# Cross dressing agents

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 5, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454 "2000-06-05T16:40:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheDerf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@TheDerf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheDerf)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454/1 "2000-06-05T16:40:45Z")

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I was reading a book last night, and in it the author alludes to J. Edgar Hoover and his supposed cross-dressing. I’ve seen/heard this in many other books and movies. My question is: Where did this come from? Is there any evidence or is it just nasty rumor to try to discredit Hoover?

Curious.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454/2 "2000-06-05T19:02:03Z")

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There was a book on it: ANTHONY SUMMERS, OFFICIAL AND CONFIDENTIAL: THE SECRET LIFE OF J. EDGAR HOOVER (1993) (FBI Director Hoover was a cross-dresser and possible homosexual; his only emotionally intimate relationship was with his longtime companion Clyde Tolson).

[This page elaborates.](http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAhooverE.htm)

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454/3 "2000-06-05T19:11:51Z")

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Of course, Anthony Summers is the same guy who wrote books claiming that Marilyn Monroe was murdered by the Kennedys and that John Kennedy was assassinated by the CIA and the anti-Castroites . . . So I would take anything he says with a huge shaker of salt.

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**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454/4 "2000-06-05T19:22:48Z")

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Yeah, and Catherine the Great died peacefully in bed from “heart failure” instead of having a plummeting tumescent stallion squash her flat. And Lupe Velez died peacefully in bed from “heart failure” instead of drowning in a toiletful of upchucked enchiladas.

Man, you guys are not letting us have ANY history fun at ALL.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cross-dressing-agents/21454/5 "2000-06-05T20:11:04Z")

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Oh, I agree that the story is far from proven. The Hoover-Tolson link, in particular, is putting a 1990s interpretation on events of the 30s and 40s – a very dubious proposition. Their behavior for their generation could easily be nothing more than a couple of buddies who hung out together.