Were my rights violated?

I was arrested recently for a minor misdemeanor charge. Because of the time I was brought to the jail, I had to wait 18 hours before seeing a judge. If you are held in jail for more than 8 hours you must be dressed in the prison uniform and given a cell.

They dress 10 people at any given time and bring them "upstairs" to thier cells, and in the room where you get dressed they ask you a series of questions infront of the other 9 people waiting.

One of the questions is, "Are you a homosexual?"

I understand the reason for doing it is for personal protection and the protection of others so they can segregate you off, but I think it's a question that should be asked in private, not in public.

Were my rights in anyway violated? I have a meeting with my attorney this afternoon, but I want to get the general publics' feedback as well.

I spoke with my attorney today and she believes my rights were indeed violated because we can argue that the purpose of asking this question is to segregate homosexuals, and as we all know, segregation is illegal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a chip on my shoulder about being gay and I'm not out to rescue the world but I don't like ignorance and this cop really annoyed me.

In a group of 10 people, he asked the first person, "are you a homosexual and/or do you live an alternative lifestyle?" For the remaining 9 people, the question changed to, "how bout dat alternative?"

I'm going to really enjoy putting this ignorant moron in his place.

And lastly, I'm not used to jail procedures...I only got arrested because I went through a road block and had a traffic ticket from 5 years prior that I had forgotten to pay, but all charges were dropped when I paid the ticket.

You can always choose not to answer anything without the presence of your attorney, so if you felt this was inappropriate, then you should have refused to answer without the presence of your attorney.

I believe they were, but right now in this country, there is no protection for homosexuals. Look at the military unjustices!

You may have some rights violated in laws at the state level, but other than that, you are sadly on your own.

Edit: Good point - right to remain silent!

hmm, yes and no.if they didnt ask that question you could possibly have trouble with inmates and as I understand many are asked that question when or before they are put in a cell.

No, get over it and stay out of jail.