The Dangers Crossdressers Face Outside

Going out is still a big challenge for crossdressers all over the world and trans people as well. It requires a lot of courage and confidence, as it may be dangerous to do so sometimes. When you go out dressed as a woman, you expose yourself to these dangers, which are caused by intolerance, bigotry, and outdated social norms.

If you expect to get rid of them, you must first understand what poses a threat to you in these cases.

But what is more likely to happen? And how often are crossdressers in danger?

Both answers may vary depending on where you live, but it’s possible to find acceptable generalizations.

Stares are almost inevitable when you go out crossdressing, but they are also less likely to be harmful.

Harassments and aggressions, on the other hand, pose a big threat to your well-being but are rare.

Even if you live in a region with less discrimination, you may still run into uncomfortable or even dangerous situations.

Some are more likely to happen than others, but they are all possibilities.

With that in mind, this article lists the most common dangers you may come across outside.

I’ll talk about how often they happen and what to do to avoid or deal with them.

By the end of it, I hope you’re prepared to go out safely while crossdressing.

1. Stares

The less passable you are, the more common it is to get stares.

When you dress up in public, people will see you, as you’ll be in plain sight, completely exposed.

Social normativeness creates several taboos when it comes to discussing crossdressers.

As a result, spotting a crossdresser or a transgender person may cause confusion and a feeling of estrangement.

They don’t know what it means to be a crossdresser, so in most cases, these are stares of curiosity.

But in some cases, they will stare at you with eyes of despise and criticism.

When someone does it, it’s because of their internalized prejudices and bigotry.

So, we can say that stares are unavoidable. Someone will look at you, be it either due to curiosity or discrimination.

But stares themselves are almost always harmless, at least physically.

The worst that can happen is if the stares affect your confidence, as it may cause you to feel unsafe or not passable.

What you can do is to keep in mind that these stares may not mean that at all.

People stare at each other all the time for a variety of reasons; they might be doing so because they find you attractive or something like that.

You can’t be sure, so you shouldn’t let it mess with either your self-esteem or your confidence.

2. Disrespect from other people

Discrimination towards trans people and crossdressers is still a huge issue.

Some people still think it’s their right to deny our existence and treat us with a lack of respect.

When they do that, all they want is to make us feel unloved, unworthy, and, above all else, afraid.

You may notice this kind of transphobia when someone treats you differently as if they wanted you to see that and feel bad.

By doing that, they are usually attempting to make you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable and leave, as they don’t want to be near you.

But please keep in mind that it’s not your fault.

People fear everything that they don’t understand, and this rule applies to trans people and crossdressers as well.

I mean, due to the taboos created by social norms, some people prefer not to talk about the meaning of being transgender or what crossdressers do.

It leads them to create misconceptions of what we are, which are often depreciative.

As a result, they fear and despise us or develop an internalized feeling of hate and disgust.

They put it out in the form of disrespect towards us in hopes of getting as far from them as soon as possible.

To deal with that, walk away and stop interacting with these people if possible.

If you can’t avoid them for some reason, keep calm and avoid confronting them about it.

You can, however, make it clear that you aren’t harming anyone and that they shouldn’t be afraid.

In some cases, where misinformation is the cause of the problem, being gentle and polite towards them may help you.

They may see that you’re another human being and that there’s no point in mistreating you.

But if they are fueled by hate, it’s better to ignore them and avoid them whenever you can.

3. Getting pulled over by police

This is an awkward one, but still very common and sometimes complicated to deal with.

In bigger cities with lots of cars and intense traffic, it’s common for police officers to pull over cars at random and ask for documents.

The same may happen in areas with many pedestrians or reinforced security.

By chance, it’s quite possible that a police officer pulls you over and asks you a few questions.

In this kind of situation or any other one that requires documents, we may become anxious and afraid.

That’s because, in many cases, the pictures in your documents may not match your female persona.

You may be afraid of getting caught and ending up in trouble with the authorities.

As an instant reaction, you may lie, use fake documents, or even try to talk your way out of the situation.

But I wouldn’t recommend it. It depends a bit on your country’s laws regarding trans rights, but if you lie, things will become worse.

You may even end up in jail for attempting to fool an officer or using fake documents.

What I recommend you do is to explain everything to the officer.

If you are polite and respectful, he will probably do the same.

Another option is to require a social name or documents that include your gender identity if you’re trans.

But then again, it heavily depends on the laws in your country.

4. Being spotted by someone you know

If you’re a casual crossdresser who keeps it a secret or a trans person who didn’t come out, being spotted by someone you know may cause you some problems.

It’s more common than you may imagine and happens way more often in smaller cities.

If someone you know spots and recognizes you, they might have a lot of questions.

The problem is that you can’t predict their reactions in this kind of situation.

They may just keep quiet about it, confront you, or tell other people about what they saw.

It’s quite a lot of possibilities, to be honest, and most of them have a bad ending.

My best advice for this situation is for you to avoid going out in your city or in areas that people you know tend to be in.

Go to a town where no one knows you or at an unusual hour.

There’s always a chance you’ll find someone you know or that you used to, but the chances are lower at these places.

If the worst happens and they do spot you, talk to them. Explain how important it is for it to be kept a secret and that they would ruin your life by telling other people.

Use it as an opportunity to come out to this person, explaining who you are and what you feel.

Do this rather than lying, as lies are often discovered to be lies.

5. Harassments and aggression

Getting harassed or violated is the worst thing that can happen to a crossdresser outside, but it’s somewhat rare in most countries.

This is the most extreme form of violence against trans people, and crossdressers often suffer from that, too.

In the worst cases, it may even lead to death or severe injuries.

If you notice that someone is about to harass you, leave the place immediately.

Ask for help and run, but avoid fighting back, as it makes the aggressor more likely to beat you.

If you can, dial 911 ASAP or pretend you know someone on the street.

Also, if you notice that someone is about to be harassed, pretend you know them and help them to defuse the situation by taking them to a safe place.

A few extra tips are to avoid going out alone and to give preference to crowded places.

Aggressors are generally cowards and won’t do anything if there are witnesses.

Society has seen a lot of progress in terms of trans rights and safety for crossdressers.

But dangers are still out there, and going out may leave you exposed to them.

However, it shouldn’t let you down.

You must be free to go out as a girl whenever you want but make sure you follow these safety tips to avoid any serious threat.

You’re valid, and your life is important, no matter what these people think.

So please take care of yourself and other crossdressers if possible.

What do you consider to be the worst thing to happen to a crossdresser while going out?

Have anything like that ever happened to you? Please tell us in the comments section!

Learn More：

How to safely go outside while crossdressing