I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota and the resources listed here are based in my area.
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are commonly referred to as the Twin Cities and I think it’s a wonderful place to live. I’ve been all over the Twin Cities and I’ve always had a wonderful time. I think overall it’s a safe place for a t-girl to go. Whether you are visiting the area for a weekend or have lived here all your life, I think you’ll have a wonderful time en femme in Minnesota.
One of the most common search term people use to find my site are the phrases “crossdresser friendly businesses” or “transfriendly businesses”. In my experience, every business I’ve been to has been friendly to me. I’ve rarely had a bad experience in my adventures. Overall, I think almost every store is transfriendly if they are just simply…friendly.
The thought of being transfriendly is not up to the store, it’s up to the individual sales clerk and cashier. I’m sure if you asked any major department store if they were transfriendly they’d all say they were because we spend money just as much (maybe even more) as anyone else. Target’s culture is, for the part, is very inclusive and queer friendly but that doesn’t mean the cashier at the check out will be.
If you ask anyone who works at a store they will likely tell you that they see men shop for dresses and skirts and everything else all the time. They will also tell you that a few of them are creepy. I’m sure every store has creepy customers. When you go shopping, be friendly and smile and don’t waste their time whether you are en femme or in male mode. I think this applies everywhere. I’ve been out shopping for a very long time and I’ve almost always had wonderful customer service if I am polite. Again, don’t be creepy. I know it’s scary to buy clothes the first times but be brave, be friendly and be honest. You will learn so much more about clothes and be able to buy the right ones so much faster if you tell the clerk you are shopping for yourself. Whether you are en femme or in male mode, you will not be the first or the last person like you in that store. If the person is rude, leave and take your business elsewhere.
There’s no store (as far as I know) that specifically tells their staff to be rude to transgender people. Stores want your money, sales people want their commission and cashiers are paid to be polite. If you have a bad experience, send the store an email or talk to the manager. I would love to be able to say that a particular chain or a small boutique is always going to be amazing but that’s not true. Stores are employed by people who either are comfortable with us or aren’t.
We will always encounter people who are not thrilled to see us but in my experience those people are pretty rare as long as I am acting like a lady.
I also recommend you download the Refugee Restroom app to your phone. This app provides safe restroom access for transgender, intersex, and gender nonconforming individuals. Users can search for restrooms by proximity to a search location, add new restroom listings, as well as comment and rate existing listings.
Hannah McKnight 