Texas Lingerie Store Caught Off-Guard by Trans Customer

Last Saturday transgender woman Kylie Jack went to Austin intimate apparel shop Petticoat Fair in hopes of being fitted for a bra. According to Jack, an employee at the store — which offers a personal fitting service — humiliated her by asking for an ID listing her as female. Unable to provide such documentation, Jack says she was denied service, as the employee told her the shop was unable to assist her.

Jack vented about the experience on her Facebook page and began exchanging posts with the shop:

Over the course of that Facebook conversation, Jack posted a list of possible remedies that Petticoat Fair could adopt.

After an initially ham-handed response, shop personnel began to demonstrate an understanding and willingness to educate themselves on trans issues, seeking solutions that would allow them to properly serve all clients with respect and dignity.

“I’m fairly privileged to be in a city like Austin,” Jack tells The Advocate. “For the most part, I can get through my days without harassment for being visibly trans. Sometimes I just get misgendering, but I’ve been nonconsensually photographed and groped. I’ve never experienced discrimination before at a business — I have had no issues at Nordstrom, Marshall’s, or Zara.”

Asked why she decided to share her experience at Petticoat Fair on her social media channels, she explains that there are really two reasons behind it: a need for emotional support and to help educate others.

“When I do experience transphobia, I post these experiences to Twitter and Facebook for two reasons,” she says. “One, I get a tremendous amount of emotional support from transgender friends who have shared experiences. Two, it serves as education for cis [nontrans] allies and friends who aren’t necessarily familiar with transgender issues.”

Jack says that she’s since met with the store’s owner, who seemed well-meaning, but, by Jack’s estimation, still had some growing to do on the issue.

“I met with the owner of Petticoat Fair,” Jack continues. “He sincerely apologized to me in a face-to-face meeting. He explained the conflicts he sees in trying to make a more inclusive policy. While he did offer me a fitting, my options were either outside of normal business hours or when one of the main fitting areas was not in use.

“I declined because I could not in good conscience accept treatment that continued to ‘other’ me and that didn’t help other trans people in my community,” Jack says. “He seems committed to working with transgender groups to make changes, but only time and action will tell. At this time, I am still waiting for the store to issue a formal public apology to the Austin transgender community.”

When reached for comment, store owner Kirk Andrews clarified several points.

“We’ve already come a long way since that first [response on Facebook] and understand that trans women are women,” Andrews tells The Advocate. “We’re now working to educate ourselves and to thoughtfully craft a policy that is sensitive to the needs of all of our customers, including trans people, and our employees.”

Andrews admits that the store simply hadn’t encountered this type of scenario before, and as a business, was caught off-guard.

“Because our approach is always customized to each person’s needs, we haven’t had a fully articulated policy in the area,” he says. “Now that we understand that we need one, we are working on it, and are making it a priority. It will take some time.”

While many businesses have unknowingly interacted with trans customers before, some have been caught in the same position, unsure of how to handle some of the more unique situations that may arise when it comes to trans people. In the case of Austin’s Petticoat Fair, however, this unfortunate situation could ideally result in a more knowledgable, welcoming, and trans-accommodating shopping experience for all customers.

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Fourth of July Parades Include Diverse Themes

 

Varying themes give each parade a unique spin on the holiday. (Thinkstock)

Parades marking the 238th anniversary of the nation’s independence will be held Friday throughout Los Angeles County with themes inspired by such diverse sources as “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Star Wars.” 

Recently appointed Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr will be the grand marshal of the 66th annual Pacific Palisades Fourth of July Parade, which is set to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunset Boulevard, between Via de la Paz and Drummond Street.

Kerr was raised in Pacific Palisades and graduated from Palisades High School. His mother still lives in the community and annually hosts Fourth of July parties for visiting foreign exchange students, parade organizer Richard Wilken told City News Service.

The parade’s theme is “Star-Spangled Palisades.” Kim Traenkle, who submitted the winning entry, said it was inspired by her daughter Jacquie’s learning the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Westchester’s 15th annual Fourth of July Parade is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will be held along Loyola Boulevard from Westchester Park to Loyola Marymount University. The parade’s theme is “Love My America!” which will be represented by all 50 entries, according to Christina Davis, the president and CEO of the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the parade. KABC-TV Channel 7 anchor Jovana Lara, a Loyola Marymount graduate, will be the grand marshal.

Santa Monica’s eighth annual Fourth of July parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Main Street and Pico Boulevard. Its theme is “May the 4th Be With You!”

San Gabriel’s 4th of July Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Plaza Park, in front of the San Gabriel Mission, then head north through the Mission district, continue east on Broadway and conclude at Smith Park.

The Valley Village Homeowners Association Fourth of July Parade will begin at Colfax Elementary School at 10 a.m. and conclude at Valley Village Park, where the association will provide corn dogs, watermelon, cold drinks and cupcakes. The parade is billed as a “red, white and blue celebration” where residents are encouraged to create their own floats and displays.

The 11th annual Great American Kids’ Bike Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at 1 Granada Ave. on the beach bike path in Long Beach. Long Beach police Chief Jim McDonnell, a candidate for Los Angeles County sheriff, is among the expected guests.

Sierra Madre’s 4th of July Parade will include children on decorated bicycles, classic cars and the band from The Gooden School. The 1.3-mile two- hour parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the corner of Sierra Madre Boulevard and Sunnyside Avenue, and travel the length of Sierra Madre Boulevard to Sierra Vista Park.

Husband-and-wife Pat and De Alcorn will be the grand marshal. Pat serves on the Community Services Commission, the 4th of July Committee, Sierra Madre Civic Club and Friends of the Library.

Other parade participants include Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Rep. Judy Chu, D-San Gabriel, and Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena.

Rosemead’s parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Muscatel Avenue and Valley Boulevard and will include floats, bands, dignitaries and classic cars.

The Sunland-Tujunga Independence Day parade is set to begin at 10 a.m. at Foothill Boulevard and Mt. Gleason Avenue, head west along Foothill Boulevard and end at Sunland Park. Its theme is “Celebrating Arts in the Foothills.”

The Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association 4th of July Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Warner Avenue School and conclude in Holmby Park.

South Pasadena’s 32nd annual Festival of Balloons Fourth of July Parade will have the theme “The Y… Serving Our Community for 100 Years.” It will begin at 11 a.m. at the South Pasadena Library.

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