Encounter with Yosemite Sam!

[RikkiOfLA]

In another thread, Merinda Widget writes...

Yosimite Sam pulled up in his car behind me and I didn't like the look of this dude so I was forced to remain seated while he stuffed around with his car for 5 minutes before finally moving on.

Thanks, Merinda, for a great name for a fascinating topic--all those people who, when they see us, apparently become fixated on us and do a mini-stalk (hanging around, staring at us, perhaps pretending to be busy doing something else, maybe asking us little questions to check out our voice). I say apparently, because in some cases this is just our fearful perception of their behavior.

I think it would be really helpful to share our stories about Yosemite Sams we've encountered when we've been out dressed. It will reassure us to know that most of us have had these encounters (they're an unfortunate but normal part of the crossdressing experience), and to learn from our stories how to better deal with them. Some of them will be amusing of course.

I think Yosemite Sam is a great name for them because they're usually people with their own issues that cause them to have poor social skills (and time on their hands).

I'll start off with a couple of my favorites...

1. In the parking lot of a well-known TG boutique in Los Angeles, as I'm walking out to my car, a drunk comes up to me and asks "Are you real?" I wanted to play with his head just a little but not badly, so I responded "Of course, I'm real!"

2. Another drunk, this time at the mall. He's walking with his wife and teenage son and I walk past them. He clocks me (T-girls learn to notice that sort of thing too) and puts it into his alcohol-soaked brain for computation. Perhaps fearing what would happen next, I sped up. So a few seconds later, Sam sputters out loudly with the earth-shaking statement, "THAT'S A GUY!!!" Of course, by that time, I'm 100 feet away, working hard to keep my laughter to myself. His wife and son begin shushing him immediately.

Girls, tell us about your experiences with Yosemite Sams and Yosemite Samanthas and other lower forms of life.

[Loretta Ann]

Girls, tell us about your experiences with Yosemite Sams and Yosemite Samanthas and other lower forms of life.

Well Rikki !

I wasn't aware that I was a lower form of life (gotcha LOL) but a year ago I was what the CDer would classify as a Yosemite Sam.

In a thrift store I read this very attractive CD, and looked her straight in the eye, by that she knew she had been read, and could no longer look me in eye. I wanted to talk to her, but all she did was avoid me from then on.

Although that may have been a contributing factor in Merinda's situation I don't think it was the root problem. However I do not intend for that statement to take anything away from your intent for this thread.

Love Darlene.

PS. No need to apologize I am not offended.

[Beauty]

Hi Rikki,

I've had two Yosemite Sams, but they both didn't know I was a CD'r.

The first one was when I was in my 20s. I went to the airport (waiting in the car while my friend went in to find someone) and this guy (road/airport worker) just parks his eyes on me. I kind of freaked because I didn't know what to do. Until that point I'd never had a male look at me before like that. So I kept shooting him mean looks, but that just seemed to get him going even more. So I just started looking away. I waited for a little bit and then looked around and he was gone. Hurray!!!

Noooot.. Out of the blue he comes up on my side of the car and is now looking at me face to face (through my rolled up window).. I about died thinking he was going to kill me. lol. Instead he got a thrill out of seeing me nearly jump out of me skin. I then looked deeper in his eyes and saw that he wasn't reading me. I kind of relaxed and then kind of game him a look of, "You're so bad for scaring me..wink" He looked satisfied he'd won me over. Naturally that's when my friend comes back.

He goes back to his position across the street and then waves at me as we pull out of the airport. I gave him a smile, but it was more a smile of I'd fooled him. I was on a high the rest of that day.

The next one is just as long to type so I'll keep that one for another time.

Great thread Rikki!!!!

Beauty

[Merinda]

I gave him a smile, but it was more a smile of I'd fooled him. I was on a high the rest of that day.

Beauty

You would pass anywhere anytime Beauty

[RikkiOfLA]

Another great Yosemite Sam story.

A CDer friend of mine and her wife are walking in the mall. My friend dresses very respectably, but her voice gives her away. And she's a talker.

