MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Although rates of the incarceration of women have decreased in recent years, popular cultural depictions of romantic, prison lesbian relationships have not. The first film to depict this type of relationship was Women’s Prison, released in 1955. Since then more films, from various countries, have been released. They, primarily, focus on the sexualization of women and are based on stereotypical ideas of women’s behaviors while incarcerated. These films were mainly produced and released in America, Spain, and Japan throughout the 1980’s, with films such as Big Doll House, New Female Scorpion, and Prison Heat. Recent depictions seem to be favoring emotional relationships, though sexuality still plays a prominent role. In this vein, the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black is popular among many young adults. The series, loosely based the story of Piper Kerman, a former drug trafficker, depicts a romantic relationship with a woman, that ultimately leads to her incarceration. The show pinpoints feminist aspects of the relationship between the two. This shift in the depictions of a lesbian relationship can be viewed as a positive change because it veers away from stereotype. In this paper, using the feminist perspective, I will explore the historical depictions of lesbian relationships in prison films and television by examining common aspects of each and major changes that have occurred and the cultural changes that have supported them.