I went fully dressed to the local Lenscrafters once to pick up a new pair of glasses. A collaborator from a different department at the university who I usually worked with on a common project for a couple of days each year was in the store. She recognized me INSTANTLY and came over to talk. Fortunately, she was a very liberal type and my attire was of no concern to her or her husband. We exchanged a few words about work and her daughter who was an ex-student of mine, and that was that. We continued to work together for a couple of years after that until she moved away, and nothing was ever said again - but I think it made our relationship stronger.
Although the outcome was fine in the end, that incident shattered any illusions I had of passing or being unrecognizable while in femme mode. Nowadays I'm more likely to wear a wig (at that time I was still trying to get by with my natural hair), which would probably make me just a little more difficult to pick out (but I'm not counting on it).
- Diane
