Re: scope of the SCA

[Wynn Klosky <klosky@meeker.UCAR.EDU>]

Poster: Wynn Klosky <klosky@meeker.UCAR.EDU>



On Thu, 27 Mar 1997 PETERSR@spiegel.becltd.com wrote:
> I would argue that this is only the case because all of us think we "know" 
> what kinds of indicators mark gender, and "know" them to a level of subtlety 
> that goes beyond conventions of dress.  But note that this may only be the 
> case because in our modern society, what would commonly be considered 
> "cross-dressing" is extremely common, especially for women.  Thus, in the 
<snip>
> something was dropped in his lap.  But note also that cross-dressing was 
> rare enough at that point that the initial assumption was that a person 
> dressed as a girl had to =be= a girl.  On that logic, a person-in-persona 
> =should= automatically assume that someone dressed as a man is a man, unless 
> other indicators of gender are so obvious as to be unmistakeable =to someone 
> not used to looking for them=)

I have seen many men and women naked over the course of my lifetime.
I have come to understand that there are some basic differences between
the secondary-sex-characteristics (breasts, hips, beards) exhibited by
the two. I don't think you could fool me into thinking a curvy woman
was a man without some major cosmetic effects and misleading over-padding,
and very few of the women I've run into have gone to more trouble than
just putting on men's clothing, so they haven't fooled me. (I haven't
run into any men as far as I know.) 

But I agree with you in essence: if I ever run into someone dressed
in man's clothing that I can't tell is a woman by their shape, then
I should treat them as a man...but that has yet to happen (as far as
I know -- because if I *did* meet one who looked like a man, I would
have been fooled, see?). All the women I've seen dressed as
men who prefer male personas have had to TELL me that...because they
didn't pass the 10-foot rule (or even the 50-foot rule). Sure, I
haven't met everyone, and there are prolly some good ones out there,
but if there are, they will fool me when I meet them, so it won't
be an issue.

branwynn ottersby
ready to be fooled
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