THE+ Conference Forms
Transgender Health and Education Conference Forms
By Dallas Denny
At 7:30 am on Sunday morning, September 7, as the 2014 Southern Comfort Conference wound down, I found myself in Room 901 of the Crown Plaza Ravina Hotel. I was in the company of more than twenty other SCC attendees. We were there to talk about forming a new Atlanta-based trans conference.
Most of us were there for two reasons. First, we were personally impacted by the SCC board’s surprise announcement that Southern Comfort would be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Those of us who live in or near Atlanta would be forced to either fly or drive 640 miles each way to the conference and rent hotel rooms—and those who didn’t live in Georgia would have to spend twelve or more additional hours on the road each way (this after already having to drive hundreds of miles through Atlanta from Missouri and Indiana and Virginia and other states) and have to budget an extra two days in order to make the trip. Many of those in the room, almost all long-time SCC supporters and attendees, would simply be unable to make it to Fort Lauderdale in 2015. But that wasn’t the big reason why we were in the room. The big reason was we were concerned the move to Florida would deprive hundred of trans people of their spiritual and emotional once-a-year home.
It wasn’t the first time I attended such a meeting. The first happened in 1990, when representatives from trans social and support groups from all over the Southeast met at the La Quinta Inn on Piedmont Road in Atlanta to talk about starting a conference. That two-day meeting, which had come about because of the efforts of Sabrina Marcus, marked the birth of the Southern Comfort Conference. Before we adjourned we had a name, a projected date, and a plan. That was twenty-four years ago.
Last Sunday we didn’t have the convenience of time. Most of those in the room had planes to catch or long drives home, so we had only a couple of hours to decide whether we wanted to launch a conference, and, if the answer was yes, make decisions about how to go forward. Two-and-a-half hours later we adjourned. We are going to launch a conference and it will be called Transgender Health and Education + or simply THE C. The focus will be, as the name implies, on education and health, with a focus on all factions of the trans community. The plus in the name, we decided, would stand for trans kids and their families. The first conference, which will take place some time in 2015, will be held in Atlanta. We even have proposed by-laws, thanks to Tony Kuykendall. We also reached consensus to wish SCC and its board of directors well.
Before we ended the meeting we appointed a six-person development committee to craft a business plan and make recommendations for a venue and date. I’m sure the committee is already hard at work. Already THE Conference has a logo, website, public Facebook page, and a Yahoo group. There is also a private page for organizers, most of whom have yet to be determined.
I was impressed with the credentials and level of commitment of those who attended. The room was full of people who want to make a difference—just like that meeting room at the La Quinta Inn way back in 1990.
I don’t have a list of those present—the sign-up sheet went with the development committee, but I can say they are names many who read this will know and respect. The names will appear soon enough in the discussion forums and on the website.
I hope to be one of those names.
I too was there Sunday morning. I’m glad and very excited to be a part of returning to the mission of helping and supporting the “entire” community as well as the prospect of educating not only ourselves but the general public. Atlanta can be the leader and in the forefront of the education process to any and all outside of our community.
I too attended because I have seen the SCC changing for all the wrong reasons for a few years now. I’m glad they are digging their own grave or will be known as a Event for non-transitioning people. This new direction and change is exactly what is needed to meet the needs of those Trans people who really need the help,support,education and doctors. We will include all family,friends and partners of the Trans people and the public so we can educate them also. I am very excited that we are finally heading in the right and correct way.
By the way it was a honor to have met you Dallas.
Once a leader, always a leader. You’re amazing, Dallas.
Let us be among the first organizations to state that we will continue to support the endeavors of those that have supported us for so many years and you can expect 100% participation and support from our organization as a whole and from me personally.
Dayna Walker
Acting President
Transgender American Veterans Association
http://www.tavausa.org
COOL … We also have nothing but best wishes for the SCC in FL … but we are also some of those ‘it’s too far away for us to attend’ folks (we’re in central Kentucky).
Not sure what we can do to help, but you can connect with me via FB at https://www.facebook.com/alanas.spouse.