As I wrote here Monday, before they deteriorated, I scanned nearly 300 photos from the 1990s for preservation. I had not viewed most of the photos in years and they brought back a flood of memories that I will share in this and future posts.
By January 1995, I had been regularly attending support group meetings for over 5 years, but I was still closeted, that is, not going beyond the safe confines of the support group’s meeting place.
A few gurls in my support group attended First Event, an annual transgender convention held in the Boston area and recommended it to me as a way to expand my horizons. I was ready, so I registered for the convention and when the big day arrived, Elaine, another ham radio gurl who I knew as a ham long before I knew her as a gurl, drove us to the convention hotel in Natick, just west of Boston.
After settling in, I began exploring the hotel and here I am in the photo above, trying out the catwalk that was set up for the First Event fashion show. Wow, my hemline is short! I guess some things never change!
Later that day, I sat in and watched Hollywood makeup artist Jim Bridges perform a makeover on another First Event attendee. The transformation was amazing. I was so impressed that I made an appointment for a makeover late Saturday afternoon, so I would look my best for the Saturday night banquet.
It was my first makeover and I was a little nervous going in. How would I look? Would I be disappointed?
Jim’s transformation of me was as impressive as the transformation I witnessed earlier. I literally did not recognize myself when he was finished. “Is that really me?” I wondered when I looked in the mirror for the first time after the makeover.
After the makeover, I returned to my room to get dressed for the banquet. I was anxious to show off the new me and when I finally made my grand entrance, my friends and acquaintances did not recognize me either… in a good way.
