"How dare I walk in there looking like this?"

It seems logical to presume that the Halloween issue may be more significant than people realize.

I asked this question in a MEDIUM comment to a very popular MEDIUM LGBTQ advocate, and was very nearly ridiculed for it. (The first time I ever received < 50 clicks from this person...10, followed by a comment I felt was condescending.)

If I may expand...

(Obviously this is NOT the context of your excellent article, and I do recognize the great differences between a drag performer and someone struggling to live an honest life. But I doubt the general public sees a difference, and in this instance, that may be very important from a legal viewpoint.)

What happens to someone dressed as an "inappropriate" gender as a costume on Halloween, and how is this so different from a drag performance, (at least in the context of how many of these cruel laws are being written.) And what happens if that person wanders into a public library, and a bigoted parent sees them? Will they face arrest for wearing what is basically drag where they would almost certainly be viewed by minors? And would the response be different if they did the same, a day, a week, or a month later?

On the other hand, while I would hope no one would be arrested for enjoying Halloween, how is a celebration that is not recognized as a legal holiday in America as would be Christmas or 4th of July, any different from that same person any other day of the year? Is that not perhaps enough to place the evil laws squarely in the category of being so legally vague and arbitrary (not to mention directed and enforced in a clearly bigoted manner) as to be shot down by ANY court?

And once that happens, it seems the entire LGBTQIA+ community has a win on their side.

I apologize for presenting something that could seem inappropriate or possibly even cruel, but I'm getting old, and I wish so very badly to see just a trace of justice before I leave. More innocent victims like the woman you describe in your opening paragraph is NOT what I want to see.

Thank you, Stephanie. I hope you understand I ask this with a loving, hopeful heart.