I wish to draw your attention to an incidence of harassment involving pupils from your school on Wednesday 20th September. It occurred a few minutes after the end of your school day as I was out delivering a letter. The harassment took the form of loud taunting laughter directed at my back from four boys aged, I would estimate, around 13 or 14 years.
So how do I know this abuse was directed at me? Well, a little background information is in order here. I'm a crossdresser, and I regularly wear items of traditionally-female clothing in my day-to-day life - I've been doing so for many years, and certainly before my move to the area in 1999. I'm totally open and without embarrassment about my lifestyle, and am accepted in my mode of dress at home, at work, and in the high street with rarely a remark being made - at least to my face. But it doesn't really matter what people think about me, or indeed about anything else they see - it's when they act on those thoughts that problems arise.
At the time of the incident in question, I was wearing a black sweater, an ankle-length black skirt, and trainers - nothing even slightly provocative. I happened to pass the same four boys a second time on my way back home a few minutes later, and was subjected to a repeat performance. This time, I challenged them on their behaviour - they were embarrassed and quite surprised, but offered no explanation for either of their outbursts. When asked whether they'd have called me "wog" if I'd been black, one of them replied "of course not". Well, I regard the harassment of a crossdresser in the same light as racial abuse - both are unacceptable in a civilised society. Incidentally, the law recognises discrimination on the basis of gender presentation as a prosecutable offence, and anyone who knowingly turns a blind eye to its occurrence can also be accused of complicity.
OK - let's put this into context. I'm aware that there are other countries in the world, other places in England, and indeed, other districts in Ipswich where my appearance would result in me being subjected to far worse than a bit of name-calling; I could even end up dead. But this situation must change - I and my fellow crossdressers deserve the same respect as any other person, regardless of how we choose to present ourselves in public. Now, I know that I live in a location which is generally fairly accepting of my behaviour, and I've worked hard to develop the strength of character to stand up to repression and humiliation from the few bigots I encounter. I therefore feel that I'm in a good position to take some initiatives to try to change society's attitudes towards people like me.
Fundamentally, I feel that education is the key to achieving this change, and to that end, my wife and I would like to take this opportunity to offer our time and experience in the form of an informal discussion with your staff and/or pupils on this aspect of human diversity. But before you decide, it's worth bearing in mind that your school will contain about a dozen male crossdressers, and we can recommend confidential avenues of support and understanding which may be the lifeline many of them need. Please give our offer some serious thought.
Yours sincerely ......
I have made staff aware of the issues you raised, and forwarded your letter to the heads of Religious Education and Personal and Social Education. With your permission, I will also make the local Youth Workers aware of your offer to provide information and support.
I have discussed your offer with the Area Office, who feel our programmes for social, moral and cultural education do tackle issues of prejudice and respecting human diversity already, but I thank you for making the offer, and having such a positive response to what must have been, at the least, a very irritating incident.
Yours sincerely ......
Many thanks for your recent reply to my report of harassment involving boys from your school - I'm encouraged to see that issues of prejudice are routinely addressed under existing educational programmes. However, I'd like to comment on something which your letter brought to mind regarding crossdressing and religion.
It's well-known in crossdressing circles that Deuteronomy 22:5 forbids men to wear women's clothes, and this single phrase is frequently quoted out of context by religious zealots in an effort to "prove" that crossdressers are an abomination to God. Now, it so happens that I have no religious belief, so this sort of blackmail doesn't work on me; however, many of my friends are deeply troubled by the inner conflict between their need to crossdress and the rulings of their God. The fact that the book of Deuteronomy contains many such archaic laws - including one which forbids women to wear men's clothes (also 22:5) - is of little consequence.
Now, I'm not presupposing for a moment that this "fear of God" approach to RE prevails in your school - times have doubtless changed since I was at school! However, it's worth remembering that Deuteronomy 22:5 exists, and that it can be interpreted in a way which conflicts with the modern ideas of diversity and human rights that are probably already taught in PSE.
On a lighter note, I welcome your suggestion to involve the local Youth Workers on this issue. As I said in my last letter, I want to try to change society's attitudes towards crossdressers, and my wife and I are happy to liaise with any group with a desire to do the same.
Yours sincerely ......
From personal correspondence.