Transgender Inmate Seeks Transfer to Women’s Prison

A serial sex offender in Canada, who underwent gender transition while serving time, is requesting a transfer to a women’s prison. Manfred Sperling, now identifying as Amanda Joy Cooper, transitioned to female in 2024 and attributes past violent crimes to his “dead self.”

Now 58, Sperling’s history with the justice system stretches back to his first conviction for sexual assault in 1986, when he was just 19. A disturbing incident post-release involved a four-day series of assaults, which included an attack on a 12-year-old girl in a shopping mall parking lot in Montreal and additional assaults on two women.

Psychiatrists previously attributed Sperling’s violent behavior to his troubling impulses. The judge commented on his size and strength, remarking that he “did not hesitate to use” them against his victims. As a result, he was declared a dangerous offender, leading to an indefinite sentence.

In his early days behind bars, Sperling faced severe consequences for his actions, including a sentence at a super-maximum men’s prison in Quebec after threatening and sexually assaulting a female staff member.

In 2017, he was diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and by 2020, began identifying as female. After undergoing gender confirmation surgery in 2024, a procedure reportedly costing taxpayers around $30,000, Sperling now lives as Amanda Joy Cooper. While incarcerated at Millhaven, she dresses in women’s clothing and wears nail polish.

Reportedly, Sperling has experienced limited social interaction with other male inmates and has faced groping and bullying. “Her message is clear: ‘I’m a woman with a vagina in a men’s prison. Do you think I’m safe here?’” said her attorney, Jessica Rose.

However, the Correctional Service of Canada has expressed concerns about Sperling, highlighting a “persistent obsession” with female staff and deeming him a significant risk to the safety of female inmates.

Sperling is currently appealing a recent decision by the Correctional Service, arguing to overturn their stance, with a hearing scheduled for the upcoming week. Critics like Heather Mason, from the Canadian Women’s Gender Rights Group, have noted that “surgery does not prevent sexual violence.”