who have limited access to safe conversation.

I’ve linked to the donation pages for these organizations, but there are many ways to get involved that don’t require spending money. Don’t just get mad – get motivated. These are real lives we’re talking about.


(Photocredit: heavy.com)

Written by concierge team member Erin