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Passing in a Den of Rednecks

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  • Has anyone else here walked into a den of rednecks and passed without any difficulty? I did today, and it sure felt good.

    Of course, since I have gone full-time and I have put a lot of work into my voice and appearance, I seldom have trouble passing. But it was a bit of a rush going into redneck territory and passing just fine.

    Here are the details. I went to the gun show today. This is not the first time I have been there dressed (the first time I was more nervous and was definitely not as good at this yet) but this time I took a concealed carry class that was offered on the premises. I was the only woman in the class, and the other attendees ranged from "typical" men who like guns to some who seemed like they might be a little scary. Interacting with the instructor and the class, I saw no sign that anyone read me. The instructor even explained to me some of the best ways for ladies to handle semi-automatic handguns. (I am a revolver girl, so my familiarity with semi-automatics isn't that good.) Tomorrow, I will be going back to the gun show; today, I didn't get enough time to look around, so I will have another opportunity to test my ability to pass in public. (Naturally, I saw a nice-looking flintlock rifle which I probably don't need but want really bad. If I am lucky, maybe it will sell before I get back to it! I should buy a little concealable revolver instead.)

    Don't try this unless you are confident you will pass!

    Heather H.
    It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
      April 18, 2004 1:28 AM BST
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  • I went back to the gun show today and, as yesterday, I passed just fine. I bought the flintlock rifle, and I also got kits to build a duckfoot pistol (a pistol with three barrels sticking out at different angles which fire all at once) and a two-shot "snake eyes" pistol with side-by-side barrels. As far as I could tell, none of the dealers I talked to had any idea of my "different" nature. With these new purchases, I now have 19 guns (9 of which are black powder weapons). When I find a good concealable revolver, it will bring the total to an even 20.

    I was temped again; one dealer had three antique blunderbusses. I have always wanted one of those. (For people who aren't familiar with the term, a blunderbuss is a gun with a funnel-shaped barrel. They were the shotguns of their day.) Unfortunately, they cost $2000 and up. Maybe I should look for a modern replica.

    I am not surprised that many of the gun-toting rednecks in your area get drunk when they go shooting. Some people around here do that. I really wish people wouldn't - it is extremely dangerous. When I am in the desert with my guns and I want to have a few drinks, the guns go into their cases before the bottles are opened. (And I don't drink skunk pee; usually I bring a nice bottle of wine.)

    I guess I have proven that I can pass in the presence of rednecks, but I certainly don't fit well into their culture. I share their interest in guns, but the common ground ends there. However, I wonder how many of them crossdress in secret.

    Heather H.
    It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
      April 19, 2004 12:30 AM BST
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  • Some of them may well have thought I was a lesbian (and they would be right) but many women around here (including, but not limited to, lesbians) are into guns, so they may not have made the connection. Also, I don't fit the "butch lesbian" stereotype. But it would be interesting to know what the rednecks were thinking. Maybe one or more of them read me and thought, "I wish I had the guts to do that!" I bet some of the hillbillies in your area crossdress, but they must be scared to death of the possibility that their secret may get out.

    That old flintlock you mention sounds neat; I would love to have an antique like that, but I wouldn't dare fire it. Good modern working replicas cost about $200. One of the dealers told me that an antique store in Layton, Utah had an antique matchlock musket last time he was there. I should drive up there; I would love to see that.

    Yes, I am a collector. It is an addictive disease - I can't stop. Because of this, I have to rent a 1000-square-foot 2-bedroom apartment, and it is packed full, and I live alone. I even sleep on a hide-a-bed in the living room because the bedrooms are full of stuff. One day, I made the mistake of going to an antique store and I came home with an old rusty anvil. Now that is something I need like a hole in the head! (But now that I have it, I would never want to part with it.) As I am sure you can imagine, I collect clothing as well. I don't have to wear the same outfit twice in two or three months if I don't want to. Guns are nothing compared to some of my other collecting obsessions.

    Be careful around those rednecks.

    Heather H.
    It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
      April 20, 2004 1:51 AM BST
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  • After all of these years, I still don't own a revolver. All of my handguns are semi-auto pistols, and all but one are single-action. Maybe someday I'll get a nice little S&W Model 500.
      April 20, 2004 1:57 AM BST
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  • This thread seemed to have more to do with gun-powder than face-powder, but I thought I'd share a little insight from a "damn Yankee" perspective. Here in Chicago we have MORE than our share of guns and rednecks, not necessarily in that order. I have been "out" for more years than I care to admit, but I'm not exactly "full-time". At 6ft,3in (before heels), I do not delude myself into thinking that I don't get "read" at least some of the time, but I have been told that I present a fairly passable image when I'm sitting down. This has been a major boost to both my ego and my self-confidence, so I go pretty much any-damn-where I please with no problems. Now, I'm sure that the tolerance level in Chicago, or for that matter, any MAJOR city is going to be a whole lot higher than it is in some of the more rural areas. The point is, as long as you remember the "fundamentals", you can expand your feminine "horizons" and increase your social options as well as your own level of comfort with the inevitable (for most) event of getting "clocked". The "fundamentals" can mostly be summed up as; "if you look like a lady, ACT like a lady". Pay attention to the little details, like how you WALK, and how you TALK, and how you SIT, and how you EAT and DRINK. After that, it's all about ATTITUDE! Although, I guess being a good shot doesn't hurt either. Anyway, if anybody out there finds themselves headed up Windy City way, feel free to drop me a line. I'll be happy to play "tour guide" Bye for now... Cyndi
    all respect, no restraint --- Cyndi Richards
      April 20, 2004 11:42 PM BST
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  • Well...we have tall girls in this country. My sisterĀ“s daughter is 195cm (count that in feet plus inches!), so I with my modest 186cm am not at all among the tallest . But if you are tall and FAT, that is ugly.

    Laura
      April 21, 2004 12:04 PM BST
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