Invited to speak to Samaritans

[Josi]

The Samaritans are a group of trained volunteeers who make thenselves available to speak to people in need of someone to talk to.
http://www.samaritans.org

I have been invited to address a team of Samaritan workers on the subject of Crossdressing.
I will arrive as Josi and give a talk and answer questions.
I will then change to male mode and take more questions.

Its both exciting and awesome.
I dont speak for the Crossdressing or TG community - I can only speak of my knowledge and experience. It will be a first for me on several counts!

Anyone else done any public speaking en femme?
I'll let you know how it went (will be in early November).
Kind regards all
Wish me luck!

[gennee]

I pray that you will touch a lot of folks. It's a great opportunity for you to tell the public about crossdressing. Tell us what happened.

Gennee

:happy:

[Shelly Preston]

Hi Josi

I admire you for taking on the task of chatting to the Samaritian workers

Anything you can do to help understanding of crossdressing can only be a good thing

I wish you the best of luck and remember this is probably the one of the most forgiving audiences you will meet

[Sandra]

Good luck with the talk Josi.

[susie bear]

Best of luck. Please let us know how things went.

susie bear

[carol ann]

I think that is so good.

The Samaritans do a wonderful job in talking and listening (mainly listening) to people who suffer all kinds of stress and depression.

Whether we like to admit it or not, crossdressing causes all sorts of tensions whether for ourselves in our relaationships or for those who love us.

To give others some understanding of this must be helpful!

[Kimberly]

Oh, excellent!!

How did they get to know about you, and how did they contact you?

Seminars etc, I hope to do one day -- but mainly, get my ideas on gender out through Theatre. (My ultimate aim in life!)

Best of luck xx

[Josi]

A GG friend of mine is a Samaritan. It seems that it is not unusual for Cd'ers to contact the Samaritans in times of depression and need. Sometimes the callers are suicidal.

Although the Sam's training is very good, my friend is aware of a general mystery around TG and CD issues.

She thought that some insight might be useful, so asked the Sam's local director what she thought about some input on a training session. The Director jumped at the chance and so she then asked me if I would consider providing the training.
I am a Training Consultant and Life Coach - the thought of delivering training is not a problem - I do it every nearly day.
But delivering as Josi - well that a whole new ball game (no pun intended).

Now I have to decide - Glam (as in ready for a night out) or "standard" (as in going out shopping and wanting to not be noticed rather than say "look at me" lol).
Actually, have decided .. I will just dress as I think a GG Trainer would dress. Smart, professional, and makeup that blends rather than stands out.

Have to say I am looking forward to it ...

I'll keep you posted.

[Franki Kate]

Josi you are a great representaive to our needs. Thank you for putting yourself on the main stage of our life needs.

[Kahlan51]

I'm glad to hear you are doing this, as a toastmaster I have often fantasized about presenting en femme. Spread the news. Let us know how it went
Kahlan:thumbsup:

[Joy Carter]

Josi you will do us all proud :hugs:

[Krystal Lee]

Josi,

Kudos kid and hope you have a wonderfull experiance. Thank you for representing our comunity.

Hugs Krystal:thumbsup:

[Barb Valentine]

Wow that's just awesome Josi
Good luck and let us know how you do

[Phoebe Reece]

Josi,

That's great that you are getting the opportunity to address that group.

Even though you said "I dont speak for the Crossdressing or TG community", in reality you will be speaking for our community, as you will probably be the first transgendered person these people have actually met and heard from on the subject. A lot of what they think about us will be based on what you tell them. Just try to be yourself. Answer questions honestly based on personal experience and try to avoid sweeping generalizations. It's also a good idea to emphasize we are a very diverse group. If you can throw in a little humor it will loosen your audience up a bit and will also calm your own nerves some. You should have fun doing this.

Several times a year I participate in presentations about crossdressing at a local university (the latest was about a week and a half ago). I always do it enfemme. I wrote about one of my experiences in this thread: http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23581

Good luck.

[Maria2004]

Sigh....

