By Arm the Dollz
Gia Abigail Valentina is a transgender woman who has been incarcerated for over twenty years, eleven of which have been spent in solitary confinement at the New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) — a men’s facility.
Governor Phil Murphy has granted clemency to over 300 people, and his term ends in less than a month. We demand clemency for Gia now!
In September 2021, Gia Valentina began requesting vaginoplasty surgery while at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility — the only women’s facility in New Jersey. This surgery, along with the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) she had been prescribed, would be lifesaving for Gia.
Not only would this alleviate the intense dysphoria Gia experiences, especially while incarcerated, but it would also strengthen her requests to stay at the women’s facility. After she was ignored for months, friends, family and community members advocated for her surgery by facilitating constant phone calls and emails to the facility’s administrators.
On May 4, 2023, Gia was violently transferred out of Edna Mahan to NJSP — an all-men’s facility. Staff members at Edna Mahan alleged Gia was “displaying and presenting a ‘masculine attitude’ and behavior at the women’s prison,” resulting in the transfer. (Free Gia campaign, IG @transfeminist_rlf)
At NSJP, Gia’s life is at risk every day. She constantly faces harassment from inmates and correctional officers. She has also been sexually assaulted while incarcerated. While placed in solitary confinement to “protect her” from other inmates, she has been denied feminine products and clothing. NSJP fails to provide any trained mental health staff members who are experienced with counseling transgender women, despite receiving HRT.
Since 2021, Gia’s request for gender-affirming surgery has been consistently disregarded. As a result, on Oct. 4, 2024, Gia was forced to take matters into her own hands. While held in solitary confinement, she successfully surgically removed her testes with a razor. Afterwards, she was rushed to the infirmary. Urologists feared that she was going to bleed out. Steadfast in her liberation, Gia demanded that she receive the lifesaving surgery she had been pleading for since 2021.
Due to her heroic actions, Gia was granted temporary access to Temple Health’s Gender Affirming Surgery Program in early September 2025. Not only has she finally received proper counseling from a team of experienced nurse-practitioners, but she was also scheduled for a vaginoplasty surgery within 60 days. Unsurprisingly, her appointment for gender-affirming surgery has been pushed back multiple times. As of now, her appointment is scheduled for January 2026.
Gia must be freed. Her physical and mental health have deteriorated significantly since her incarceration. She must receive lifesaving care immediately, primarily for her vaginoplasty. She must be in the arms of her friends, family and community.
Take action for Gia!
Contact Gov. Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Clemency Advisory Board. Demand Gia receive clemency now!
Phil Murphy – (732) 605-5455
Clemency Advisory Board Members
Advisory Board Email – clemency@nj.gov
Justin Dews – (212) 556-2316 or jdews@kslaw.com
Michael Zuckerman — michael.zuckerman@njoag.gov
Jessica Henry — (973) 655-3416 or henry@montclair.edu
JoEllyn Jones — (856) 575-2498
Ed Neafsey – dubmuldoon@optonline.net
Bishop Joshua Rodriguez — (201) 332-0970 or info@WeAreCLC.orgFollow @transfeminist_rlf and @armthedollz for updates!
