After SCC comes Keystone in Harrisburg?

[jennysueaz]

I came out in public for the first time at Southern Comfort Conference in Atlanta September 2013. I must say this was a very enlightening experience. I have never felt so comfortable and amongst friends as I did at SCC. This community is powerful.

I had my wife and best friend alongside me at the start, she met several ladies and significant others and developed several friendships and shortly went around on her own. We both came away with a better understanding of this community, as well as some questions.

I am a crossdresser I do not wish to transition into a woman. This is her biggest fear. We met several who consider themselves crossdressers and many more who are in transition. The conference was sponsored by several of the country's best plastic surgeons specializing in male to female surgery. This is a big part of our community and it pays for a significant part of the convention. This was the area which raised many of her concerns. It appeared to her that everyone was looking to make the change. I reassured her that I am not.

We enjoyed the conference and attended many of the social outings around the Atlanta area. It is an experience every CD, TG, TS should enjoy. I am going to start attending the local Cincinnati area support group Crossport, meetings and social activities. Crossport separates the different levels of transgender into different group meetings with one night for CD and a separate night for TS. They hold two social functions a month in which all levels for TG get together and relax and enjoy an outing. I am looking forward to this new experience and hoping for my wife to be comfortable.

One comment I heard form most attendees at SCC was that the Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, PA in March 2014 is more geared to CD'ers than TS looking to transition. They said the topics at the seminars are varied and provide a good representation for all Transgendered at all levels, including being a CD'er. I fell this is a move inviting environment for bringing my wife along. Any thoughts from anyone who has been to both?

I enjoy being Jenny and I want my wife there with me.

[Rhonda Darling]

Jenny:

Glad you made your debut at SCC. I've not been there, but did make a debut at Keystone this past spring. My SO went with me and we had a great time. There's nothing like being surrounded by a huge group of great women to pump up the pink fog and keep it rolling in.

While I can't compare SCC and Keystone, I can tell you that Keystone has a lot of programs of general interest to us vanilla CDs. The pace is a bit hectic as the programs are plentiful and they cram a lot of them into the few days we have together. Absolutely! worth going. While I've been CD my whole life, I've only really had the nerve to be out in the world as Rhonda going about my business with comfort since early 2012. For Keystone I pulled up my big girl panties and was en femme for the entire drive from DC area to Harrisburg, then all week at the conference, then for the drive home. It was amazing!

Building on that confidence, I've now flown en femme a few times, and gotta say I'm lovin' it.

Do sign up for the 2014 Keystone and bring your spouse. There were many there end they all seemed to have a good time hanging with us gals.

All the best, Rhonda

[Terri Andrews]

The Keystone conference is a great experence , if you are interested in going ,please check on it because the Hotel is filling up fast .

[NathalieX66]

Southern Comfort Conference was a blast this year, I was there for the second time. Keystone conference is just as much fun, and closer to where I live too!

These conferences are great experiences for newcomers, and are wonderful opportunities for making new friends and acquaintances, that's what they're all about.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I'm a part time CD (only) in a committed relationship with my SO. I've gone to Keystone for the last two years. I'd like to give a big shout out to Rhonda and Nathalie, both of whom I hung out with at Keystone 2013 (and 2012 with Nathalie). I can assure you that we don't get different color badges, so you need to get to know someone to determine if they are CD or TS. I met a lot of girls who were CD, another bunch who were TS, and many more that I didn't ask.

Except for Saturday morning, there were seminars for each session that were applicable to CD or TS, or both. For example, Learning your feminine voice could be useful for a CD who wanted to pass better while interacting with the world while dressed, or for the TS who wants her voice to match her new body.

So, was I comfortable as a CD? Very much so. I met a lot of people like me, a lot of people in whom I admired and applauded their transition plans, and even some SOs who were learning to live with their CD SO, or even their TS SO.

I even met a few FtMs

So, my answer is yes, but your milage may vary.

[Angela Campbell]

At SCC I figure that the CD's outnumbered the TS girls about 3 to 1 there. (perhaps even more than that) Yes there were a lot of seminars that were aimed at TS girls, and that seems to be a lot more then the ones aimed at the cd. Maybe there were just fewer topics and presenters available for the more cd subjects. I wonder. The vendor area was almost entirely aimed at the cd although I did spend a bundle there too. The biggest thing was the socialization, it was aimed at every living soul and it didn't matter who or what you are.

The only bad thing I can say about the whole thing was the elevators, lol.