the company of fellow LBT inmates. Lesbian, bisexual, and transgender detainees in CARAGA shared that since bathing facilities are communal, they would not bathe with other women but only with their fellow LBT inmates. Some said such set-up is more comfortable for them. However, in some facilities like in Bataan, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender inmates are not only segregated, but also prohibited from any interaction with other women except for seniors with whom they share sleeping space. Prohibited interactions include speaking with other women, writing notes, and sometimes even just looking at them. As a general rule, romantic relationships are forbidden in correctional facilities but many of the participants interviewed are able to get around this rule, devising means to meet or using friends as bridges. Some also expressed concern on how lesbian, bisexual, and transgender inmates, particularly those with masculine gender expressions, are often stereotyped as flirtatious and “out to get” younger women. This stereotype has in part led to the segregation and the prohibition of romantic relationships. A self-identified lesbian detained in the Bataan District Jail lamented, “’Pag nagkaroon po kami ng relasyon dito … siyempre hindi naman po mawawala ang humanga di po ba … nakakagawa po kami ng simpleng sulat … ’yun po ay pinagbabawal nila at mababatas po kami. Kung magbatian po kami, mababatas po kami. Noong nabatas po ako, pinaghugas po ako ng mga pinggan, kaldero. Tinatawag po nilang ‘culminating works/community service.’ Pinaglilinis po kami ng kung ano-ano. ’Yun po ba ay bawal? Pinipilit po nila na mapagbago kami. Eh fifty-one years na akong tomboy, eh ako ba ay magbabago pa? Hindi naman po siguro masama na ako ay humanga sa isang babae. Kaligayahan ko po ‘yun. Inspirasyon po namin (If we engage in romantic relationships here … isn’t it only natural to admire others? … we write simple letters … they don’t allow that, so we get punished. When we greet each other, we get punished. When I was punished for something like this, I was forced to wash the dishes, pots and pans. They call these activities ‘culminating works or community service.’ They have us clean whatever. Is that prohibited? They force us to change. I’ve been a lesbian for fifty-one years now, would I still change? It isn’t wrong to admire another woman. It’s a source of joy for me, it’s inspiration for us).” The FGD with lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women in Davao Penal Colony yielded much better results compared to other places of detention. The LBT participants shared that they are not segregated from the general 26