Time keeps on slipping into the future.
June just zipped by, and it went so quickly, I think July got caught in the draft and was dragged along even faster. Point is, here it is August of 2006. It wasn’t all that long ago my friends were headed south for Southern Comfort.
The Southern Comfort Convention in Atlanta is just over a month away.  Hundreds upon hundreds of t-girls, transmen, and their loved ones will be converging for what is arguably the largest transgendered event in the world. (Not counting Halloween.)
And once again, I’m not going. It’s not that I’m boycotting the event, or anything like that.Â
I’ve known about SCC for probably 10 years or more. During that time, I’ve made hundreds of friends online. We’ve laughed, and cried, and confided in one another. And I don’t want to ruin those friendships by actually meeting.
You see, I’m not the person in person that I am online. In chatrooms, IM, whatnot, I’m witty, urbane, confident. In real life, I’m shy. Quiet. Not good with making eye contact. Horrible with casual conversation with strangers. And absolutely the pits when it comes to remembering people’s names.
The ‘Net has been a boon to a wallflower like me! No need to remember someone’s name: it’s printed right there in the chatroom! I don’t have to look someone in the eye, because I don’t have a webcam. And small talk? It’s all small talk in a chat room anyway.
But, if someone meets me in person, they’re going to find someone different from what they expected.  Matter of fact, they may come to the conclusion that I’m stuck up. It’s not true, but shy people often give off that vibe as a defense mechanism.
So, in the interest of preserving my online personae, and not hurting anyone, I’m not going to SCC. Better to miss out on the fun than to hurt someone because I don’t recognize someone I chatted with 3 times in 1997, or can’t remember their name.
******
By the way: if you’re going, make sure you’re dressed for the event. I have the must-have apparel at a site I’m lovingly referring to as “She-bay.”
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Ronnie Rho has been writing for Transgender Forum since May of 1999. One of these days, she'll get it right. She's been described as the "world's most famous recluse," but only by people who don't know her very well. She is unmarried, and lives in Cincinnati.Subscribe
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