A Members Story # 3

A Members encounter with the police after having Dinner at a Diner dressed as her feminine self and getting ready to leave pulling out of the parking lot.
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I’m sure you know there are lots of people who are transgendered. Although many are still stuck deep in their personal closets, more are coming out in public all the time. For those of us who do go out often, shopping, bar hopping, to restaurants, to drag shows, or whatever, we may encounter the police. I want to assure you there is no law in the state of Pennsylvania against cross dressing.

One Saturday, Michelle and I participated in a talent show fundraiser at the MCC church in Mountville. We each did a couple of numbers in drag. Since it was still early after the show we decided to go night clubbing in Lancaster; first to the tally Ho and then to a drag show at the Sundown Lounge. I decided to stay dressed enfemme and wore jeans, boots, top, and a long blonde wig. I didn’t know that later that night I would be accused of solicitation and almost arrested.

After the show we went back to the Tally Ho and then decided to go to a restaurant for breakfast. A young man followed me to the restaurant from the Tally Ho. After breakfast he was waiting outside for me. I talked with him briefly through his car window and he told me he just wanted to talk about cross dressing. I took this as an opportunity to educate someone and got into his car to talk with him. We sat there for about 20 minutes and talked about transgender and his experiences. I gave him a lot of sources for information and encouraged him to come to a Renaissance meeting. He never gave me his name, as he didn’t want his wife to find out. We finished talking and he left with the promise to e-mail me.

I returned to my car and started backing out when suddenly my exit was blocked by a police cruiser and two others pulled into the restaurant parking lot. The officer said they had a complaint about me. It seems some narrow- minded redneck cowboy (whom I had seen) in the restaurant had seen me get in the man’s car and called the police. The police tried to charge me with solicitation for prostitution and I had to do a lot of fast- talking to avoid being arrested. Again I took the opportunity to educate the police officers regarding transgenderism. They told me they often encounter cross dressers and they try to give them the benefit of the doubt unless there is some other situation like DUI. I told them I realized it was dumb on my part to get into the man’s car to talk. It must have been a blonde moment.

What would you do if you had been in my situation? Think about it. I carry two forms of ID, my PA driver’s license and my Ellen card. Fortunately my car was full of drag paraphernalia and the police accepted my explanation.

A Members Story #3  ......  December 12, 2005
Web Mistress Note:

This Members story is an example of when RenaissanceSEP Membership ID Cards would come in handy ....... as well as any Transgender Community ID card  would ....
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