I know, I know, but…

One thing that keeps coming up for discussion in various TG/TS forums is fear of the police. There are multiple threads I’ve seen where the original poster is talking about the fear they have of being held by the police for some reason. Part of it is the humiliation of being outted as a TG/TS and the resulting ostracization that can occur from just that all the way to murder at the hands of the police.

Don’t think it’s possible? Take a look at this story and video: Woman Arrested/Striped/Left Naked By Police After Reporting A Crime

That woman is obviously a genetic girl, a real girl, and this happened to her as a victim of a crime. Then contrast that with this story:

Duanna Johnson in Memphis, TN
Memphis Police Officer Beats Transgender Suspect
Duanna Johnson Murdered
Transgender Beating Victim Found Dead in North Memphis

While I’m not going to say that the police murdered Duanna Johnson to stop the lawsuit against them, there is a pattern of violence against those who are considered “different” from the norm. That pattern has been displayed over and over again against not only those who are TS/TG, but those who are gay, those who prefer the company of another sex, and more.

I want to make some sort of grand statement here. I want to say that the entire reason that we fear is because there is truth in the fear, but I’m not that good a writer. I can’t be the voice of those who died like Duanna or Matthew Shepherd, I can’t express in text the nightmare that some feel when they go out dressed up. It is not just the frisson of fear that they will be seen and “outted” as a crossdresser, it is also the fear that there will be a violent, hate mongering, homophobic overreaction that will end with the one who is “different” being in the hospital, or worse, the morgue.

I would ask those who read this blog to pass along this story, to tell others of these experiences in their life. To try to get those who aren’t afraid to go out in clothing appropriate to their sex to understand and to be willing to prevent more of these tragedies.

All I can do is share my thoughts.

Mini-Biography:  Joy is a transvestite who has been using her stories as a form of therapy. At this point she has no desire to undergo the full transition, but that might change some day. Read more about her story at My Story on this site.