NPR affiliate WUSF in an interview. “Even though the whole world knows me as Karla, calls me ‘miss,’ they wanted to label me male, and they called me ‘sir,’ and it was very painful to have to endure that.”Because she was treated by prison staff as a male, she lost access to her hair extensions, bra, and hormone medication — all of which were essential to treating her gender dysphoria.
Prison officials said she wasn’t entitled to hormones because she didn’t have a prescription.As a result, Bello not only felt feelings of dysphoria return, but felt uncomfortable changing around male inmates, who made inappropriate comments toward her.