[SOME SPOILERS.]

Orange is the New Black debuted its second season six days ago. It took me all of three days to watch all 13 episodes, leaving me despondent and lonely without my prison family. The show is all kinds of ground-breaking — from Laverne Cox and a national conversation about trans in America (watch one of her many eloquent speeches here), to the prison system, to a show with an all-female cast that displays so many incredible shades of femininity and masculinity that male characters really aren’t necessary. There are many think pieces waxing poetic about what the show means, plot points, the incredible development of the characters. This one is not that.

I personally wanted to learn and know more about the issues (big and small) raised in the season, so I’ve compiled more information on everything from coffee as makeup to care for the elderly in our prisons.

On Pregnancy and Incarceration

It is no secret and/or spoiler if you’ve watched any of the show that Daya is pregnant by account of her relationship with a Bennett, a Litchfield employee. (More on that below.) Pregnancy in our prison systems is not a new issue. There unfortunately are practices of women in high-security prisons delivering babies with arms and feet shackled.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly six to ten percent of female inmates in our prison system are pregnant.

Here is more information on the technicalities of being pregnant in prison and what ought to be in place. However, 38 states have failed to meet those requirements for pregnant and very vulnerable women.

Read more here from the ACOG.

And here is an article from a more legal perspective.

On Relations Between Prisoners and Correctional Officers

There are very strict rules on relations between any employee in a prison and inmates. You can browse a lot of articles with the National Institute of Corrections here. Any sexual interaction between a staff member and an inmate is considered illegal and criminal. There is a

“Zero tolerance [policy] toward all forms of sexual activity, including sexual abuse and sexual harassment, and to provide guidelines to address the following prohibited and/or illegal sexually abusive behavior involving: Inmate perpetrator against staff victim; Inmate perpetrator against inmate victim; [and] Staff perpetrator against inmate victim. “

However, this still occurs, and oftentimes isn't reported. Last May, a Baltimore jail was written up for extremely high numbers of inmate-employee relations.

On the Elderly Care in American Prisons

For me, one of the saddest scenes in this season of OITNB was the release of an elderly inmate who couldn’t care for herself. She was presumed to have been dropped off on her own when clearly she needed support. Sister Ingalls raises the point that the elderly are the largest growing population in the American prison system (true). In fact, the number of inmates that are 55+ quadrupled between 1995 and 2010. According to the ACLU, elderly prisoners cost nearly twice as much to incarcerate.

What about the levels of care?

The Times covered this issue in 2012, citing the difficulties surrounding this specific problem in Michigan and the lack of care facilities to accommodate the rise in older prisoners.

On Cancer Treatment for Prisoners

You just feel for Rosa (which makes later parts…satisfying). Maybe she carried out a bunch of jewel heists, but as an older woman with terminal cancer dying in a federal prison, it’s pretty hard to watch. My favorite subplot of the season is her relationship with a younger cancer patient she bonds with (by teaching him how to steal) during chemotherapy. What’s difficult, is that she needed a surgery that the Department of Corrections couldn’t and wouldn’t cover. The truth? There isn’t enough care or dollars.

Last May, NPR covered this issue, specifically surrounding “compassionate release,” a ruling passed by Congress 30 years ago which helps “terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out”. It’s still very, very complex and ongoing.

[And now to some lighter stuff.]

Getting High on Nutmeg Is a Real Thing

A favorite OITNB pair, Leanne and Angie, run into the kitchen during a blackout sleepover in the cafeteria. At first I thought they were going for the viral cinnamon challenge, but instead they were eating a ton of nutmeg. Who knew, it can actually get you high. (I am not endorsing that.) However, it might cause the amazing “hangover that feels like God taking a dump on your soul,” (that is such an illustrious descriptor).

Coffee as Eyeshadow and Kool Aid Lipgloss

The ladies at Litchfield are very resourceful when it comes to many things, beauty products being one of them. Like Kool Aid for lipgloss and hair dye, and coffee as brown eye shadow. Apparently you can even thread your eyebrows with rubber bands. I’ll likely leave my beauty regimen to Morello. Who knew that you could use so many different things as stand-ins for Sephora?

More than anything, this season of OITNB was a delight in complex characters and relationships, friendships and manipulative war tactics. Don’t let Vee suck you in.