This may add a little insight into now anxious Fort Lauderdale was to get the "Southern Comfort Convention". I will write more about SCC later next week. So far it has been fun.
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Fort Lauderdale has the only Convention and Visitor Bureau in the United States with a department specifically designed to target the LGBTQ community's needs. In 2014, the city commissioned the first-ever survey of transgender travelers in North America in order to meet LGBTQ needs through marketing efforts, such as traveling likes, hotel preferences, and other needs geared to meet the trans community's needs.
Moreover, the Convention and Visitor Bureau of Greater Fort Lauderdale came up with an ad campaign called “Where Happy Meets Go Lucky” that features authentic transgender models, as well as a webpage specifically designed for transgender travelers and tourists.
“We are thrilled to bring our conference to such a welcoming, progressive, and beautiful destination for our 25th year,” said Lexi Dee, president of the Southern Comfort Conference, in a release. “I look forward to our conference and partnership growing over the next three years with the help and dedication of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, which has led the way for the trans community and helps to deliver an authentic and welcoming experience for transgender visitors.”
Kati Reynolds commented on my series "Trying The Door".
Thank you for sharing this episode from the your life. However, as one
challenge led to the next and then the next, I couldn't help but ask
myself, "Was it worth it?" Wouldn't it have been far easier to simply
travel in male mode and reserve the female mode for times and places
when and where you would have a greater degree of control over what
happened? Does one really need to "put yourself out there" in order
prove you are serious about this? Sorry about all the questions. I
certainly hope this message doesn't come across as disrespectful. That
certainly isn't my intent.
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Was it worth it? - That really is a good question that caused me to think back. First I have a great retrospection of challenging myself. The plane did not fall out of sky just because I was wearing a dress and no small children were permanently injured to my knowledge.
I guess as humans we need to challenge ourselves to progress. Otherwise we would still be in caves. I will relate in future post how fearful I was about going out dressed as Rhonda. But the short version is - I would get completely dressed and be so fearful, I would not exit my hotel room - At midnight I would wash it all off and promise myself to "get out" next time.
My fears were exaggerated and once out, I found accepting people or in most cases people than did not care - did not notice. Also after my flying excursion, other outing seemed manageable. Mission accomplished! No we don't really need to put ourselves out there. But living my life to the full was great start then and is still.
I love this quote by Caroline Kennedy:
I think my mother... made it clear that
you have to live life by your own terms and you have to not worry about
what other people think and you have to have the courage to do the
unexpected.
Thanks Kati for the question. Please comment again.
