national security

[wannabie]

i was watching boston legal last night and david spade(alan shore) bought up something. he(or rather his character) said that the government considers crossdressers a threat to national security.
How true is that statememt?
are they looking to find out who we are?

call me paranoid:eek:

[Julie York]

Why did he say that? Was he worried people might sell state secrets about the next shoe sale? Or Walmart is actually CIA headquarters? The script was obviously written by someone who hadn't thought it through.

:eek:



OMG! He's wearing a breasts......run for your lives!!!!!!

[Carroll]

Unfortunatly, cross dressing is one of the best ways to pass the all seeing eyes of secuirty and the cameras. I does make us as a legitament group look bad

[Paula Thomas]

Wannabie - The concern (also raised in another thread about getting a security clearance if you are a CDer), is that the CDer may be more vulnerable to blackmail (more vulnerable than your average non-CDer), in order to keep their CDing from becoming public.

If the CDer out, or takes an obvious "I don't care if I am outed or not, notwithstanding the fact that I do not make a big deal about it" position, then this concern is lessened.

You need to remember that Boston Legal is a TV show, and reflects "reality" through the screen-writer's biases (and desire to keep viewers interested in the show).

[Lisa Golightly]

Makes sense... As Howard Moon once said 'I see a boundary, I eat that boundary and wash it down with a hot steamin cup o rules.'

[Lawren]

IMHO it is just bad TV and bad publicity for CDS. In the real world it would be discrimination against CDs.

[Courtneygurl]

Um, I don't know if this directly relates, but the CIA has an LGBT employee group. Surprised me when I saw that on their website, but hey, apparently they think LGBT's OK - CD probably falls someplace in there, too.

[Kate Simmons]

Um, I don't know if this directly relates, but the CIA has an LGBT employee group. Surprised me when I saw that on their website, but hey, apparently they think LGBT's OK - CD probably falls someplace in there, too.NSA has the same type of group. They post regularly on the information board as to meeting times, dates, etc. The reality of the whole thing is that we are everywhere , in every facet of life, whether openly or not. If someone said they would "blackmail" me , I'd say: "And, your point?" The news media and things like TV shows sadly lag behind real life and tend to "sensationalize" what they think is out of the "ordinary" (if they only knew!).:happy: Ericka Kay

[kathy gg]

You mean James Spader.....not David Spade....sorry.....but I am a really big David fan and I almost choked on my coffee imagining him on BL!!!!!! hahahah!
:confused2:

[annephorcy]

I think it would have a lot to do with the particular circumstance.

I don't see how going out dressed for an evening with friends or shopping for clothes at Wal-Mart could raise legitimate concerns about National Security.

On the other hand, if you're trying to board a plane or enter your local Federal Building, etc, etc ... I agree that it's not necessarily right and it's not necessarily fair, but given the uncertain times we live in I can see why some folks could legitimately ask, 'Excuse me. But why are you dressed the way you are while trying to do the things you're doing? If that's not a disguise, what is it?'

[Melinda Lou]

I have boarded a plane "underdressed" (wearing panties) with no problems, but I guess that doesn't count. :D

I think the governmental concern is that a CDer in a prominent or sensitive position could be compromised and put in a position where he has to say, "I'll tell you anything, just don't tell anyone I wear women's clothes." That's the alleged threat. Of course, TV has to sensationalize everything; there's big money in sowing fear of the "other". :(

[loki_uk]

They're probably just worried about crossdressing terrorists wearing burkas, going "Does my bomb look big in this"

[Robin Leigh]

CDing has some security ramifications today, but it was quite a different picture 60 years ago.

There was a big security scandal at the start of the Cold War, when several gay British spies were blackmailed by the Soviets. I can't recall the details ATM, and I don't remember if there was any CD component. However, people could be imprisoned for homosexual acts back then, and CDing was often seen as a "symptom" of being homosexual.

After this incident, both the Americans & British security & other sensitive government organizations went through the ranks trying to eliminate anyone else that could be similarly compromised. This made it almost impossible for someone like the great computer genius, Alan Turing, to get decent work, even though he was fairly openly gay, & relatively immune to blackmail (apart from not wanting to embarrass his Mum).

Robin

[wannabie]

Thanks kathy. James Spader

Anyway, with all that's going on with the privacy act and all, some right-wing activist use this to push their own agendas under the national security banner and I feel that what I do and how I dress and feel should be my business and no one else’s.
Besides the show does come up with a ring of truths once in a while.

[Felicity]

Well, I have worked with the NSA and served several years in the US Army in the Nuclear theater. I believe I have the right answer.

The short answer about national security is that some not fully understanding the reasons apply a factor to all. In the case of a court situation, real or drama, the partial truths and remaining ignorance comes in play.

Any government or civilian employee that deals with classified material or positions of power must not have any skeletons in the closet. It doesn't matter whether it is sexuality, crossdressing, having an affair, or anything else that can be used against the individual. This makes them susceptible to coercion from someone seeking out the classified material they may possess or influencing a decision. The government knows the power of blackmail, and those who are discovered to have non-disclosed personal lifestyles can become targets of blackmail.

There is always a background check for sensitive positions. If such personal information is not disclosed, not only can the employee be immediatly fired, but sued or even jailed in come cases.

[Melinda G]

"Turn off the TV. Turn off the crap". Jimmy Buffett

[Sam-antha]

Security ? I will do what is legally permissable to a citizen no matter what way I as a citizen am dressed.
Never mind the excuse me and the why, if I want to go dressed into the tax office then I will.

[trannie T]

I am a threat to national security but it is not because I am wearing panties.

[DawnRodgers]

Y' know, ten years ago I used to fly around the country a lot (in a plane of course). Used to wear, under my male clothes, nylons, polish on my toenails, a garter belt, panties and sometimes a bra. Every so often when I got wanded there used to be short beeps as the wand passed near the garters on my garter belt. Nobody ever said anything but it always gave me a start.
Can't even imagine doing it now what with having to remove shoes and undergoing a much more rigorous inspection. Would even wear women's flats too. Would sit in the plane, slide off my shoes and love to glance down and see my nylon covered shiny red toes.
Dawn

[JenniferMint]

I think it would have a lot to do with the particular circumstance.

I don't see how going out dressed for an evening with friends or shopping for clothes at Wal-Mart could raise legitimate concerns about National Security.

On the other hand, if you're trying to board a plane or enter your local Federal Building, etc, etc ... I agree that it's not necessarily right and it's not necessarily fair, but given the uncertain times we live in I can see why some folks could legitimately ask, 'Excuse me. But why are you dressed the way you are while trying to do the things you're doing? If that's not a disguise, what is it?'

Anyone tried getting on a plane en femme shamelessly, showing them your male passport?