Drag Queen Floors Thugs

In Britain there is a history of men dressing up as women. This is not seen as out of the ordinary and there is nothing wrong in a man wandering around town with a dress on. Of course it also gives him the chance to try out high heels, a bra and see what its like to dance around a clutch bag at the same time.

So why?

Nowadays its normally put down to stag parties or strangely themed pub crawls but historically men have been put on women’s clothes for centuries. During Shakespeare’s era women were not allowed to perform in the theatre, so men would have to play the female roles. This has obviously changed nowadays but the spirit is still kept alive during the Christmas Pantomime season when traditionally the lead boy is played by a girl and the old dame is always a man.

In Wales between 1839 and1842 there was a popular uprising against the much hated toll roads. At this time landlords improved the road networks and to pay for them charged the public a toll. This system much hated, spawned the Rebecca Riots. Led by Twn Carnabwth and taking a passage from the bible which said

"

And they blessed Rebecca, and said unto her, Thou art our sister. Be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gates of those that hate them.”

So dressed as women they would tear down the dreaded toll gates. To this day at Welsh Rugby Internationals you will still come across beautiful, bearded Welsh ladies in honour of Rebecca.

British Comedians have always accepted that occasionally putting on a dress is a necessary part of the culture. Monty Python; as they acknowledged at the time didn’t know many women so took the female parts themselves. Eddie Izzard has taken the role of “Action Transvestite” to new levels of global acceptance, while Danny Le Rue and Dick Emery were always popular figures in the 70’s. Even contemporary comedy shows like Little Britain pay homage to this with their character Emily "I'm a Lady" Howard.

So bearing this in mind, Dean Gardener, 19 and Jason Fender, 22 of Bonymaen, should have thought twice before having a go at two transvestites in Swansea town centre one Saturday night. Unfortunately these two; who had been drinking all day and took on two men in pink wigs, mini skirts, boob tubes and high heels who were if fact cage fighters on a stag night out.

Within seconds of Gardener and Fender chasings back down Kingsway to abuse the two men they found themselves on the floor nursing sore head and bruised egos. A couple of quick punches from the girls and the boys had had enough, leaving the fighters to totter off down the road. In court both were found guilty of causing affray and sentenced to four months community order and placed under curfew.

Their defense barrister said “you know it can not have been a good night when you get into a fight with two cross-dressing men”.

Perhaps this is the way forward for Community Policing