183. Men Out of Women’s Prisons: Retired Judge Elspeth Cypher Fights to Protect Female Interests

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Elspeth Cypher, a retired judge and board secretary for the Women's Liberation Front (WoLF), to discuss the critical legal battles being fought to protect women and girls' rights. We dive deep into the shocking reality of male prisoners being transferred to women's facilities, where Elspeth reveals that 57% of trans-identifying males in prison have been convicted of sexual offenses. She shares disturbing accounts from incarcerated women facing violence and sexual assault from these male transfers.

We also explore the groundbreaking Chiles v. Salazar case*, which by the time this episode airs, will have just been heard by the Supreme Court with early indications looking favorable for therapists' freedom to practice exploratory therapy. This case could revolutionize how therapists approach gender identity issues without fear of losing their licenses. As someone who was personally targeted by conversion therapy accusations, this case hits close to home. Elspeth explains how WoLF is working through the courts to challenge policies that erase women's sex-based rights while being forced to divert resources from other crucial women's issues like reproductive rights and violence prevention. This conversation exposes how language manipulation and institutional capture have created a crisis that affects everything from prisons to therapy offices.

*This episode was recorded September 8 and originally intended to be released just prior to the Chiles v. Salazar Supreme Court hearing on October 8. However, the assassination of Charlie Kirk shifted my priorities and timeline. So while we discuss this case as if I am learning about it for the first time, the episode will air after the initial hearing. Read our mutual friend and former podcast guest Glenna Goldis' take on Chiles v Salazar or see the full case here: Chiles v. Salazar.

Elspeth B. Cypher, a retired justice from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, is the Board Secretary for the Women’s Liberation Front. (WoLF ) is a nonpartisan, not for profit organization dedicated to restoring, protecting, and advancing the rights of women and girls. Follow her on X @ebclaw. Contact: elspeth@womensliberationfront.org

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Doe v. Bondi

00:00 Start
00:00:55 Guest intro — Retired Judge Elspeth Cypher joins the show
00:02:43 What is WoLF? Mission and background of the Women’s Liberation Front
00:09:30 Supreme Court case: Childs / Chiles v. Salazar — conversion-therapy and counselor licensing
00:18:00 Why exploratory therapy matters for minors and therapists
00:33:06 Upcoming Supreme Court sports cases — BPJ & Peacock
00:36:13 Doe v. Bondi — men housed in women’s prisons
00:55:56 The 2016 turning point and the legal ripple from Bostock
001:03:42 Real-world example: Tremaine Carroll rape case in California women’s prison
01:11:49 What WoLF would prioritize if not fighting gender-identity battles

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Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.

Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.

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