“If They’re Good Girls”: A Qualitative Examination of Arts-Based Programs for Federally Sentenced Women in Canada

Prisons are spaces of violence that strip autonomy and a sense of personal identity from prisoners. Art and arts-based programming can not only be a way to combat the monotony of prison life, but to build communication skills, increase self-esteem, and help prisoners to build better relationships with themselves and with one another. Most of the research and literature surrounding arts programs for prisoners is centered around men. This project was an opportunity to explore the types of arts programs currently available to women and contribute to filling in gaps in the literature. By analyzing documents obtained via Access to Information Requests from Correctional Services Canada and conducting one-on-one semi-structured interviews with program developers and mentors, it was discovered that there is not much in the way of arts-based programming available for women – and even less access for Indigenous women. The programs that are available leave women, their needs, and their trauma out of the discussion and are not mentioned in program guides. When women are discussed, it is done so using infantilizing and misogynistic language (i.e. “if they’re good girls”) that is deeply problematic. The programs are often funded by external sources, so funding is not guaranteed from year to year. The analysis of these documents and interviews lead to recommendations, including giving women (including Indigenous, queer, and trans women) more opportunities to run arts-based programs, more funding from CSC in order to combat unpaid labour, and openly including discussions of women and the issues that incarcerated women face in program guides and outlines.