Defending His Right To Wear Women’s Clothes (Press, 15 October 1964)
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Summary: Defending His Right To Wear Women’s Clothes (Press, 15 October 1964)
On 14 October 1964, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) stepped in to champion the rights of John Miller, a 58-year-old man arrested for wearing women’s clothing. Miller, also referred to as Joan Miller, was apprehended in March while dressed in a brown two-piece women's suit, high heels, a fur cape, along with a wig and make-up. He was charged with vagrancy, a law underpinned by a section of an 1845 Vagrancy Act originally aimed at thwarting anti-rent movements by criminalising disguise among protesters. During the court proceedings, police described Miller's attire in detail while he maintained a letter from a psychiatrist that identified him as a transvestite. Following a two-day sentence in a workhouse, Miller appealed the conviction. The NYCLU entered the case as a "friend of the court," arguing against the misuse of the law to persecute individuals for their choices in lifestyle or expression. They contended that the legislation was not intended to apply to Miller's situation, given its historical context. The appeal is scheduled to be heard by the State Supreme Court next month, as the issue of personal rights and expressions in the face of antiquated laws comes to the forefront of legal debate.
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