The 1996 edition of the Southern Comfort Gender Conference was held at the Holiday Inn Central in beautiful midtown Atlanta last weekend, and proved to be as varied and interesting as the delegates, and as educational and fun packed as the program promised.
Bringing together some of the most well respected members of the Gender Community and its professional allies, Southern Comfort this year was well attended by MtFs, FtMs, Dress-for-Funners, partners and friends alike.
As only my third visit to a Gender Conference, all of those being this particular one, I cannot begin to make comparisons with the many others that seem to happen all over the country. However, judging by the home cities emblazoned on the name badges of many of the, seemingly, repeat visitors, it is obviously one of the best.
For me, like with most things in life, the best thing about it was... and here's that great word... CHOICE!
Throughout the three day program I felt that, not only was I among a group where I felt, for once, in the majority; but that I could pretty much do and learn about whatever I wanted. I chose to take in two or three seminars - everything from plastic surgery to understanding transgenderism in the Christian context, from Make-Up techniques from the ubiquitous Jim Bridges to Hormone Therapy from TGF's friend, Dr Sheila Kirk.
At the same time I could have been spending my money at one of the excellently guided Mall visits or getting my fill of the sugar water at the shrine to Big Red - The World of Coke Museum.
I also walked the floor of the small but varied Vendor Fair (when what I should have been doing was resting my feet to alleviate the hours of heel wearing) and had an instant computer portrait taken and checked out the fantastic new technique offered by Electrolysis 2000.
Of course there were wrinkles and moments that made one want to cringe - I guess I should expect at least one rendition of "I Enjoy Being a Girl" at every Transgender Karaoke night, and there were some puzzled faces at Jim Bridges Fashion Show. Jim had explained that although his 1997 collection consisted of Classy, Flashy and Trashy, sadly his Classy line had gone missing in transit - you can just see those Delta baggage handlers squeezing into the Cherry Red career suits. The confusion (for me at least) came when we got to see the outfits and in deciding, without benefit of Jim's advice, which were Flashy and which were just plain old Trashy. Does the Leopard Skin without the back, denote Trashy, as opposed to the Flashy-ness of the Leopard Skin with the back but without the black net sleeves - I left the show to smoke - much befuddled. I am glad though that the former lay preacher got to take home the Green Spandex Tube Dress in the prize draw - even though she was outside at the time, presumably inhaling too.
Talent was in abundance, from the excellent models culled by Jim from the delegates, to the awe inspiring array at the Friday Night talent show. As if our eyes weren't moist enough from the heart rending performance of "The Rose" we giggled with equal enthusiasm at Jamie Ward's "...you might be transgendered" routine.
But perhaps the best 'overheard' was one in the bar. Attempting to help one of the hotel staff clear the way in order to push through the crowd with a table for the Karaoke set-up, one helpful soul - presumably in a throw-back to her navy days shouted out "Hey there - Gangway... make a hole!...."
We had three people sign up on the spot.
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