News to Me

I have heard that Chicago is a dangerous city, only to find it to be one of the most friendly and hospitable places I have ever visited. I have heard that Washington DC is the murder capital of America, but found it to be beautiful and no scarier than any other place. And now, I heard something about the persistent rainfall threatening to submerge the city of Atlanta, but have arrived here today to a beautiful and sunny day, though admittedly a bit humid for my taste. I am told by the hotel front deskman that it was equally beautiful yesterday.

I don’t doubt all the facts reported in all the above cases are true, but it is also true that anyone who is unfortunate enough to be cooped up at home and forced to get her facts from the television has no clue about reality on the ground. News outlets are in the business of selling news, so reality which is usually unremarkable has to be ‘punched up’ a bit.

It is an unfortunate side-effect of improved access to information that our perceptions are so distorted. Parents afraid to let their kids walk anywhere alone, women scared of their own shadow on the streets, the elderly terrified of everything… and all the while our society has gotten statistically a great deal safer!

End of rant…

First Impressions

I haven’t seen anything quite like it… I arrived at the Southern Comfort Conference hotel this morning, and there were a bunch of people enjoying the patio – all t-girls. I entered the hotel lobby and, as I scanned the vast room, there were the usual clusters of people – at the café, at the business center, and the front desk, by the phones, getting on or off the elevators – most every one a t-girl.

This hotel is quite a ways outside the center of town and quite isolated. It is also massive and sits across the street from an even more enormous strip mall which, notwithstanding its apparent proximity, begs the use of a car or shuttle.

It is no accident that this hotel was chosen for the conference. Many of the girls I saw were clearly not going to pass as female in the real world, even if they optimized their make-up skills, and many of these are quite scared to venture out, but a bit suffocated at home.

Like everyone else, t-girls crave acceptance and interpersonal interaction, and wish to avoid conflict, rejection, harassment and danger. This hotel allows those who don’t feel comfortable in public to be their feminine selves, make friends, share experiences, concerns etc., all in a safe environment.

Next is lunch at the Flying Biscuit Café and then I’m off the visit the Coke Museum. See ya!