Identity Vignette - Inmate Costume
By sweinsteinNovember 23, 2014 - 16:36
The Book Club in a Philadelphia Women’s Prison meets Friday afternoons – one week coinciding with Halloween. We entered as usual, and got settled in the chairs that we set in a circle, preparing and waiting for the women to join us. Up until this point I had never actively participated or facilitated any of the discussions, and took a more observational role in book club. This week I agreed to lead the introductions, which meant that I asked everyone to say their name, and because it was Halloween, what costume would they be wearing in book group today and why. I start, and say that I would be an eggplant, and would wear the costume I made the day before. The woman next to me introduces herself, and says that she wouldn’t wear a costume, but instead would dress up as herself.