Keystone Come and Gone

Donna Rose at the podium.

Was it a dream?

Deadlines suck sometimes. Somehow, I must try to make sense of an event from which I have returned and not even unpacked. Everything is still swirling in my head and will take more time to sort out than my sweaters!

The Third Annual Keystone Conference was March 10-12 at the Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey. The first year there were maybe 75 attendees. Last year, 200ish. I don’t have numbers this year, but we had over 300 hotel rooms. So even with one person per room, it was a steep increase.

Quick impressions:

• Food was amazing. Staci Hack (a TG from Baltimore and a chef) planned the menus and it was so much better than standard conference food.

• Talks by Donna Rose and Mara Keisling were inspiring as always.

• Trips to casino (I won $20!) and downtown Harrisburg were fun (except when I fell getting off the bus and smashed my knee. OW!)

• This year, we shared the hotel with the wrestler’s parents (again) and with a wedding reception on Saturday night. Aside from the usual inquisitive looks and an occasional laugh, everything went smoothly. Some of the “others” were openly inquisitive and asked good questions.

• There were some college students in from Los Angeles doing to survey on trans-people. I completed it and they also photographed my hands. One of the nights they came out clubbing with us. They were up bright and perky the next morning while my old butt was hung-over and dragging. Youth is wasted on the young!

• I gave a seminar myself on Writing TG Fiction. I had 9 people total attend and I’m told they loved it. I sure did. It was lots of fun and I got to wear my new suit! When the seminar began, I asked everyone to “tell their life story in only six words.” I used “Batteries not included, some assembly required.”

• I met so many wonderful new people! I can’t begin to name them all! I hope I left a good impression. Or at least no evidence!

This was yet another triumph for Jeanine and Kristy (the organizers for TransCentral.) Another job well done — laurels and hardy handshakes all around!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It seems that the more time I spend as Sophie, the more I am Sophie. If that makes sense. I felt confident as a woman, and I felt it shining from me.

All that said, I need a nap and then there’s that mountain of laundry…

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Category: Transgender Community News