Date: Tue, 9 Jul 1996 12:10:49 GMT
Subject: CA Transsexual Expelled from Public Park
From: riki@nyc.pipeline.com (Riki Anne Wilchins)

CA Transsexual Expelled from Public Park 
================================== 
 
 
[July 6, 1997 - Sacramento, CA] 
 
On July 6th, Merrisa Leigh Coleman, a  
Sacramento-area transexual and her son, were  
harassed and expelled from "Water World", a  
local theme park open to the public. 
 
 
Confronted by a Small Army 
-------------------------- 
 
While at the park, Coleman had tried on and  
purchased a bikini at the park store. A short  
time later, she was surrounded by 3 Park  
Rangers, a Deputy Sheriff, and several park  
employees (including the park's General  
Manager).  Informed there had been a  
complaint, Coleman was questioned and forced  
to leave. 
 
The woman who lodged the complaint refused to  
give her name, and when asked by officers  
present if Coleman appeared male or female to  
her, responded " I don't know".  
 
 
We'll Have You Checked Out 
-------------------------- 
 
Referring to Coleman as "a guy in drag," the  
Deputy Sheriff also accused her of lewd  
conduct for using the Women's Room to relieve  
herself.  When informed her California  
driver's license and ID show her as female,  
he responded, "Well, we'll just take you into  
the restroom and have one of these ladies  
check you out," adding "Whoever issued you  
your driver's license didn't check you out  
good enough."   
 
The Sheriff declined to take any formal  
statements in this case, including one from  
the complainant, and no formal charges were  
filed.  The entire affair was conducted as  
publicly as possible, possibly to maximize  
Coleman's humiliation.   
 
 
Public Humiliation, Private Fears 
--------------------------------- 
 
If that was the case, it was successful.   
Stated Merrisa, "I feel humiliated and  
degraded and made to feel like a freak. This  
was done completely indiscriminately right in  
front of hundreds of people as well as my own  
son. I could have been taken aside,  
questioned in private, and asked for my ID  
and, when it showed me as female, the matter  
dropped. 
 
 "I've worked so hard to get to where I am in  
such a short time, and now I have no idea  
where I am going.  I've been having  
nightmares, nausea, lack of appetite and I'm  
terrified to be alone or even seen in public  
right now."   
 
Contacts:  
MerrisaTS@aoo.com 
GLCFWendy@aol.com 
 
[END] 
 
======================================== 
 
 
[July 6, 1997 - Sacramento, CA] 
 
On July 6th, Merrisa Leigh Coleman, a  
Sacramento-area transexual and her son, were  
harassed and expelled from "Water World", a  
local theme park open to the public. 
 
 
Confronted by a Small Army 
-------------------------- 
 
While at the park, Coleman had tried on and  
purchased a bikini at the park store. A short  
time later, she was surrounded by 3 Park  
Rangers, a Deputy Sheriff, and several park  
employees (including the park's General  
Manager).  Informed there had been a  
complaint, Coleman was questioned and forced  
to leave. 
 
The woman who lodged the complaint refused to  
give her name, and when asked by officers  
present if Coleman appeared male or female to  
her, responded " I don't know".  
 
 
We'll Have You Checked Out 
-------------------------- 
 
Referring to Coleman as "a guy in drag," the  
Deputy Sheriff also accused her of lewd  
conduct for using the Women's Room to relieve  
herself.  When informed her California  
driver's license and ID show her as female,  
he responded, "Well, we'll just take you into  
the restroom and have one of these ladies  
check you out," adding "Whoever issued you  
your driver's license didn't check you out  
good enough."   
 
The Sheriff declined to take any formal  
statements in this case, including one from  
the complainant, and no formal charges were  
filed.  The entire affair was conducted as  
publicly as possible, possibly to maximize  
Coleman's humiliation.   
 
 
Public Humiliation, Private Fears 
--------------------------------- 
 
If that was the case, it was successful.   
Stated Merrisa, "I feel humiliated and  
degraded and made to feel like a freak. This  
was done completely indiscriminately right in  
front of hundreds of people as well as my own  
son. I could have been taken aside,  
questioned in private, and asked for my ID  
and, when it showed me as female, the matter  
dropped. 
 
 "I've worked so hard to get to where I am in  
such a short time, and now I have no idea  
where I am going.  I've been having  
nightmares, nausea, lack of appetite and I'm  
terrified to be alone or even seen in public  
right now."   
 
Contacts:  
MerrisaTS@aoo.com 
GLCFWendy@aol.com 
 
[END]