I was having a great time this weekend until...

[stephaniestilley]

I usually like to go to the movies on Saturday nights since there's a nice theater that's within walking distance from my house. The staff is really nice and I've never had any unpleasant encounters there. So I get to my seat before the movie begins and after a few seconds I notice that the guy sitting down the row from me takes a picture of me on his phone (with the flash on!! he didn't even try to be subtle about it!) I was naturally very upset, but this has never happened to me before so I didn't even know how I should react and I didn't want to make a scene so I just let it go since this happened moments before the movie started. I have a feeling this won't be the last time something like this is going to happen, what should I do or say when it does? How do you handle situations like these?

[mbmeen12]

That is creepy, but I guess you know what the hollywood types feel like. Maybe report to management and they can call the police. Next time you take a picture of him... Non verbally put him on notice!

[Jane G]

Not sure I would take a picture back. That might be taken as giving him the ok to extend whatever it is he started. I would either ignore it completely or report it.

[Helen_Highwater]

Shepanie,

Just pity him! His life is so void of real content he has to live it by being able to show his friends that something "interesting" happened in his shallow existance.

It just shows that some people are utterly lacking of manners and their only real companion is their smartphone.

One quick question, did he actually turn around to take the pic or did he hold the phone as if taking a selfie?

[Crissy 107]

Wow, what a piece of garbage. I would definitely report him to the management. I’m so sorry to hear this happened to you.

[BTWimRobin]

That's totally unacceptable. I'm so sorry that this happened to you. That is a invasion of your privacy. Depending on my comfort level, I would either call him out on it, causing a scene, or say something to the management.

[Aunt Kelly]

I am not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that one has a right to privacy if one is a paying customer in an establishment. In other words, the photographer needs your permission. In "public" places, the rules are definitely different, so we're fair game for what, I agree, is classless behavior like that.

[Micki_Finn]

I am not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that one has a right to privacy if one is a paying customer in an establishment. In other words, the photographer needs your permission. In "public" places, the rules are definitely different, so we're fair game for what, I agree, is classless behavior like that.

I doubt there are any protections. It’s a space where she knew people would be assembling, so there isn’t really a “reasonable expectaction if privacy”. Sorry, but it’s a danger of going out in public. This was rude, but not illegal, nor anything the proprietors would likely do anything about. Realistically all you saw was someone using flash photography in a movie theatre before the movie. Can you prove his intention was to take a photo of you and not say someone else in the theatre, or of the theatre itself?

[Ressie]

Cameras are everywhere now days. He could have taken your photo without you knowing it. Just a few years ago most people knew that you should get permission before taking a photo of someone. Those days seem to be gone.

[alwayshave]

Actually, use of recording devices are banned in most theaters, I would have alerted the management and they would have escorted him out.

[BrendaPDX]

Like others I would have reported it to the management. Some people are so shallow. Was it a McMenamin, either way I would report it. Hope you enjoyed the movie.

[Majella St Gerard]

News Flash
People are rude.
I would have taken his pictur.

[Tracii G]

I would have walked down to him and taken his pic so I had proof of who took the pic.
Really call the police? Come on its not a crime to take a pic.
I would say there have been many pics taken of you but you just didn't know it at the time.
Don't be so sensitive about it.
Portland isn't known for acceptance by the progressive crowd so you will have to deal with dicks like that guy.

[stephaniestilley]

Lol next time it happens, I think I'll try what Micki and Laura suggested and take a selfie with them just to see how they react, fortunately that whole experience didn't ruin the movie for me. I saw Paper Moon (1974) and it was so good that it helped me get over it pretty quickly. And in response to your question Kim, I've been living as a woman for a few months now, so I feel very confident when I go out in public but the problem is that most of the time I don't have anyone to go with me when I do go out so I often feel very vulnerable and sometimes unsafe, especially when I'm out after dark. Fortunately, I have a small handful of friends who are there for me and the people I live with are very supportive and I've only had one other rude encounter with someone in the year and a half that I've been presenting so I feel like things could be a lot worse, although I must admit it is kind of weird living in a city that calls itself "progressive" yet people are still constantly staring at me every time I go out in a dress but at this point I don't really care anymore

[JulieB]

Agree with Tracii, Dont call the police. Talk about bringing attention to yourself! Your right to privacy in public is little to none, nothing against the law of people taking photos of you, in public. Not saying it is right, but it is what it is.. Cameras are everywhere, phones, security cameras etc... more people than ya think looking at you thru the lense.

