September 1, 2006

Teaching Gender Issues to Inmates

By TRACY SLATER

In the dull morning light, I remove the remains of last night's sparkly eyeliner, residue from mascara that has lasted through eight hours of sleep, and my deep-red nail polish. Now, having stripped off my most visible layers of femininity, I am ready — for my first day in a men's prison.

Today is my first day teaching at MCI-Norfolk, a medium-security men's penitentiary located 50 minutes outside Boston, where Boston University sponsors classes for inmates earning college