Innocuous

In the past, men dressing up as women on television or stage and even the female impersonation circuit was tolerated and even celebrated. For one thing, it was considered harmless and viewed as innocuous enough with either humor or admirable imitation as primary objectives. It didn't affect regular people enough to be considered threatening for it was sufficiently boxed in and contained. 

Major television stars such as Milton Berle and Flip Wilson regaled in frocks for laughs while at the same time you also had Le Carousel in Paris produce lavish shows where the performers were often indistinguishable from genetic women. Many of them, such as April Ashley, were already in hiding and under various stages of medical transition before being thrust into the spotlight as transsexuals.

As gender variance moved slowly into mainstream society suddenly a threat was introduced because lines were suddenly blurred and considered a challenge to social norms. It was fine when a few cases transitioned as novelties or performers dressed up on stage, but now there was an infectious disease which, according  to conservatives, threatened to spread like homosexuality had. Never mind that the suppressed instincts of a small percentage of the population had always existed. 

But if we now remove from our calculation people who are gender variant for reasons outside of a conflict of core gender identity, we are left with about 1% of the population. If we then consider those among this tiny group who medically transition, we are left with an even smaller number still. 

Imagine all the fuss over that.

Let's just say that over estimating human intelligence would be a grave mistake.