Fun at Southern Comfort 2014

This was my very first Southern Comfort Conference and SCC certainly did not disappoint, as attendees received a wonderful dose of “Southern Hospitality.” The conference attracted transgender friends from across the nation, as attendees from California, Seattle, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Georgia (of course), and Florida (even from Norway) to name just a few, all gathered to rekindle or establish loving and supportive relationships.

Flying in from Philadelphia Thursday afternoon, I unfortunately missed many of the sessions that day, including an appearance by Lady Valor, Kristin Beck. The sessions I attended Friday and Saturday were informative,well planned and presented. The conference targets transgendered of all ages and the SCC committee did a marvelous job.

And Social Events? Karaoke every night! A 23 piece Big Band (jazz/swing) following Friday night’s dinner; a Casino Night; Busses to a dance club, The Jungle, that same evening; Saturday afternoon’s pool party was “Hotlanta” in more ways than one!; followed by a Georgia St. University produced Fashion Show early evening; then a Happy Hour (music by the duo “trans-sister radio”), lastly the evening’s Gala dinner and dancing to a fantastic band.

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The keynote speakers at Thursday’s and Friday’s meals were emotional and energizing. Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) passionately pledged, to increase the HRC’s support of the “T” in LBGT. Christina Kahrl, ESPN Sports Editor and Baseball Sports Writer, described the challenges that we all face to be accepted for our “true gender,” and the successes that can be ours. Jamison Green, President of WPATH expressed his tremendous appreciation and honor to be allowed to serve our community.

The convention’s controversy, a rumor later confirmed, was that the SCC was going to move for the very first time, from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale in 2015. Many attendees drive to SCC, carpooling anywhere from 10 to 13 hours to Atlanta, so a move another 6-7 hours south, certainly was a cause for concern for many in attendance.

At Saturday evening’s gala dinner, the SCC Board confirmed the move for 2015-2018. They explained how attendance at the gala dinner had declined from over 600 in 2011 to approximately 300 this year; how the city of Fort Lauderdale, arguably the LGBT capital of the USA, had been lobbying SCC for a year to move there, and was making it financially attractive to do so; how the Fort Lauderdale Convention Bureau would “market the SCC worldwide”; and how the SCC planned to expand programs to transgendered youth, to the underserved Hispanic and Latin communities of the Southeast, and to the world. It was a very convincing argument.

With Saturday night’s dancing at an end, attendees gathered back at the hotel bar/lounge, exhausted certainly, but quietly enjoying each other’s company — until we see each other once again.

By Christine Zee

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Category: Transgender Community News, Transgender Fun & Entertainment