Monday, April 21, 2014

"Tough" Enough? Oh YES!

In Wyoming, he's tough enough to be a sissy--LA Times

"Cross-dressing is widely considered aberrant behavior even in the most liberal big cities, but out here in the nation's least-populated state, the practice is almost unthinkable. For decades, Goodwin has endured a profoundly hostile environment. He has stood up to bigotry and has begun to make a difference." 

I loved this article!! I think individuals like Goodwin are incredibly brave and refreshing. In a society that emphasizes masculinity in male bodies, and particularly in a small town in Wyoming, it takes a lot of courage to oppose these stereotypes. And what's so wrong with that? Goodwin is an all-around 'normal' male who loves his family and participates as a productive member of society--he just prefers to do so in a dress! Goodwin was even arrested in a department store in 1979 for cross-dressing in public. Can you believe that? Police insisted he dressed as a male is expected to but Goodwin refused, claiming what he was doing was not illegal. As a result of his strength, police were forced to back down and were later offered diversity training. Despite this cruelty along with many other hardships, Goodwin continues to dress as he pleases. 

No comments: