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RANSVESTIA

elaborate somewhat on the letter that I had had sent along with the literature and explain in more detail why I thought it was important and answer questions, etc. Well, I never had a chance. As soon as discussion began that evening, one of the members, Sandy by name, got up and lambasted me good and proper much to my amazement. She was then joined by Joan, a member whom I would have thought would have had a little more consideration, since I had helped her out of a very touchy security situation that she had gotten herself into. But the two of them just took turns carrying on about my writing that letter and giving their names and addresses to the store. I could hardly get a word in edgewise. When I finally insisted on the floor to reply, I explained that no harm had been done to anyone, that their security had not been breached in the slightest and that I had not violated my own self-imposed rules of security, since I was dealing with them as men under their real name with no reference to TVing at all. I said that I had no idea that they would be so virulent about it, but since they were and since it had already been done, there was little I could do but apologize which I tried to do. But as soon as I was quiet they took off again. During all this the rest of the members present didn't let out one peep either to defend me or even to just say, "alright, let's get on to other things-we've hashed this out enough." They literally didn't say anything. A few minutes more of this and I had finally had it. I turned to Mary who was sitting besides me-the one who had worked with me on Chevalier-and said, "For two cents I'd simply up and resign from this group since they seem to be of one mind and that is anti-Virginia." She said, "If you do I'll be right behind you." I again tried to clear up the matter, but no dice. So I did just what I had said I'd do. I got up and on the spot tendered my resignation from the Alpha chapter of FPE the group which I had founded and on which I had built all the rest of FPE.

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I did so because it suddenly became crystal clear to me that nothing I could say was going to change Sandy and Joan's minds and that the silence of all the rest meant some degree of acquiescence on their part. I said to myself, "How could I come back to the next meeting of this group and pretend that these people were still my friends? How could I ever be on the same terms with them that I had been for a long time? Obviously I couldn't so I would be better off to leave them, which I did. This story was never referred to in TVia because, being unable to explain the details, I was afraid it would frighten off some of those in other areas who would not realize the cir- cumstances and think that FPE was coming apart at the seams. It

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