flatlander_48
06-10-2015, 07:15 PM
I've been a member of our LGBT employee affinity group at work for almost 12 years. We have had a signature event every October since 2003. Originally we would show a documentary and invite the person who did the project to speak and conduct a Q&A after the showing. Sometimes when the producer or director was not available, we invited someone who was involved in doing activist work on the topic. I was out of the country for many of these, but some of the programs were:
a documentary on same-sex marriage, Robyn Ochs talked and led the discussion
DADT in the military, retired Naval Officer Joan Darrah and her partner Lynn Kennedy talked and led the discussion
a documentary on retirement for the LGBT population (can't remember who the film maker was)
However, it became increasingly difficult to work out the logistics around showing films due to selling distribution rights to their films and in turn, that would have forced us to pay fees more than the budget we had to work with. So, 6 years ago we switched to an entertainment format that we could afford. The event has basically turned into a comedy night and we have had Suzanne Westenhoefer (twice), Alec Mapa from Ugly Betty, Marga Gomez and regional hit, The Calamari Sisters. This October, our featured entertainer will be Ian Harvie of Transparent (among other things). He will also do a Q&A after his stand-up routine. Ian is one of a growing number of transgender folks doing stand-up in recent times.
So, how does this relate to me? I am on the planning committee this year. A month ago during one of our committee meetings, I volunteered to be the MC for the event with one stipulation: that I do it as DeeAnn. The 3 other committee members thought this would be a really good idea and that is seems very appropriate, given who is going to be our entertainer.
Today was our first general body meeting since the committee meeting. We had 14 people in the room and 2 call-ins. What I said was that folks in the group know that I identify as bisexual. But, what they didn't know was that I also identify was transgender. As such, I volunteered to be the MC for the uncoming event, but with the intent that I was planning to be dressed as my alter ego. I was a little surprised that no one asked questions; not disppointed, just surprised. No questions about how I dressed, or anything.
I have been waiting to do this for several weeks as I felt that it was something I needed to do in person. I wouldn't feel right doing it in an E-mail or over the phone. I've known almost all of these folks for at least 5 years and some as long as 19. I guess it seemed important to me to hear first hand if there was anything that someone needed to say to me.
Anyway, life goes on...
DeeAnn
a documentary on same-sex marriage, Robyn Ochs talked and led the discussion
DADT in the military, retired Naval Officer Joan Darrah and her partner Lynn Kennedy talked and led the discussion
a documentary on retirement for the LGBT population (can't remember who the film maker was)
However, it became increasingly difficult to work out the logistics around showing films due to selling distribution rights to their films and in turn, that would have forced us to pay fees more than the budget we had to work with. So, 6 years ago we switched to an entertainment format that we could afford. The event has basically turned into a comedy night and we have had Suzanne Westenhoefer (twice), Alec Mapa from Ugly Betty, Marga Gomez and regional hit, The Calamari Sisters. This October, our featured entertainer will be Ian Harvie of Transparent (among other things). He will also do a Q&A after his stand-up routine. Ian is one of a growing number of transgender folks doing stand-up in recent times.
So, how does this relate to me? I am on the planning committee this year. A month ago during one of our committee meetings, I volunteered to be the MC for the event with one stipulation: that I do it as DeeAnn. The 3 other committee members thought this would be a really good idea and that is seems very appropriate, given who is going to be our entertainer.
Today was our first general body meeting since the committee meeting. We had 14 people in the room and 2 call-ins. What I said was that folks in the group know that I identify as bisexual. But, what they didn't know was that I also identify was transgender. As such, I volunteered to be the MC for the uncoming event, but with the intent that I was planning to be dressed as my alter ego. I was a little surprised that no one asked questions; not disppointed, just surprised. No questions about how I dressed, or anything.
I have been waiting to do this for several weeks as I felt that it was something I needed to do in person. I wouldn't feel right doing it in an E-mail or over the phone. I've known almost all of these folks for at least 5 years and some as long as 19. I guess it seemed important to me to hear first hand if there was anything that someone needed to say to me.
Anyway, life goes on...
DeeAnn