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arrested on morals charges, could risk that sort of
procedure. They bundled themselves off to any of the
cities where drag was still wide open, Chicago, San
Francisco, New Orleans and, for a time, New York.

Today, there are not a half dozen good drag
shows in the country, and homosexuals have them-
selves to blame. But outlawing the performances has
not dimmed the enthusiasm of deviates to dress up
in women’s clothes. I am speaking only of homo-
sexuals as distinguished from transvestites. They
will be dealt with in another section.

Even before female impersonation dlsmtegrated
most states and local communities carried statutes
forbidding men to dress up as women in public.

In most large cities the law is relaxed on Hallo-
ween which, traditionally, is a day for masquerade.
At the most respectable of parties, it is not uncom-
mon for men to dress up as women.

These affairs, however, are a far cry from the
drag parties held in huge dance halls in the big
cities. Tickets are expensive in view of value re-
ceived. Five to ten dollars is the usual bite just to
enter the drab establishments, cheaply decorated
with bunting, balloons and streamers. Whisky sells
~at $20 a bottle and single drinks cost $1.50 and

upward. :