POLICE MAY NOT INCITE CRIME (Continued from page 11)

peace, a special statutory provision, or the person assaulted An exis of tender years, consent is generally a defense. ception is Connecticut, where by statute consent makes no difdif ference and where the penalty is "not, more than 10 years. 1954, a Connecticut resident was sentenced to from four to six years for "indecent assault." Of course, Connecticut is also the state in which sodomy may draw a maximum penalty of 30 years. But while consent is usually a defense to sexual assault, it is not a defense to sodomy.

You cannot legislate the human race into heaven. -Dr Charles Parkhurst

TRANSVESTISM: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY (Continued from page 9) Queen Christina of Sweden wore men's clothing at every opportunity and Queen Elizabeth of Russia delighted in giving masquerade balls at which it was compulsory for the men to come attired in female clothing. Dr. James Barry served in the British Army for 52 years rising to the rank of Inspector General of Army Hospitals in the British West Indies and it was only at his death at the age of 70 that it was discovered that he was actually a woman.

been wearing for ten years and declared that she was actually a man and that the "girl friend" she had been living with all that time was really his wife. He gave as his reason for donning the feminine attire the fact that he had deserted his regiment during the Battle of the Somme and returned to Paris to his wife. Together they hit upon the disguise as a means of concealment. In Brooklyn, New York, in 1937, a young man was found who had "married" another man and lived with him as his wife for six years. Prior to this "marriage" the young man had worked as a female orderly in an Albany hospital and before that as a laundress in an establishment in which all the emThe excuse he ployees were women. gave was that he could find work as a This reason woman but not as a man.

In Warren, Ohio, in 1925, a young man of 25 was discovered to have lived all of that time as a girl. He stated that his mother had been disappointed at the time of his birth that a daughter had not been has been given in a great many cases born and had dressed and reared him as a where transvestism has been uncovered. girl to make up for it. He had retained. That it works both ways is interesting and this costume until he was discoverd at only tends to emphasize the fact that Warren. In Clarkston, Washington in usually there is a deeper reason and that 1927. Albert Hestor died and was buried the economic one cited is merely a rationin the gown he had made for the occasion. alization.

Because his German mother had wished Instances of transvestism arc frequently for a daughter 75 years previously, Hestor reported by the press throughout the dressed in woman's clothing and wore his world, undoubtedly many cases are unhair in a long braid down his back. When detected, many unrecorded. The drive he emigrated to the United States he wore which makes these individuals take a girl's attire and later for a number of years path which is obviously strewn with hardhe was a successful "school-marm.'

After World War I a young woman suddenly discarded the female attire she had 44

ship must indeed be extremely strong. In our culture, which frowns upon the male who desires to wear female clothing, the mattachine REVIEW

conflicts in such a male are deep and for the thrill they get from "fooling" many. From infancy the boy is impeople; others feel that they should be pressed with his "maleness", "he must be allowed to wear dresses "since women can a little man"; "little boys don't cry" wear pants", others feel that, because they boys do this, or boys do that. If he wish to be women and are wearing women's expresses a desire for the clothing his clothing, therefore they should be ac sister wears he is ridiculed or told emcepted as women. These attitudes apphatically that boys don't wear dresses. pear to me to be faulty. The first, the The guilt feelings aroused by this conflict thrill of "fooling", demonstrates immaof compulsively wanting to do something turity, the last two place the burden of which causes embarrassment and ridicule responsibility on society. Granted, sowhen it is done and found out are ciety's attitude is not based on logic or profound. The necessity for rationalizing justice, still the transvestite needs to the act is apparent. Most often as the realize it is his responsibility to handle the child grows up he dresses in secret and problem.

the desire to dress takes a progressively Society is not so harsh with the girl stronger hold on him. If he is discovered who wears close-cropped hair, a shirt, and ridiculed the already prevalent tenand slacks As a result, this phase of dency of withdrawal is accelerated. the female transvestite's life is a little During early childhood and adolescence easier to bear than the male. It has behe may use fantasy as an outlet for the come commonplace for girls to wear desire to be a girl and after adolescence, clothing that is practically identical with circumstances permitting, he will frethat worn by the male and a girl who quently, perhaps very frequently, try to yearns to dress in male clothing can do so

live out his fantasies.

almost at will. It has even become There are particular problems faced by a possible for women to work at jobs male transvestite who attempts to live which, twenty five years ago, were consiout his fantasy of being a girl. One is dered strictly masculine.

an economic one. Another is his attitude Male transvestites complain that if toward himself and toward society. The it is acceptable for women to wear men's probability of steady gainful employment clothing then why can't men wear women's for a male in female attire is doubtful to clothing. The answer to this question is say the least. That it has been accomvery simple but not very acceptable to a plished cannot be denied but infrequently transvestite As long as our society says and with great difficulty. The attitude that men wear the clothing indicated as of most people on finding that there is a male and women will usually wear the man in women's clothing in a private or clothing indicated as female, that is the public gathering (or especially one for way it will remain. In China for centuwomen exclusively) is one of indignation ries it was customary for men to wear and shock. This must be reckoned with. robes while the women wore trousers. Still another problem is the feeling of It is possible, though not very probable, "not belonging" which is very common that such a condition could evolve in our among the adolescent transvestites. As culture. they mature, guilt feelings around their

In all cultures there is a definite disdesire to "dress" mount and even though tinction as to who is male and who is they can rationalize their act so that they female regardless of the varying patterns can feel they are not responsible, the a culture may dictate as to the type of realization that society frowns upon it clothing worn. The "Berdache" and the is ever present. This attitude of society "Mujerdos," even though they wear the plus the intense feeling of being"different" clothing, do the work, and have the status tends to make the transvestite withdraw of the female, are still recognized as being from society. In defense he may develop males in female attire. The individual in whom the desire to two distinct personalities, one for society

to know and the other, "his true self", wear the clothing of the opposite sex is so which he doesn't dare tell anyone about. compulsive that it cannot be controlled or This tends to bring out and develop the is denied with feelings of great personal paranoid tendencies that are present in distress, is the one with whom the psychiatrists and psychologists are concerned.

everyone.

Many transvestites go out in public These are the individuals who have ex45