I was reading an account by a lesbian about her life in the 50’s and 60’s. She liked to dress up as a man, but said this was difficult because there were laws back then prohibiting a woman from wearing more than three items of male clothing. She was living in New York City but said this was common throughout the US.
Is there any truth to this or is this just a piece of gay folklore?
There are no current laws pertaining to cross-dressing in the Ohio Revised Code. But, there might be laws in certain cities that might prohibit it. In my hometown, ther is actually a law that prohibits you from placing your tombstone on a sidewalk.
lissa
This falls firmly into the catagory of “That was a problem at one time?” 
I know Massachusets makes silly laws just for the hell of it, but we Midwesterners are supposedly more level-headed people.
“I had a feeling that in Hell there would be mushrooms.” -The Secret of Monkey Island
Sir, you are not allowed to make fun of Massachusetts until you learn how to spell it.
Don’t go there, Leslie. Otherwise I’ll have to get into how you pronounce things (like Worchester = “Wuh-ster”).
“I had a feeling that in Hell there would be mushrooms.” -The Secret of Monkey Island
So! You can’t spell Worcester either!
The Dave-Guy
“since my daughter’s only half-Jewish, can she go in up to her knees?” J.H. Marx
<< In my hometown, ther is actually a law that prohibits you from placing your tombstone on a sidewalk. >>
Yeah, nothing like tripping over tombstones every time you turn around.
[qoute]In my hometown, ther is actually a law that prohibits you from placing your tombstone on a sidewalk. --Lissa
Yeah, nothing like tripping over tombstones every time you turn around. --Karen
[/quote]
Well, nothing says “prepared for any eventuality” like totin’ around your own Tombstone.
<FONT COLOR=“GREEN”>ExTank</FONT>
“I keep mine right next to my gas mask, behind my geiger counter, to the left of my Ronco Pocket Fisherman.”
spelling corrected
All Hail Unca Cecil, or the next best thing available!
A town in Britain called Towcester?
I hope it’s not to close to Bath. Could be dangerous.
There were anit-cross dressing laws in Texas in at least until the early 70’s. I remember a local (Houston) transsexual who made the news periodically who came to my Human Sexuality course @ U of Houston in ~‘72 who was always gettin’ busted.
How many busts does he/she have now?
Beware the lollipop of mediocrity. Lick it once and you will suck forever.
There were very few laws specifically aimed at cross dressers. Most were coined “It is against the law to represent yourself as something you are not.” This convenienty could mean a police officer, a doctor or a female (if you were a man).
There have been laws against crossdressing in many municipalities, including New York City. In fact, the cross-dressing laws were used to harass and abuse gay people in NYC. . .until the Stonewall Riots.
You might have heard about it. . . it was in all the papers. Here’s a good place to read up on it yourself: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/events/sw25/case1.html
Any good web search will also turn up some other sources for you. For real insight into the laws re crossdressing and what finally happened when people fought back, I recommend Martin Duberman’s book “Stonewall,” available in paperback from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and your local book store.
your humble TubaDiva
Joining the chorus line, everybody sing!
“We are the Stonewall Girls, we wear our hair in curls . . .”
The anti-crossdressing laws got stricter in the 20th century, so at one point, female impersonators onstage had to have their trouser cuffs showing beneath their skirts, or risk the show getting raided! This was very tough on pre-operative transsexuals, who have to crossdress for at least one year before qualifying for surgery. Many still have to carry notes from their doctors ("Please excuse Johnny for crossdressing today . . ") in case they were arrested in a ladies’ room, or for carrying the “wrong” driver’s lisence or passport.
No one much cares about women dressing as men anymore, though it was quite an issue before WWI. There were even famous male impersonators, or “girl heros,” like Vesta Tilley.
"Arrest of a Female Physician
Mrs. Dr. Mary Walker was arrested yesterday on Front Street by Policeman Rose, because of having appeared on the street in male attire. She wore dark pants and a loose sack coat, reaching below the knees, and buttoned up to the chest, which was covered with lace and tied with ribbon, while on her head was a black straw hat. Her arrest caused considerable excitement. She was taken to the Middle District police station, when she inquired if the officer had any business to know her name. She was taken before Justice Hagerty, who dismissed her, and she left, declaring she would have redress"
The (Baltimore) SUN
July 23, 1873
Obviously a typo. It probably should have read “declaring she would have a red dress.”
Nice to see you, Bermuda.
your humble TubaDiva
D’oh! (I wonder what Justic Hagerty had on under those “robes”).