March 06
Transcription
March 06
March 2006 Volume 19 Number 2 Spring Fling Fun’D’Raiser 26th Annual - May 12 thru May 14 Mark your calendar now, and plan on joining the Tiffany Club of New England for three fun-filled days in one of the most open, nonjudgmental communities in the world, Provincetown. Located on the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown combines the quintessential New England fishing port with the relaxed feeling of one of the oldest artist colonies in the country. Included with your registration; The spirit of Spring Fling is nonstructured. It’s a time to get out of the closet, classroom, or meeting hall, and into an accepting society where you can interact with others in the way that you feel most comfortable. Fun, fulfillment, and growth are what Spring Fling has to offer, and all in a setting where you can stand facing the sea and feel the entire country behind you. work on our behalf are welcome to join us. As always, participation in any Tiffany Club sponsored event requires that all attendees exercise good judgment and common sense. All attendees are expected to recognize the ambiance of the event and to protect the security and peace of mind of others Many couples also join us at Spring Fling and take advantage of the safe, secure atmosphere to develop or renew a higher level of understanding, acceptance and harmony. We will be staying at the Provincetown Inn Located at 1 Commercial Street, the Provincetown Inn is on the water, and offers a private beach, outdoor pool with pool side bar, Hotel Lounge/ bar with a pool table and ample free parking. We will have two choices of rooms (Standard Inn and Waterview Inn) for our Spring fling this year. The rooms with a deck are slightly more expensive but offer a water view. All rooms are on a fist come first filled basis. If your preferred room choice is not available you will be placed into what is available and will be expected to pay the extra or receive a credit depending on the room assigned and what you paid. Register early to receive the accommodations you wish. All members of the transgender community, their families and friends, our allies and those who Our best ever! Highlights & Photos on Page 7 Please make your hotel reservations through us. Daily continental breakfast. Friday Evening: “Meet and Greet”, with a beautiful array of tasteful Hors D’ouerves, then dinner at Bayside Betsy’s on Commercial Street downtown Provincetown. Saturday Evening dinner/dance party with our own DJ Brenda R in one of the Inn's private banquet rooms. Also included is the Sunday morning farewell breakfast buffet. What this is, is a chance to enjoy a full breakfast buffet in a private room with all the other participants on Sunday morning the official end of our Fling. We thought this would be a wonderful way to not only enjoy a great meal, but also to say good bye to all those people you may have met at our event that make our flings so special. Provincetown Inn Lobby Registration form On Page 15 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 2 ROSEBUDS is published monthly by the Tiffany Club of New England TCNE P.O. Box 540071 Waltham, MA 02454-0071 781-891-9325 781-899-3563 (fax) www.tcne.org (website) [email protected] (e-mail) ROSEBUDS STAFF Editor - Cherl Easton Advertising Manager, Contributing Writer - Sarah Anne Thompson Contributing Writers - Susan Bauer - Joan Hoff - Helene Stephens - Holly Williams Technical Diva, Photographer Frances Cardullo National CorrespondentChristine Hochberg TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK By Cherl Easton I still can’t believe that First Event is over. It went by so fast and was a lot of work but a lot of fun. A big THANK YOU goes to so many people and I’m sure I will forget somebody. Diana Arria, Junie, Yvon did so much with the fashion show along with Heywood and the girls. Jamie Austin (I’ll get there one of these days for the makeover Jamie), Sophie, Glamour Boutique and Florence’s Fashions. Brenda R., our DJ who works hard keeping everybody happy, Dr. Alice Novic, Ms. Christine Hochberg who will do anything to help Tiffany, Wini Peterson and Cindy M who did a bang up job at Registration. Maxine of the Girls Nite Out Group who donated sales of scarves at their booth to Tiffany. Amy Tee who booked a great comedy show for us on Thursday night with Ian Harvey as MC. To Sarah Thompson who dared to open her heart in front of 308 people on Saturday night to share what this club means to her. And the people who responded in kind to her with donations to help TCNE expand our services. Jonel and Bobbi Colbert from the current Board and Dianna Davids and Stephanie Robin-Beach from the new