[Robertacd]

Aunt Kelly, the laws vary by state.

In Washington state anyone can take your pictures in public. You are not guaranteed any more privacy in public than being in public affords you.

The state's voyeurism laws only protect people who are in a place where they "would have a reasonable expectation of privacy"

In fact up until maybe 10 years ago it was perfectly legal to take "upskirt" photos of GG's without their knowledge or consent in a public place in Wa.

[Paula DAngelo]

One thing that most people are forgetting or not realizing is this was not done in a public place, it was done in a semi-public place. Either way calling the police won't get anything done because taking the picture in itself is not going to be a violation of a law, what is done with the picture may be, but that is a separate matter . However notifying the theater management may be another story, it's their property so they make the rules. If there is a no photo/video policy in effect, or if they just want to tell the person to stop, then the person with the camera has two choices, stop as requested or leave the facility. If they refuse then the theater management can have the police respond and have the individual removed and/or charged with trespass and what ever else the police deem appropriate based on the persons actions once they have responded.

While we may not like it, our pictures are being taken multiple times every day. It's a fact of life, so if you're going to leave your home you need accept that it happens and get a thicker skin and not let it bother you.

[Pumped]

One thing that most people are forgetting or not realizing is this was not done in a public place, it was done in a semi-public place.

In the eyes of the law there is not a "semi public" space. A retail establishment, theater, or out on the street in all public, and generally people can take all the pictures and video recordings they want without permission.

YouTube is fun to watch with instances like this. I watched one where a guy and some woman got into a car accident. The woman was acting weird so the guy was videoing it. She kept hollering at him to stop it and even the cop that showed up told her he could record if he wanted to. Eventually the woman attacked the guy recording, got cuffed and charged with assault.

I agree, the guy was kinda creepy, but them if the OP was clocked as a crossdresser the guy taking the picture might feel the OP was creepy! It's going to happen. You dress and don't blend, some people are going to get weird about it.

[Kelly DeWinter]

Patience

I cannot disagree more, We should have the expectation of privacy as anyone else in public I've been to Walmart and Target and have seen some strange sites. Do I whip out the camera and take photos of them ? No. What if you started taking photos of random people. They would surly be upset. Place like restaurants, the movies etc, you expect to be able to have your personal space.
Saying "

we all have to tailor our activities to our limitations" is tantamount to giving people permission to be in our space and saying we don't have the right to be in public.

[Patience]

Um, I don't recall saying that we had less of a right to privacy than anyone else; and that second thing you highlighted simply meant that we don't all pass for females to the same degree and that each individual's particular living situation can affect the degree to which he can enjoy (or afford) to go out dressed.

That's true enough, isn't it?

[Pumped]

Kelly, no one has any right to privacy while in public, including stores, theaters and restaurants. What you would like, or expect, and what is legal are often different.
Now it would be great if one could walk around in public wearing what ever they pleased and people would just leave well enough alone, but that just doesn't happen, hence the "people of Walmart" pictures.

[Paula DAngelo]

In the eyes of the law there is not a "semi public" space. A retail establishment, theater, or out on the street in all public, and generally people can take all the pictures and video recordings they want without permission.

Maybe you should have continued to read what I posted, if you had you would have seen that I said that as far as the law is concerned there is no difference between a public space and a semi-public place. What I was saying is that since the space is owned by some entity (semi-private) they have the ability to control what happens. If they say stop taking photos, videos, or any other activity, they have that right and if the person refuses to act according to "their" rules then they have the right to have the offender removed which can include legal means if that is what's needed. The only time the person who's picture is being taken in public/semi-public spaces has legal options is based on how the photo is used, not on the picture being taken.

[susan54]

Things might be different in the UK about public filming or at least in Scotland which has its own legal system. This guy was convicted of filming women to get ideas for his cross dressing but there is no suggestion that he was doing it in their dressing room or under their skirts.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/new...-fashion-tips/

So it might not be legal for people to photograph/film us (or anyone else) in Scotland without our permission.

[KimberlyJean]

Thats good to hear, realizing that I wasn't passing as well as I wanted too was a large barrier for me but I have made it past it.

[Stephanie47]

Like Roberta, I reside in Washington State. There is no expectation of privacy in public places when it comes to the visual, i.e., taking pictures. There was a case not too long ago of a creepy guy taking pictures of little kids in public. Nothing could be done about it. You could have told the theater management and perhaps he could have been thrown out because he violated the theatre's rules. Washington State is a two party state when it comes to making audio recordings.