MHVTA
Mid-Hudson Valley Transgender Association
New York,USA

- IFGE's Annual Convention -
Report By Edie - april. 12,2004

Hi ladeez, your roving reporter back from the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) 18th Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA. This was the most serious event I have attended. This year it was held at the Hilton Hotel at the Philadelphia Airport; the venue changes from year to year. There was participation by a broad spectrum of TGs (350) with every TG persuasion represented. The daytime focus is on seminars on TG and TS issues. Many of the "big wigs" of the TG world were there. There were few vendor booths. The activities were spread out around the hotel. On Friday and Saturday there were group lunches and dinners, all accompanied by awards presentations and speeches. The dinner on Friday night was followed by readings by Kate Bornstein. The Saturday night dinner was followed by a performance by the Philadelphia Gay Mens Chorus, and then a DJ for dancing.

I arrived on Thursday, checked in and registered for the event. On Friday morning I went to two seminars. The first, "Characteristic Structures in Crossdresser's Families of Origin" was presented by B. Seymour, a gender counselor. I was very interested in this. To sum up, based on her experience with 147 crossdressers, Seymour has found that in every case the family consisted of a strong mother and a physically absent or emotionally distant father. Another factor, but not always present, was a sister that was pampered and favored by the parents. She also observed that transsexuals came from all sorts of family structures. From this I infer that transsexuals are born and crossdressers are a product of their environment. All of her crossdressers started in childhood, and she had no experience with crossdressers that took it up in midlife. An interesting workshop, although I felt that she relied a little too much on notes. The second was "Members Only?: A Discussion of 'Admirers' and the TG Community" sponsored by Dr. Michele Angello and Dr. Sam Allen. This can best be summed up, when, after the discussion chased its tail for a while, the presenters said, in exasperation, that at other conferences stimulating dialog took place between admirers and CDs. No one came forward as a tranny chaser which kept the discussion one sided. Two other circumstances that kind of chilled the atmosphere: An older gal went off on a "it's all about gender" rant sounding like the Virginia Prince / Tri-Ess party line; it was Virginia Prince! And, there was a GG there with a very young transchild; I thought that was inappropriate.

Friday lunch was an awards lunch. I arrived a few minutes late and sat next to an Alan Alda-ish looking man who was promoting the re-launch of TG magazine (nee Transgender Community News). I asked what his connection to the magazine was when I noticed the name tag, Angela Gardner, the editor. I snuck out a little early to pick up some wigs I had dropped off for styling the day before, while in drab. I asked the gal I had given the wigs to if my hair was ready, and she had no idea who I was or what I was talking about. She didn't recognize me, I love when that happens! After showing my receipt, we got that straightened out and I collected my wigs.

In the afternoon, I went to "My Husband Betty" because I enjoy Helen's presentations and to provide moral support; a familiar face in the crowd. There was a little drama as Virginia Prince came in about halfway through the session, walked across the room behind Helen and sat down in the front row. Helen maintained her composure and led a spirited session.

I got prepared for dinner. I was expecting at least a semi-formal dinner; imagine my surprise when I got in line for hamburgers and hotdogs! Helen and Betty joined me at dinner. After dinner, speeches, then readings by Kate Bornstein. She's an interesting character and her readings were very dramatic. She has issues with Scientology! In the 1960s she had forsaken her Jewish heritage for Scientology in the hope that it would fix her transgenderedness and is ranting to this day about how that didn't work out. After that, there was a bus trip to a club where the relaunch of TG Magazine was being promoted, which I declined.

Saturday morning, I tossed together a femme persona to go to breakfast in. I was dining alone when a girl came and asked if she could join me. She proceeded to tell me her story: she was a prison guard supervisor transitioning, etc. I stayed and listened to her experiences after I had finished eating. I did get a payback for my good deed when, at lunch, the gal came over and told me I looked fabulous (in full femme), that made my day. More speeches and awards at lunch.

Unfortunately, all the seminars I was interested in were on Friday. After lunch, I did go to Makeup 201, presented by Susie Paris. While I didn't find this session especially enlightening, we had a lot of fun, mainly at the expense of the gal getting the makeover.

On Saturday night there was a formal dinner, more speeches, and solicitations for contributions. I sat with 3 other gals that had been at the Lake Erie Gala, including Carol, one of the LEG organizers. After dinner there was the performance by the Philadelphia Gay Mens Chorus. They were excellent, and of course, they had their resident drag queen. Outstanding performances, one a solo on Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" and another being the old Bill Haley chestnut, "Rock Around the Clock," which also featured a couple swing dancing. After dinner, dancing to a DJ. No complaints about the DJs, they played all my requests, eventually, plenty of 1970s disco, and not too much contemporary club music.

This was the first event that I've been to that didn't have a group Sunday brunch, but I managed to sit with a group of convention participants anyway. Then, time to go home.

Next year's convention will be in Austin, TX, so I will not be going. In 2006 it returns to Philly, which I may attend.
Regards,
Edie