[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I thought this scene was distressing to read too, as an implied method of assault and humiliation. I think it served both purposes, a convenient plot move for Emily to need a place to stay and historical context. After that scene, I did my own research on the three-article rule and how it was used by police.

Originally Posted by Victoria

I did too, as I had never heard of it. As you say, it was humiliating, dehumanizing, and a licence to assault people(emphasis mine). It made me think about how cross-dressing would have been quite a courageous form of political resistance; something I’d never considered before.

Originally Posted by gmw

Apparently the three piece rule wasn't enacted in law anywhere, but the term was widely used. You can read more about it here: How Dressing in Drag Was Labeled a Crime in the 20th Century. A quote from that article:

It was a yet another reminder, if we needed one, that the police have never been the champions of minority populations, and have used their power to abuse, assault, degrade and, as we've seen of late, kill minority populations. With, until now, impunity. (I'd go on, but we'd end up in P&R, so I'll leave it there.)