Southern Comfort!

(The following was found scrawled on a cocktail napkin in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, three days after the end of Southern Comfort Convention. It’s author, believed to be Transgender Forum columnist Ronnie Rho, is still missing. We are grateful to the unidentified person who found the napkin and passed it along to us. The photos included were provided by friends attending the convention. We would appreciate if those in the Atlanta area would keep an eye out for Miss Rho. The last word we had from her was garbled and all we could make out was something about, “…gotta go…happy hour. Need another cocktail…”)
People talked about staying up until 4 or 5 in the morning, getting three hours of sleep, and starting the next day. But I didn’t believe them. No-one could maintain that kind of pace, and still function, or even look good.

But it happens. It did to me, and judging by the number of people in the lobby, it happens to a lot of others as well. I think it’s because one doesn’t want to miss a thing.

This was my first time at SCC, and from Thursday until Sunday, I believe I clocked a total of 9 hours of sleep.

But I rarely felt tired. Adrenaline will do that for you.

Who could sleep with all the movers, shakers, heavy hitters and celebrities of the transgendered community right there? Donna Rose, Mara Keisling, Jenny Boylan, Cat Turner, Julie Nemecek, Lola Cola, Vicki D’Salle, Gia Darling, and Renee Reyes were all within reach. I couldn’t help feeling like a sci-fi fan-boy who was let inside the VIP lounge at ComicCon.

There were more surgeons at SCC than at many med schools: Dr. Marci Bower, Dr. Ousterhout, Dr. Leis, Dr. Zukowski, Dr. Meltzer, Dr. Erhardt…and those are just the ones I’d heard of before.

But beyond the big names, there were friends: people I hadn’t seen in years, and people I’d never met face to face, and friends I made while there. My friend Emma warned me on the trip down that it was nearly impossible to walk across the lobby in less than an hour. Not because the lobby was that big, but because every four feet, you’d run into someone and chat.

I met TGForum fans, like Lynda Warren. At lunch on Friday, I happened to sit down next to Jillian Barfield, who I just interviewed for TGF last month. I met Kathy, who was there dressed in public for the first time. After ten years of knowing her in a chat room, Stephanie Marie of North Carolina hugged me in person.

Who would want to sleep with people like those around?

(Ed. Note: A section of the napkin report was smeared by Comopolitan dribble at this point. It resumes with the text below.)

Things kicked off, (for me anyway), with a special screening of a CNN documentary. Her Name Was Steven follows the former city manager of Largo, Florida, and his transition into Susan Stanton. Managing Editor Bud Bultman gave about 60 invited guests a sneak preview of the first ten minutes of the two-hour special, which is still being edited. Then he took to the podium for Q&A.

The show, which will air sometime in 2009, follows Stanton from childhood, to the controversial outing by the local newspaper, to the firing by city commissioners, and through transitioning. The producers talk at length not only with Susan, but with her ex-wife, son, former secretary and former co-workers, both friendly and hostile.

The segment aired at SCC was standard documentary: well done, and of special interest to us.
But, it wasn’t produced with us in mind. It is aimed toward a general audience. And the comments from the audience missed that point. Many complained that the show picks the worst case scenario of coming out and transitioning. Several people worried that such a documentary would only serve to scare and discourage closeted transgenders. They complained the focus was too narrow, highlighting just one person’s story, and wasn’t representational of the entire spectrum of the TG community. They asked that CNN show the stories of other transsexuals, and crossdressers to give a more balanced view of our world. They fretted that the program might encourage bigotry.

Poppycock.

CNN did not produce this for us. They only gave us a sneak peek out of courtesy, (because SCC is in CNN’s hometown of Atlanta) and to drum up some publicity.
And while the producers do seem to be sympathetic, they’re not “on our side.” Their goal is to be impartial storytellers. And while Susan Stanton may not be the most positive role model, (she’s made some derogatory statements that were later retracted), her story is one that many people outside the TG world have heard.

It is not CNN’s job to act as a public relations firm for us. They’re only telling a story. And whether that story has a positive impact or leaves viewers with negative impressions of us is not their concern. If we don’t like how the message is delivered, we should not shoot the messenger.

Category: Transgender Community News, Transgender Opinion