Canada Advice --also Priscilla Queen of the Desert

[Paula_56]

I have a chance to travel to Canada Toronto the week of Dec 6 for business

I do go out in the US enfemme. I have some concerns about going out in Canada, also taking my clothes and breast forms thru customs.

Can anyone advise me? Has anyone travel to Canada emfemme. Are there any issues going out cross dressed?

Also Priscilla Queen of the Desert is playing in town, I have a beautiful Liz Claiborn suit I just dieted into and would love to wear it out. I thought this might be a perfect venue

So sisters any thoughts or advice woudl be very welcome and helpful

Thanks Girls

[Sarah Michelle]

I live north of the city. I "believe" Toronto to be quite open-minded and accepting but I've never been out dressed. I have a gay son who lives in the city (Village) and goes to school there. He's never encountered any open hostility but he grew up in a small town so he developed thick skin and blinders.
As for Customs, no idea....

[sandra-leigh]

There should be absolutely no problem taking forms through customs. Chances are they won't even look at them, but you might get picked for a random inspection. I assure you, trying to bring in meat or unpasturized cheeze would be much more of an issue than forms.

Going through immigration dressed only has the issue about establishing identity -- due to the recent incident with the chinese fellow who wore a face mask, at the moment it might be better to error on the side of "not-quite passing" than on the side of "No-one would recognize me".

I've flown within Canada a number of times wearing forms and skirt, and never had a problem with airport security, other than getting wand-ed once due to the wire in my underwire bra.

I've cross-dressed in downtown Toronto a few times, and never had any problem.

[Vicki-Z]

Hi Paula. I live just outside Toronto. I don't know about travelling en femme because as Sandra mentioned we recently had a young chinese guy enter the country by airline wearing a caucasian mask of a man looking to be in his late 80's even though they said his ID said 55. So I think customs might be a little more fussy about someone travelling en femme at the moment. As for bringing your forms and everything in a suitcase shouldn't be any problem. I wouldn't hestitate if I was you.

As for Toronto you should have no problem. I don't go out dressed en femme myself because I definately would not pass. But Toronto is probably one of the most accepting cities in North America.

Vicki:hugs:

[Aaron Zwidling]

No idea if you'll have any problems going through customs if you go enfemme, however I would give Toronto fairly high marks in terms of CD acceptance. I would give the city maybe an 8 out of 10 overall. This is based on the fact we have a a CDing mayoral candidate, have a lot of cultural/arts type ativity, have a number of stores that are fine with the whole idea of crossdressing etc. On the flip side not every store is comfortable with the idea, and I would suspect in general the downtown areas of the city would likely be more accepting than some of the suburban areas. I can't see any problem with going to Priscilla in your Liz Claiborn suit. You might want to read through some of Leslie Langford's old posts as she describes a lot of instances of going out around Toronto enfemme.

If you are at all interested in shopping while here Leslie's writings also have a number of good suggestions. I would recommend Maximum Woman or Fashion Crimes for clothes and Change Lingerie (both Queen St and Yonge St stores) for lingerie as being very CD friendly. All the stores have websites (www.maximumwoman.com, www.fashioncrimes.ca & www. change.com) so you can see what they have to offer before going in person.

[Stephenie S]

Women's clothes are not illegal. Besides, they aren't women's clothes, they are YOUR clothes.

There is no law against breast forms either.

Have a good time.

Stephie

Addendum: At the border? Don't try to fool any one. As long as your passport is in order, you will have no trouble at all. Wear what ever you like. They are looking for terrorists and illegals. Not crossdressers.

S

[Being Paige]

You will enjoy yourself in Toronto! Have fun, you don't want to miss out on am oppertunity like this. I wish I could go there and go out with you.

[Patty B.]

I dont exactly remember the post but a forum member was hasseled at customs, U.S. or canadian dont remember. It was a very unpleasant experience though. I actually live across the river from canada, and toronto and ottowa are closer to me than most major ny cities. Hopefully you can drive across and not experience any problems going over or back. Passport or expanded license must be current. Keep me, us posted as to how your trip is, I wouldn't mind traveling to toronto or ottowa being able to dress. I do know some U.S. customs officers and am hesitant to cross over and come back with female clothing unless my wife was with me.

[Loni]

from what i have gartherd about going across a international boarder.
do not wear shoes.
do not have a full coverage rubber face mask (on or in a box).
do not have anything sharp.( knives, not even a pair of nail clippers).
do not have any spray bottles.
do not handle any gun related items a week before crossing.
do not have this or that.
but it is ok to be a illegal alien asking for free moneys and things.

.

[NancyTO]

Hi Paula,

You shouldn't have any problem with customs. I've gone through customs with my femme clothes and breast forms in my checked baggage a few time. If you follow KimberleyTX, she has been over a few time to a customer near Toronto. Plus we have drag queens flying in and out of Pearson all the time.

If you stick to the downtown area around the Eaton's Centre (major downtown mall), Queen St. west of University Ave. (hip part of town with cool shops), and of course the Gay area on Church near Wellesley St. you won't have any problems dressed emfemme. All the shops are generally CD friendly.

Too bad you can't come a couple of days earlier. You could of joined us at the local TG group's Xpressions Christmas Gala (http://www.xpressions.org/events/gala/index.php).

Priscilla should be fun. A few gals in the Xpressions Club are thinking of going. Order your ticket in advance. The show reviews has generally be good and tickets can be a hot item over a weekend.

[DeeInGeorgia]

Last year my wife and I took a cruise from NYC to Canada. I went enfemme for the whole trip. I had no problem with getting off the ship, a little trouble with Canada Customs getting back on, i.e. the customs people at one port had a little laugh on my behalf checking my identification with my female picture and male name. Otherwise no problems.

[flatlander_48]

Seeing as how Toronto is host to both Caribana (for over 40 years) and a major Gay Pride Week (for almost 30 years), I'd say that they must be doing something right there...

[MsMichelle]

A little late replying to this thread now but I cross the border on average every 4-6 weeks complete with a pair a silicone breast forms as I go out enfemme in the U.S. in both Rochester, Syracuse and Watertown and Buffulo and to date have never had any issues. I only once had my luggage thoroughly searched and there were no issues or questions raised. I know the was both a male and female border agents searching my luggage and if there were any issues, I certainly never heard about them.

[Jill Devine]

A little late replying to this thread now but I cross the border on average every 4-6 weeks complete with a pair a silicone breast forms as I go out enfemme in the U.S. in both Rochester, Syracuse and Watertown and Buffulo and to date have never had any issues. I only once had my luggage thoroughly searched and there were no issues or questions raised. I know the was both a male and female border agents searching my luggage and if there were any issues, I certainly never heard about them.
I was hassled once at Pearson airport by an officer. I was traveling in drab but had some female clothing in my luggage and had to go through a full luggage search. I remember the male officer holding up a lace Teddy and asking OUT LOUD if it was mine? I said yes. Then he asked sarcastically if I was married. I said yes and glared at him. Nothing else was said as he continued searching. He was an a-hole.

[Chickhe]

Ontario has laws that support TG rights. You may have more trouble getting back home! Toronto is 'the place' to go if I were looking for a fun place to visit enfem, they have a large community.

[Jeanna]

You might want to visit "The wildside" www.wildside.org