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.
Out of Control and Lesbian and GAy Insurrection (LAGAI) started the Women Political Prisoners Commissary Fund in the early 90s. 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. Every month three women receive $60 from the fund. If you know of women political prisoners who might need our support, please contact us.
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 Women's Commissary Fund , mail to
3543 18th Street, Box 30
San Francisco, CA 94110
Please indicate whether you would like to contribute monthly, semi-annually, or yearly.
In addition, Out of Control Lesbian Committee in coalition with other organizations and individuals 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.
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 800 entries, about half are in prison. Out of Time is also included as an insert in Ultra-Violet, the newsletter of Lesbian and GAy Insurrection, our sister group. They mail to more than 1000 people and distribute 500 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.
Click here to see current issue. See our web archive for Out of Time.
Out of Control Lesbian Committee can be contacted at:
3543 - 18th Street, Box 30
San Francisco, CA, 94110
This page is maintained by the Prison Activist Resource Center, <parc@prisonactivist.org>.