Arresting Dress: Cross-Dressing, Law, and Fascination in Nineteenth-Century San Francisco

Arresting Dress examines cross-dressing laws and gender nonconformity in San Francisco during the mid-to-late 1800s. Through analysis of police records, newspaper accounts, and city ordinances, Clare Sears documents how anti-cross-dressing laws were used to control public spaces and enforce gender boundaries in the growing frontier city. The book traces the complex intersections of gender presentation, race, class, and municipal power during this pivotal period of San Francisco's development. Sears examines the ways these laws impacted both the everyday lives of individuals and broader social structures in the American West. The narrative moves between specific cases of arrests and broader cultural phenomena, including the gold rush era, immigration patterns, and entertainment venues. Primary sources reveal how gender nonconformity generated both fascination and fear among San Francisco residents. This historical examination raises enduring questions about the regulation of gender expression, the use of law enforcement to shape social norms, and the role of clothing in defining citizenship and belonging. The book contributes to conversations about gender, power, and public space that remain relevant to contemporary urban life.

Readers appreciate the book's detailed archival research and its examination of how cross-dressing laws impacted marginalized communities beyond gender nonconforming people. Multiple reviewers note the clear connections drawn between historical discrimination and present-day issues. Readers highlight the accessible academic writing style and thorough documentation of primary sources, particularly newspaper accounts and police records. Several reviewers mention the effective use of specific case studies and individuals' stories. Some readers found the theoretical framework sections dense and challenging to follow. A few reviewers wanted more personal narratives and firsthand accounts from the people affected by these laws. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.14/5 (56 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (11 ratings) Sample review: "The archival work is impressive and the argument compelling. Especially strong in showing how anti-cross-dressing laws were used to police race, class and sexuality as well as gender." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌉 San Francisco passed its anti-cross-dressing law in 1863, making it one of the earliest U.S. cities to explicitly criminalize wearing clothing associated with the opposite gender 👔 The law remained on San Francisco's books until 1974, though enforcement declined significantly after World War II 📚 Author Clare Sears is an Associate Professor of Sociology & Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University, bringing both historical and sociological perspectives to the research 🗞️ Many arrested individuals were publicly humiliated through newspaper coverage that used sensationalized headlines and mocking language to describe their appearance and behavior 🏛️ The anti-cross-dressing laws were part of a broader set of municipal codes aimed at "cleaning up" San Francisco's Barbary Coast district, which also targeted fortune-tellers, prostitutes, and other "undesirable" elements of society