Wardrobe Ruling In 'Exotic Case'

Gender identity won't be on trial this June in Twin Falls County but it is difficult for many to believe otherwise.

If you haven't been following the story of Nastaran, or legally Majid, Kolestani, a transgender Iranian refugee accused in the shooting death of the man with whom she shared an apartment in Twin Falls, get caught up here.  As PrideDEPOT boiled down the story back in March:

A request for a change in venue was denied in a murder trial that spotlights gender identity, ethnic diversity, media bias, and uncomfortable issues all contained within a predominately conservative community.

Predominately conservative indeed.

Jurors in Twin Falls County will come from the same group of citizens who hear a rightwing radio host describe LGBT people "vile" and "cockroaches." This is also the same location where gays and lesbians had to fight to be seen in a county parade, and were only reluctantly permitted to participate as long as they didn’t "appear" gay.

Now from the Times-News comes the latest:  "Kolestani can dress as woman, judge rules."

Prosecutors did not have a problem with Kolestani's May 1 request to wear "street clothing appropriate for a female, including female upper body undergarments" during court hearings.  Judge Randy Stoker ruled Kolestani's court clothes must "comply with the Courthouse dress code and must be such as to comply with any requirements of court security," according to court papers filed Tuesday.

Quite an enlightened ruling from Judge Stoker, perhaps realizing that enforcing some gender-specific dress code for Kolestani would be setting a ludicrous nightmare of a precedent.  At what point does such enforcement stop?  Would it have led to undergarment security checks at the courthouse entrance?  Absurd.  As is the Times-News making a point to include the specifics of the request in their report.  (Then again, the T-N editor has made a point of defending the paper's insistence on using male pronouns for her, even calling the case "exotic.")  That the defense felt it necessary to make such a request says something about the territory in which Twin Falls County finds itself.  That Stoker still feels Kolestani can get a fair trial in this county, something else.