Gender conflict is a problem that still exists in our society, long after the days of women's rights movements and the division of career opportunities between men and women. While many times it is women who face the obstacles, there are several cases where the US prison system has made it more difficult for men to confront their beliefs. In Joanne Mariner's article, "Deliberate Indifference," she details the horrific acts of rape and assault occurring in prison cells across the country. As male inmates are raped and raped, their suffering is setting the standards for different types of “masculinities” within our society. Nell Bernstein also discusses how the use of video chat software is affecting the outlook of convicted fathers and their struggle to maintain contact with their families in her article “Relocation Blues.” Both articles reveal the unacknowledged struggle of male prisoners as they struggle to survive in some of the country's harshest facilities. Gender issues in US prisons initially involve consideration of the family. Family bonds are often broken whenever a convicted parent is sentenced to prison, according to Nell Bernstein's article "Relocation Blues." However, as Carol Fennelly stated, “There was an outcry about separating mothers from their children, but no one bothered to ask what would happen to dads and their relationship with their children” (109). Due to overcrowding, Fennelly explains how convicted fathers are constantly being transferred to prisons far from their families, especially because they don't seem to share that special bond that a mother has with her children; however, this is not always the case. Fennelly's contribution on using Microsoft Ne...... middle of paper ......Blues” discusses the challenges fathers face in staying in touch with their children while in prison, “Deliberate Indifference ” by Joanne Mariner highlights the horrors of prison -rape conducted by male inmates. Regardless of whether one is a victim or a potential threat, or a good father or a bad father, each article shows the strength and courage that a male must face in these harsh environments, and how his “masculinity” is ultimately determined by his will to survive. .Works Cited Bernstein, Nell. “Transfer Blues.” Prison Nation: Warehousing America's Poor. Ed.Tara Herivel and Paul Wright. New York: Routledge, 2003. 106-110. Print.Mariner, Joanne. “Deliberate Indifference: State Authorities' Response to Prisoner Sexual Abuse.” Prison Nation: Warehousing America's Poor. Ed. Tara Herivel and Paul Wright. New York: Routledge, 2003. 73-84. Press.