So somebody behind them pipes up with the earth-shaking deduction, "THAT'S A GUY IN A DRESS!"

Without losing a beat, her wife wheels around, gets right in his face and says "I AM NOT! HOW DARE YOU..."

The guy got so embarrassed he apologized!

[RikkiOfLA]

Hi Beauty,

Your story reminds us that, when dressed, we are subject to the dangers that women face in everyday life--peeping toms, stalkers, rapists, and so on.

Women have to be aware of these forms of life and how to protect themselves against them. So do we.

Great post, hon!

[Stef]

Great thread Rikki!

One night I was going to one of my favorite T friendly clubs. It was located very close to the Arena where the Predators (the Nashville Hockey team) plays. The game had recently ended so the streets were full of drunk hockey fans and I heard some guys behind me telling each other to check me out. As I got to the door of the club one guy walked up and started trying to make small talk with me, I politely told him it was too cold to stand outside and talk and I walked on into the club. By the time I had sat down at the bar I looked up and these guys were walking in. The same guy walked over and asked if her could talk to me know, I looked him right in the eyes and asked if he was sure he wanted to, he asked me why. By this time his friends had realized what type of bar they were in and appeared to be in a half panic by the look in their eyes. I told the guy to look around, and when he did it dawned on him where he was. He looked at me and asked why a girl like me would be in a place like this to which I asked him why would a girl like me be in a place like this. It then hit him that I was not what I appeared and he suddenly wanted to get macho to save face with his friends. Luckily the bartender had seen things like this happen before and had gotten a few of the guys in club together and they suddenly stepped in and diffused the situation very quickly. The hockey fans left rather quickly.

Hugs,
Stef

[Merinda]

Hi Beauty,

Your story reminds us that, when dressed, we are subject to the dangers that women face in everyday life--peeping toms, stalkers, rapists, and so on.

Women have to be aware of these forms of life and how to protect themselves against them. So do we.

Great post, hon!

I agree 100% ,

I had that very thought the other night during my failed excursion.
I can walk around town as a man with confidence that the chances of getting into trouble are remote , as Merinda when that guy pulled up behind me I thought he could be a threat.
Then I thought " women must go through this all the time " .

[Beauty]

Hi Merinda,

Stef and I were talking today and we both talked about how we can relate with women when they go out now more than we did before. It's scary out there. Everywhere you go there's a possible predator.

I'm also glad you brought this up because of one of Terri's questions in a thread that was posted in the Together Area. We can't 100% relate hormonally and conditioning wise with women. Though some were raised as girls, the majority of us are not so that's why I agree with Terri and believe most of those who weren't raised as a girl aren't conditioned like women are either. The hormonal part we can't relate with because even someone who's parents notice early on aren't usually able to get them to into their bodies early in life. I do think there are lots of TSs who have started hormones at a young age can empathize more with women regarding hormones. We CD'rs usually are trying to fight the urge to feel free about our genders at that time.

Unfortunately we do relate with women when it comes to going out or finding ourselves in a place alone that's less than safe. It's unfortunate because I'd rather relate with them in another way other than being afraid (thankfully we do have more to relate with). It's also unfortunate because as a CD'r I can change my clothing and go back to portraying a male role. I kind of feel helpless I can't do even more to stop make the streets, stores, or secluded places any safer. One thing I do is tell my male friends to be attentive and sensitive to these moments if they encounter a female.

I don't have to worry about that kind of thing until I go out. It's one of the reasons I don't go out more actually.

Beauty

[Cathy L. Anderson]

As for irritating drunks and abusive comments, those are clearly not fun. But is it good to associate these with poor little Yosemite Sam?" The label carries connotations of "redneck."

I take as a working rule that whenever we label, dislike or fear others based on things we attribute to them without actual evidence (as in Merinda's case) it is really a projection of our own "shadow" or disowned parts of our own psyche onto another.

Yosemite Sam seems like an excellent symbol for all kinds of aggressive, ornery, and vulgar aspects of the male personality--traits we all probably have to some degree.

