RANSVESTIA

Community #2 (pop. 20,000)—many small shops and businesses

I entered unannounced, asking for the chief of the vice squad. He was working but wasn't alone. The second officer in the room unnerved me, but he soon joined in the conversation, and seemed quite familiar with the phenomenon. The vice squad chief seemed stern and moralistic when I started-I thought he would give me a hard time. But when I finished, the other officer offered that "your friend is a transvestite"... after which he explained the nature of the behaviour in a very constructive way.

The vice-squad chief then addressed the legal aspects, opening with "no law is being broken" by my TV friend. The basic considera- tion is state law-it would be unconstitutional for a community to pass an anti-dressing law, and would violate the individual's rights. He then answered my four questions:

1. If a TV is spotted by an officer, he would take no action.

2. If a citizen reports to an officer that "that woman is a man,” the officer would simply advise that no law s being broken.

...

he

3. If a TV is stopped for traffic or other routine violation never really answered this, but projected that "sooner or later, like tomorrow or 20 years from now, the TV will get in trouble on his own, like getting beat up or inadvertently breaking some law or other. If he "approached" someone, that might be a chargeable offense.

4. If he used a ladies room (didn't know what the charge would be, but speculated that it would be "lewd and lascivious behavior"), but that charge is unlikely because it would be unusual for anyone to want to file a charge. People just don't like to become "involved."

He closed by telling me not to worry about my friend; . him do his thing."

"just let

Community #3 (pop. 30,000)—–residential, with only a few stores

I asked for the chief, who was out-as was the chief of detectives, who was out on patrol, but they offered to call him in, if I needed him. The desk sargeant wanted to know my problem, and I thought the answers were getting sufficiently routine to settle for his views. He

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