ARTICLE

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BUT WHAT IF I'M STOPPED?

Carole MA

Editor's Note: This is not legal advice. It only illustrates the steps taken by one of our members to establish what the ground rules are, regarding dressing in public in his own community and surrounding areas. His conclusions probably apply to his state, but the reader will have to find out for himself what statutes apply to his own state and community. This report merely suggests an approach, and describes the wide range of reactions he encountered among various officials.

With great apprehension I entered the police station of a nearby small town to find an answer to the gnawing questions, "How will a police officer act after he stops me, and discovers that I'm not what I seem to be a lone female going about her business?"-or "what if I'm stopped on a traffic offense, and show my male license?"—or "when someone 'reads' me and calls in an officer..."

I had read about cases in metropolitan New York, where the officer laughed it off. But I'd also read the horror stories where TV's spend the night in the "tank," while their beards grow and belie their borrowed illusion of femininity ... and that awful following morning, with makeup gone, but no male clothes to retreat to. What would happen in my town? I had to know.

It was dusk when I entered the police station, and a shift change was in progress. Officers going on and off duty cluttered the area. Several of them asked to help me, but I didn't want to tell the story repeatedly, so I asked to see the "Chief." ... He's busy-what do you want?-One of us can take care of anything you want." This was getting off on the wrong foot. I know I couldn't trust the answers from lower levels as being official.

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