Maybe if we want to be better adjusted, we need to come to terms with our own inner "Yosemite Sams."

Anyway, Julie M.'s thread is relevant here ("You must accept yourself first.") I've found that when I am strong, confident and focusing on going about my own business that I am able to handle (or avoid) abusive or provocative comments easily.

Cathy

[Beauty]

Hi Cathy,

I've never ever thought of Yosemite Sam as anything other than a character from the wild, wild west with guns a blazing. The other reference wasn't even marginally in my thoughts. I think Yosemite Sam is a fair and lightly fun label for them.

Beauty

[RikkiOfLA]

Cathy, your suggestion of coming to terms with our own Yosemite Sam is an excellent one. at least if we take it on the level you undoubtedly intended.

I don't have an inner YS on the same level as my inner woman. As Beauty said, he's just a fun cartoon character, known mostly for shooting at Bugs Bunny.

But when I have spotted what look like other t-girls in public, I've had to suppress the curiosity to know for sure, to stare, to walk up and greet them with "HEY, SISTER!" and so on.

Why suppress? Because they are private people, with private lives. Probably they don't want to be outed in some crowded mall by a very uncool "sister" who's often way toO enthusiastic about such things.

I mean, they're not wearing "TRANNY POWER!" tee shirts with "Hi, T-girl, I'm C*A*N*D*Y" name tags, are they?

Now there's a frightening image, eh?

[Violet]

Yosemite Sams? I've had people yell 'fag' at me and once I got pulled into an alley by some a$$hole who thought he could f@$k with me just because I'm T , but I'm not sure that's what you're going for. I do tend to look at people askance when I'm dressed; it goes with the territory.

One amusing thing I've found is that often women start talking to me in this wierd, extra-loud-high-pitched voice. I'm not sure where they're coming from there but it kind've creeps me out.

[Ahzz]

Heh. Discrimination like that isn't limited to crossdressing or any kind of "off" thing in society. Once I made the mistake of not paying attention to what was going on around me in Deep Ellum (party central here in Dallas many years ago.). I found myself semi surounded by a bunch of college hicks who were taking issue with the fact that a guy had nipple rings. Long story short, I ended up having them yanked out. 8-P I like to think I got the better end of the deal because when the hick did it I just stood there and grinned like a maniac while ignoring the pain. His friends got really nervous at that point that I wasn't cowed into a quivering heap and took off. Left him behind holding a pair of rungs looking really stupid. The tears only partly closed up so now I have a notch across each nipple.

As a result of that and hearing other's stories I cam to the conclusion that I shouldn't hate or fear these types. I should pity them. Why? Because they lack the courage that most of us have to stand up and be ourselves. They are just poor fools that think the world should be plain and fit the ideals that they perceive because they merely lack the courage to be themselves.

Funny thing about cowards... They usually will run away from anything that presents a front of confidence.

[Amelie-Laveau]

I had that very thought the other night during my failed excursion.
I can walk around town as a man with confidence that the chances of getting into trouble are remote , as Merinda when that guy pulled up behind me I thought he could be a threat.
Then I thought " women must go through this all the time " .[/quote]

I have lived in some crappy neighborhoods, so I had to always be on alert no matter how I was dressed, whether it was in fem or male mode.

One night while I was club-hopping I was walking through an area frequented by streetwalkers. This car with two drunk guys pulls up along side me as I was walking. The guys asked how much for...... and they were telling me what they wanted to do to my body, some very perverted things were said. I couldn't believe what was going on, I wasn't even dressed sexy, I had a big coat and boots on, nothing special. They thought I was a street walker. They kept following me so I reversed and went back the other way, being a one way street with other cars behind them, they couldn't back up. I then saw them drive fast and turn, as if to catch up to me. I hopped in the next taxi that came along ang took it to the next club.
I relly feel sorry for GGs if this is what they have to put up with. Clorox wouldn't clean the mouths of these guys, it was unbelievable what they were saying, what they wanted to do to me. Just remembering this encounter makes me want to take a shower.