Love

Maria

[Janelle Marshall]

Josie, Best of luck with your presentation! You are a great choice as a presentor/trainer with your background. I think your choice of outfit style is also very good. It should help break the drag queen mental image many have of crossdressers. Please let us know how it goes!
Janelle Marshall

[Josi]

Thanks Phoebe for sharing your experiences.

I have a date now for the Training Session.
Its the evening of the 13th November.

I have decided to try and make it as interactive as possible and make it fun as well as hopefully informative.

I always tend to do "ice-breakers" at the beginning of any session .. I think I might do the ...
"Without saying who you are, write a few lines about something about yourself which will surprise us" and the we try and guess who it is.

My "surprise" is that I used to play drums in a rock band and percussion in a classical orchestra!

[Angela Burke]

Josi,
Good luck on your upcoming presentation.

[Shannon CD]

Good luck, Josi.

[Josi]

Thanks for the good luck messages.
I have decided to dress in a smart business style .. as if I was doing a professional presentation .. so its smart trousers and a top ..

Tho ... I might change my mind !! lol

[Sophia Rearen]

May I suggest you get into the Josi role early in the evening. Don't dress and go. Maybe go out before hand and then to the engagement. I've found that a nice car ride or the longer I'm out, the more comfortable I become. It's the anxious nervousness when arriving just in time, that I could do without.

[flatlander_48]

I dont speak for the Crossdressing or TG community - I can only speak of my knowledge and experience.

I think this is a most important point. A discussion like this has much more impact when it comes from a personal, rather than a collective, viewpoint.

Good Luck to you.

[Josi]

Sophie .. thanks ..

I am going to a friends house from work. She is Samaritan and arranged the event.
I will change there and she will drive me there and back.

I am not apprehensive about it .. in fact I am looking forward to it .. who knows I might get a national gig lol ;)

Thanks for the support and the PM's

[kristine239]

Just look at my avatar. I do a lot of talks, run TG conferences, give an occasional college lecture and a lot more.

[TVStevie]

Tch, Samaritans. I'd cross the road if I saw one. :p

Good luck with it, Josi - I actually volunteered to do some counselling for them a while back, but then my circumstances changed and I was unable to fulfill the necessary timeslots. I'm not sure that I'd have been suitable, to be honest. For the Red Dwarf fans among us, think "Lemming Sunday". :D

[Josi]

Just heard - there are to be about 30 attending (I thought it was to be about 12 - 15) - it seems that there is some interest in the subject!
As there are so many more than usual, they are having a special meeting before my slot lol ..

[Josi]

Numbers up to 40!

Its tonight ...... here's hoping ... :)

[flatlander_48]

Break a leg!

[Josi]

In the end 52 turned up!

I did the first 40 mins en femme - a bit of an autobiography - experiences good and bad; exploring "CD or TV or TS or TG" issues; "inherited or learnt behaviour" (does it really matter as its who I am now not how I got here!;));
"Guilt"; "Seeking Acceptance"

Then I changed to male mode ("ooh you look younger when dressed") and took questions from the floor.

It seemed to go down well - as I was asked if I would speak to another group!

I was even invited out on the next girls night lol :)

Oh well .. it was fun and I hope it might help them the next time they engage with someone seeking help.

Oh .. and I was given a nice bottle of Champagne as a Thankyou!

[Sophia Rearen]

Josi, why the change to male mode? Had you stayed enfemme, perhaps last night could have been girls night out?
Congrats on a job well done.

[Josi]

Nooooo! it ended very late as it was ..
It was deliberate. I chose to show both sodes of me. After all, although I am a happy Crossdresser, it is not the one-defining thing about me.
I hope I am a "rounded" person and I wanted to reflect that crossdressing is a PART of who I am.
I quite like the Male part of me! a Good job as I spend the majority of my time that way!

and I have a Girls Night Out to look forward to! ;)

[SherriePall]

Josi -- Glad the evening went so well. And to have 52 show up, that's amazing! Everybody wanted to see the crossdresser. I know you disappointed those who were expecting some sort of odd ball. From your outline, it sounds like they received a well-rounded education. Thanks for representing all of us.
And to be invited for a girls night out, wow!

[Phoebe Reece]

Congratulations Josi! You're on the lecture circuit now.

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

Well done Josi. Bravo!