Thursday, August 16, 2012

Southern Comfort Conference 2012

Southern Comfort Conference is the largest transgender conference in the world and is held every September in Atlanta, Georgia. This years dates are the 18-23rd. While SCC has a largely transfeminine presence, since I first attended in 2006 they have been doing a lot to improve programming and other activities for transmasculine-identified individuals – the best of these being the Robert Eads Health Partnership (REHP).

Robert Eads was a transman who lived in rural Georgia and was a long-time attendee of SCC who died of ovarian cancer after suffering from extreme transphobia at the hands of healthcare professionals. The critically acclaimed 2001 documentary chronicles his story.

REHP allows transmen to get the needed (and dreaded) yearly pelvic exam in the company of other transmen in a trans-positive environment.  Getting the necessary exams in the company of other transmasculine-identified men can reduce the anxiety many transmen feel at even the thought of these procedures.

Transgender healthcare can be difficult to navigate anywhere, but this can often be a difficult space to even find in the Southeast, Midwest, rural areas, and other non-metropolitan areas; I live in a city in the south with a population of over one million and no physician here will treat me - I drive an hour and a half each way to a college town to see a physician for my transgender-related medical care. REHP is a great option for those who live in an area where they do not have access to basic healthcare or trans-friendly and knowledgeable physicians.


SCC is a bit pricey, especially with lodging, food, and travel expenses, but if you're in the Atlanta area, I'd definitely recommend going to the hotel where the conference is being held because you can always find a cool group of trans people to hang with - nothing beats the sense of community one feels when around 1,000 other trans people. Transitioning in the south, this was a rare occurrence for me, so I cherished all of the moments just socializing with other trans people - I think most conference attendees would agree that the best parts of the conference aren't the seminars or even anything scheduled at all, but in the late-night parties and 3am conversations.

This year FTM adult film star and producer Buck Angel is attending the conference and will be at the Transmen's Welcome Party on September 20th, so come on out and meet him!

Since the full conference registration is $375 on site (or $355 & $365 in August and September), a variety of registration packages are available at a lower cost. The full registration includes luncheon and dinner on both Friday and Saturday and all non-extra cost activities.

Friday & Saturday only is $330 on site or $310 if you register this month, or $320 if you register in September before you arrive.

Saturday only registration is $260 on site or $240 if you register this month, or $250 if you register in September prior to your arrival and includes luncheon, dinner, and all non-extra cost activities.

The most affordable rate is the "conference only" registration (and is what I purchased every year I attended), and includes all seminars and non-extra cost activities. The cost is $125, regardless of when you register. Meals are not included.

SCC believes that money should not be a barrier to attendance and offers scholarships to first time attendees (and their partners or a friend!).

Southern Comfort quick links:

Facebook 

YouTube

Yahoo Group

Transmasculine Program




4 comments:

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  4. "Robert" (really Barbara) Eads was clearly a WOMAN, in every sense of the word, as she did what no man can possibly do -- GIVE BIRTH, and not just once!!! (They were both boys, so I can imagine she was feeling pretty jealous when she'd bathe or change them, which may have been part of why she did what she later did.)

    So as you can see, Ms. Barbara was married to a real MAN, with whom she had to have had intercourse in order to get pregnant, then only after divorcing him, in some sort of a "mid-life crisis" in the 80's, she decided to experiment with Lesbianism, which lead her down the road of shame, guilt, self-loathing, and internalized misogyny that makes one want to "transition."

    But God taught her a lesson as to what happens when you tamper with His creation, particularly in the way of trying to counterfeit the other sex, and she died of OVARIAN CANCER, something no man on the face of the earth has ever had or will ever have, at a relatively young age of 53. Just think: she could be a living 67-year-old Grandma today had she not done that to her body!

    So she did have a hysterectomy, but not soon enough, and as a result, she died with nothing more than an enlarged pussy, a mutilated chest, and whatever changes Testosterone did to her. But now it doesn't matter, because her skeleton will forever be a wide-pelvis, narrow-rib cage, XX female for anyone who dares to study her remains in the future.


    Sincerely,

    "irisom" who also had a puppet account named "Robert," in part, for this reason -- the laughability of referring to a person with a vagina as "Robert," which is undeniably masculine and means, "famed, bright, and shining"

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