Out of Control Lesbian Committee to Support Women Political Prisoners 

About Out of Control

Out of Control is a small, self-supporting committee of ten women in the San Francisco Bay Area. We formed in 1986 to organize resistance to the Lexington Control Unit for women. This was a subterranean, high-security prison in Kentucky that used sensory deprivation, mind control methods, and small group isolation in an attempt to "break the spirit" of the women prisoners. Out of Control joined with a national grass roots campaign of activists, churches, and various other human rights organizations to expose 
the brutality of the Lexington Control Unit. A lawsuit was brought against the federal prison by the ACLU. After 18 months
the prison that housed two women political prisoners, one Puerto Rican Prisoner of War, and two social prisoners was closed. 

Out of Control has been working on behalf of the 25 women 
political prisoners in the U.S. since that time. These women
(five are out lesbians) are in prison for various reasons from
opposing policies of the U.S. government through revolutionary
activities, participating in the Puerto Rican Independence
movement, Black liberation, American Indian Movement, to
anti-nuclear activities, etc. We work in the San Francisco Bay
Area Lesbian and Gay Communities, nationally, and
internationally to educate people about political prisoners in
the U.S. and about the horrendous conditions in U.S. prisons in
general. We have done support work for people with AIDS in
prison, and for battered women convicted of killing their abusers. 

Women Political Prisoners' Commissary Fund

Since 1994, seven women political prisoners at FCI Dublin have been receiving a monthly contribution to their commissary from a fund organized by FireWorx (formerly PFOC), and the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War. Without this money, many of the women would be unable to meet their basic needs, including toiletries, fresh food and phone calls to their families and friends. Since January 1, 1996, all of the women are required to purchase their prison uniforms through their commissary as well. 

Please Contribute what you can. Monthly, semi-annual, and yearly contributions of $50, $25, even $10 are vital to these women's lives. These women belong to us--support them! 

Please make checks payable to PFOC, and mail to Women's Commissary Fund at 4211 Shafter Ave. Oakland, CA 94609 

Please indicate whether you would like to contribute monthly, semi-annually, or yearly. 

Sparks Fly Annual Benefit for Women Political Prisoners

In addition, Out of Control Lesbian Committee in coalition with Women Against Imperialism (a San Francisco Bay Area group), and
other volunteers put on an annual educational and cultural event, Sparks Fly. Usually in the fall, to coincide with International Women Political Prisoners Day (the November 2nd anniversary of the successful escape of revolutionary, Black liberation fighter Assata Shakur from a New Jersey prison), Sparks Fly combines poetry and music by lesbian and women artists with videos and information about women political prisoners and Prisoners of War. Money from this event goes to the Women's Commissary Fund.

Out of Time Newsletter

In 1989 we began publishing a newsletter, Out of
Time, every other month. The newsletter began as a one
page, double-sided, photocopied sheet and has grown to a newsprint, tabloid size, four page paper. Out of Time provides an avenue for news from inside prisons to the inmates' communities outside, and serves as a link in a network of prison related resources. We are the only newsletter of this type with a primary focus on women prisoners in the U.S. We also include national and international articles of interest, including cases of political prisoners, human rights violations in prisons, and other items that affect the prison community. 

In six years our mailing list has grown to over 400 entries, about half are in prison. Out of Time is also included as an insert in Ultra-Violet, the newsletter of Lesbians and Gays Against Intervention, our sister group. They mail to more than
600 people and distribute 400 more copies in bookstores and coffee houses around town. We raise money through private donations, self donations, and an occasional cultural event.
There is no subscription fee for the newsletter, and we are
committed to always sending it free to prisoners. We are proud
of Out of Time and hope to continue bringing news about women
political prisoners and the struggle for humanity of those locked up in the U.S. and around the world.

See our web archive for Out of Time.

How to Reach Us

Out of Control Lesbian Committee can be contacted at:

3543 - 18th Street, Box 30
San Francisco, CA, 94110 

or e-mail <outoftime@igc.org>. 

This page is part of the JusticeNet Prison Issues Desk. It is maintained by the Prison Activist Resource Center, <parc@prisonactivist.org>. The Prison Issues Desk is a project of JusticeNet.