Atlanta's Bright Lights

Oh My God!!!! I feel like a teenage fan, screaming at just the sight of her biggest idols. OK, meeting Jennifer Boylan and Donna Rose was like the most fab thing I have ever gotten to do. The only level of excitement in my life that could match this is the half hour I got to chat with Bob Hope back in 1979. He was doing a benefit and the Army Band I was stationed with was asked to be his back up band; I’m sure that Mr. Schultz, the Warrant Officer, probably met him in Vietnam and was able to pull a few strings. I know, I Know---that was a long time ago, but to hear him talk about his many years doing USO shows for the soldiers who were serving our nation overseas during the holidays was awesome and humbling. And he was a lot shorter that I thought he was.
Anyway, getting to meet and talk with Jennifer and Donna was the highlight of the week for me. Kay and I thought that Jenny was a hoot during her ‘reading session’ and we thought how awesome it would be to attend one of her college lectures, (I’ve got a great picture of them together). As this was our first time going to Southern Comfort, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I got an eye full. We had opportunities to hear great presentations and forceful and exciting speakers during lunch times, (go to Kay’s links in her post). If you need a spiritual and emotional lift to step out of the closet, then come and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the next conference.
What blew Kay and I away was the number of young people who were there with their partners. How courageous and yet normal they were. It was awesome to hear how they are stepping up and out and as advocates, pushing Universities to treat everyone with dignity and respect for who they are. Pushing for appropriate dorm rooms, pushing for policy change by just standing up for themselves and being recognized as trans students. We met some wonderful people just having a chance to be true to themselves; lots of happy sisters their partners and a few angry significant others.
As people who didn’t party too much, Kay and I were in our rooms each night at a reasonable hour. Overall I would encourage sisters to go to one of the trans gatherings near you; and have a good time. You’ll be overwhelmed by the love of new friends that are ready to help you have a great week.