At least they don't resemble pink spiders with the head of Christina Aguilera.

[dolari]

I went to go see The Menagerie last night at a movie theater. Knowing full well the trouble I'd get into by trying to use the restrooms, I went before I left. Several times.

The irony of being trans is that folks don't like you being in their restroom - and the pills you take to lower your testosterone levels? They make you pee. A lot.

I knew I was in trouble when I got to the theater and I had to go again. I was presenting female (not overtly so) and went in. No problem. As I came out, though, I came face to face with a woman who clocked me on the spot.

Several years ago (well a decade and a half to be honest), a genetic girl friend of mine and I went to go see a movie at the Cinemark in San Antonio. I can't remember what movie it was because we never got that far. She had to use the restroom, and decided she couldn't go alone - so dragged me in with her. I was female at that time, too.

Sure enough we were pulled aside when we got out, and told that we needed to leave and not come back. They were going to take pictures of us to make sure when a fight broke out in the arcade part (it was a cheapie dollar movie place with punk kids coming by to start trouble all the time). The manager ran off and so did we.

Last night the woman looked at me puzzled..."Am I in the wrong restroom?" That's when I made my second mistake. I said "No." I don't sound particularly female outside of a bathroom, but inside one with all the tiles and acoustics, suddenly James Earl Jones was in the room with us.

She literally turned pale, stumbled back and yelled "I'm getting a manager." And left me there like I was going to wait.

Hell no - I ducked into the theater RIGHT away. Thankfully Erin and Marca were there waiting for me, but I was rattled. And then the person who made the ruckus to begin with sat caddy-corner near me. (Although Erin said they'd talked to her already and not had any problems....it looked like her, though).

It spoiled my evening. Badly. I had a good time with everyone, and the "movie" was good, but the entire time, I was just waiting to be escorted out.

I guess the only solution to the problem is to simply not eat or drink anything a week before I go anywhere. That's me being silly of course. The real solution is not one I'm going to like.

Wanna know what the appeal of Second Life is for me? They can't tell I wasn't born a woman....

Comments

[ssendas.livejournal.com]

*hugs* People are mean and stupid. I know from personal experience as well.

[carly-kai.livejournal.com]

I'm usually very careful about where I go (that's a bad pun!) but I ran into the bathroom dilema once when I was trapped. Since then, I don't have the self-confidence to go anywhere as me - instead I have to pretend I'm a guy which is very disturbing.

James Earl Jones in the bathroom could be hot if he had a smile on his face and was making come hither motions - I've learned to just smile, nod and give a little mmhmm, which is fairly easy to pull off. It's a bit more classy than giving a quick and obviously look at and pointing at the boobage area. (I'm far too sweet to do that but it would be fun!).

The phrase presenting female is interesting and it's an elegant way of saying what can be hard to say - I was born male, my name is Carly and I am "presenting" as female simply because that is what I am. I'm going to shamelessly steal it and use it with pride.

A big hug from north of the border....

[frankie23.livejournal.com]

Gyah, what a bitch. She was probably the one who'd run and tattle to Teacher when the kids were playing truth or dare behind the bleachers and she wasn't invited. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that.

[erinlefey.livejournal.com]

We chatted with the woman she was sitting with, not her. Grr. As Marca said, don't these people understand IDIC? (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, a Vulcan thing.)

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

Do you have a carry letter? If you have proof that you're transitioning under medical care, the Manager would be able to tell ms busy-body to go pound sand (that is unless the Manager is a similar bigot). At the very least it would be something you could use to impress those people needing impressing that you're for real, and not some kind of pervert the strange straight people dream up. (Note that it's the straight people who give us their motivations, without ever asking us what we really want or what we're really doing.)

[carly-kai.livejournal.com]

These are the same people that can not accept that a light can be sort of on or sort of off - the same type of people who replace dimmer switches with good old fashioned on/off switches.

Ah yes - lets throw away all of the crayons except for the black and white ones, limit televison, cell phone carrieds, all menus and gas stations to two choices. Lets tear out the atlas page that shows the Equator and any land mass between the poles and pretend that we can be transported a'la Star Trek between Seattle and Amirilo - there's nothing inbetween.

Yikes - I'm on a roll.

Carly

[hemlock-martini.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

What a fucking hassle. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

[salamanders.livejournal.com]

Dude, if anyone pulls that shit on you when you move to Seattle or are visiting Victoria I'll punch them in the face and stomp their ass!

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

...and complain about them to the Manager!

[kisai.livejournal.com]

Better than recycling the drink cup.

[chaoticset.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[chaoticset.livejournal.com]

Scared people do dumb things. Her behavior's inexcusable, but like any lower life form...she was just as afraid of you as you were of her.

*kisses your cheek*

[jenndolari.livejournal.com]

I had a carry letter once upon a time. Lot of fat good it did me. Eventually after years of "oh, you're mental, screw you" I gave up.