Board for a lot of work. Joan Stratton, the First Event Chair who put it together. And the 475 plus people, who came out to our annual party, THANK YOU ALL! Page 2… From the Editor Page 3… What the Tiffany Club Means to Me - Frances Cardullo Page 4… Trans News Begins Page 5… Trans News Page 6 … Our Sponsors Page 7… FE 2006 Highlights Page 8… National Correspondent Page 10… Our Board of Directors Page 12… State of the Club Page 15… Spring Fling Registration I’ve had some people talk to me about the interruption that ocPage 16… Events curred during the annual Awards Letters, comments, articles and advertising inquiries can be directed to our mail or e-mail Dinner program. The feeling was that the interruption was not apaddresses. We do not recommend contact via the telephone. March 2006 propriate and did not go with the speeches being presented. The interruption came during my, “State of Tiffany” speech which I give every year as Chair of the Board of Directors. It’s my opportunity to report on where the Club stands and is looking to accomplish in the next year. My entire speech can be found elsewhere in this edition of ROSEBUDS. As far as the incident, I can only tell you that the person who interrupted my speech is the Executive Director of another Transgendered organization. It would never cross my mind to try and interrupt the keynote speech she gives at her annual convention. I consider myself a representative of Tiffany Club and my public actions reflect on the Club. I will let her actions of that night speak for herself and the organization she represents. On behalf of The Officer and Directors of The Tiffany Club of New England, we apologize for the unfortunate interruption during the First Event Awards Banquet. In closing, I would like to thank Barbara Lyons for her years of service to Tiffany Club, the First Event Committee and the Board of Directors. We wish her the best. Dean Spode, First Event 2006 Key Note Speaker March 2006 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 3 A Transsexual Journey - What the Tiffany Club has meant to me. by Frances Cardullo I have decided to write this instead of Part 6 of my Transsexual Journey because we all have a story to tell about what the Tiffany Club has meant to us. I am inspired to do this after hearing Sara Thompson’s inspiring, elegant and often teary-eyed story at First Event. We all came to the Tiffany Club with different backgrounds but with a very common thread. We came looking for understanding, acceptance, help and a safe haven. We stay to help those who come looking for the very same things we were looking for when we came and to enjoy likeminded fellowship with others traveling down the gender identity path. In 2001 I reached a point where I realized that I could no longer suppress my feminine side. At that time I was 3 months shy of 61. I mention my age because it played an important part in my transition. I found the Tiffany club through the Internet. You could say that I stumbled across it while I was looking for gender answers and cross-dressing information. Even the basics were a mystery to me. Female sizes for openers. Shopping! I was not shy but I was fearful of making a fool of myself and also not passing. Continued on page 5 Wigs & Hair Care, Hosiery, Body Shaping, Breast Forms, Dresses & Gowns, Jewelry, Shoes, Cosmetics, Custom Designed Clothing, Corsets, Private Label Cosmetics, Lessons, Photo Studio, Chaperoned Evenings, B& B Facilities, Shopping Trips TG OWNED AND OPERATED w w w .t h e f a n t a s y g i r l .c o m (603) 890-4931 4 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter R.I. TRANS HEALTH NEEDS - ASSESSMENT, PARTICIPANTS NEEDED We are currently looking for participants for a pilot transgender (and gender variant) health needs assessment in RI. Participation includes filling out a single survey at one meeting with no further commitment. (about 45 minutes) All information collected will be anonymous. Participants will be compensated for their time. This work is sponsored by AIDS Care Ocean State and Brown University, with funding from Equity Action. The information collected through this survey will be shared with interested health care providers, in addition to the general community. For more information, or if you are interested in participating please call Sarah Bowman at 401-3741612. You can also email me at [email protected] Drs Brassard and Bensimon from \GRS Montreal at FE 2006 March 2006 OUR APPOLOIES TO FLORENCE’S FASHIONS The ad above was inadvertently omitted from the First Event Issue. Barbara unselfishly contributes her energies to the First Event Fashion Show March 2006 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter continued from page 3 most were the ones who were bruIt was, therefore, with great fear tally honest with me. (The sign of a and trepidation that I hesitantly true friend.) I started electrolysis dialed the Tiffany club number and was told that it would ruin my and thankfully got a reskin – it didn’t. I was cording so I didn’t have The Tiffany Club told what was approprito talk to anyone. I’m Helped me realize ate to wear for my age. not even sure if I left a My dream of becoming I was told that any message but rather made thoughts of transitioning Who I am today a mental note that I were premature and irwould call back on a Tuesday. As a rational. Through it all I learned back up I did send the club an from everyone at the Tiffany Club email. that transitioning doesn’t take place overnight no matter how much I On a Tuesday night, early in June wanted to fast track it. By the way of 2001, I made my not so grand I failed to mention that it was also entrance into the portals of the Tifthrough the Tiffany Club that I met fany club. My hair was in a ponyChristine Becker, my therapist. I tail, I had a fem top on and a pair of was given a list of therapists and shorts. That’s about as close as I chose Christine. It was a good ever came to being “dressed” in choice. public. I was closely shaven but had a beard shadow and above all, I Christine wasn’t about to “fast was scared. Call it fear of the untrack” my transition either. Reknown! Little did I realize at the member my age? I wasn’t about to time that my life would never be take any chances that something the same again. would happen to me to prevent my surgery. But, it was through the I was interviewed (I’m embarrassed members of the Tiffany Club that I to admit that I don’t remember who learned about Dr. Brassard and I the interviewer was) and then even got to go to Montreal on sevshown around the club and then eral occasions when other members introduced to everyone who was of the Tiffany Club went up for there. There were men sitting their surgery. This too was a good around in all form of female attire. choice. I envied their comfort level. I felt comfortable enough for a first time visitor to strike up a conversation with one person whom I was drawn to. It was Laura Granger. Laura told me about a place that they went to every week for pizza dressed! I was invited to join them next week. That would be my first time in public dressed. All week I was both excited and nervous. I needed something to wear and a wig. I needed make up too. I obtained these on my own but it was at the Tiffany Club where I learned how to dress, how to put on make up and what wig would be best for me. The members that helped me the All through my transition it was members of the Tiffany Club that made themselves available 24 hours a day when I needed someone to talk to. Many of them had already been down the path that I had embarked upon. They knew what I was going through. They knew, already, what lay ahead for me. The club was my greatest resource through the wonderful experience of transitioning. I don’t know what my life would by like now if it wasn’t for the existence of the Tiffany Club and all that the members of the club did for me during the time leading up to my own gender reassignment sur- 5 gery. It is because of my experiences at the club that I now try to give back to the club and to those that have come along after me. Sometimes – in fact, most of the time – the transition path can be a very lonely road. I will not knowingly let anyone go down that path alone. That’s what the Tiffany Club means to me. I love you all, Frances PS: I have written this through the eyes of a M to F transgendered person but one must never forget that the Tiffany Club is about much more than the transgendered community. It’s about acceptance of anyone, male or female, whose mind differs from the gender that is on his or her birth certificate. The Tiffany club is about the freedom to express your gender preference in a safe and accepting environment whether it’s cross-dressing or transitioning. Do you have a story to tell too? This is your club. What has the Tiffany Club meant to you? You all have a story to tell. We would like to share your story in future editions of Rosebuds. Please send your story to; [email protected] THE TRINITY OF BEING: OF BEING MASCULINE, OF BEING FEMININE, OF BEING ONE, WITH YOURSELF AND NATURE! Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 6 Advertisers The Laser Skin Center 30 Newbury St. Boston 617-266-5555 LASERSKINCENTERBOSTON.COM Models Resale 969 Concord St Framingham 508-875-9094 MODELSRESALE.COM Christine Becker L.I.C.S.W. 341 Marrett Rd Lexington 781-862-6170 Laser Centers of New England 914 Concord St. Framingham 508-872-5672 LIGHTSPEED-ELECTROLOGY.COM Glamour Boutique 850 West Side Plaza Auburn 508-721-7800 GLAMOURBOUTIQUE.COM Adams Electrology Associates The LaseAway Center 380 Lowell St Wakefield 781-245-0005 Dianne Ellaborn LICSW Framingham 508-788-5406 The Skin Rejuvenation Center 199 Newbury St Rt. 1 N Danvers 978-777-8181 SKINRC.COM Grace United Methodist Church 56 Magazine St Cambridge 617-491-3753 The Fantasy Girl 603-890-4931 THEFANTASYGIRL.COM Advanced Electrology and Laser Reading & Woburn 866-250-7333 ADVANCEDELECTROLOGY.COM A&A Laser Electrolysis and Skin Care 815 Washington Street Newton 617-964-1000 AAELECTROLYSIS.COM Wigs by Sonja 74 Franklin St Worcester 508-366-0237 Kathleen’s Skin Care & Electrolysis 34 Odell Ave Beverly 978-927-5121 Florence’s Fashions 68 Albion Street Wakefield, MA 01880 781-245-1385 Cardullo’s Gourmet Shoppe Specialty food and confections since 1950 (Trans Friendly) Six Brattle Street Harvard Square Cambridge, MA 02138 617-491-8888 CARDULLOS.COM WWW.IDCARDSFORYOU.COM Gender ID Card NUMBER 012345678 DATE OF BIRTH HEIGHT SEX 06-19-1940 5-10 F EXPIRES LIFE TIME ISSUE CARDULLO FRANCES R SIX BRATTLE STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 Frances R. Cardullo Don’t drive dressed without one! Tiffany Club Thanks our advertisers for their continued support. Please patronize them. March 2006 Nine Crucial Tips for Survival Presented by Frances Cardullo I recently received an email from a very close friend who asked if I would share the following survival tips with as many people as possible. So, in keeping with another recent article on self-preservation I present the following nine tips. 1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! 2. If a robber asks you for your wallet and / or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and / or purse tan you, and he will go for the wallet / purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. 3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back taillights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working etc and just sit (doing what ever women do) – DON’T DO THIS. The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. 4a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your air bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: a. Be aware: look around you, look Continued on page 8 March 2006 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 7 king, who brought out a number of talented female impersonators who had people stuffing dollar bills in their bras, panties, shoes and places not to be mentioned in a family newspaper. T he 2006 TCNE First Event was a success as over 475 people turned out over the 5 days to attend at least part of the program. The daytime seminars saw many regular favorites speak to packed meeting rooms including Saturday night was the Awards Gunner Scott receiving the Founders Award One of the many Seminars Held during FE 2006 The next evening saw an excellent crowd for the Thursday Comedy Night, hosted by Amy Tee with the Master of Ceremonies F to M comic Ian Harvie. This was really fun and everyone had a good time as well as a good laugh. Friday night, as always, the room Dr’s Mark Zukowski, Toby Meltzer, Dr. Brassard and his associate Dr. Bensimon, Christine Becker and Diane Ellaborn. The attendees also liked some new presenters who came to First Event as a “rookie” including Dr. Alice Novic and Laura Freedman. Vendors galore were doing a brisk business selling everything from wigs to Thursday night’s comedy Show was well attended This couple came all the way from Ireland to attend First Event 2006 banquet where everybody put on their best dress as Tiffany honored a host of people. The award winners are on page 9. This years banquet was the largest ever with a total of 307 meals served. Dancing followed with music provided by the one and only Tiffany Club DJ - Brenda Thompson. was packed for the Fashion Show. Diana Arria and Junie C did a great job sharing the mike. The models were beautiful in creations provided by Glamour Boutique, Florence’s Fashions and Sophie. The makeup was provided by the Diva of Angels, Ms. Jamie Austin. Entertainment during the show was provided by Heywood, a drag Vendors for everything from wigs to shoes and everything in between. Dancing to the music provided by our own Tiffany Club DJ - Brenda Thompson shoes and everything in between including gender ID Cards. Sunday was the getaway brunch and sadly the end of the First Event which passes every year all too quickly. The evening portion of FE, Wednesday gave the attendees the choice of the popular pool party at the hotel or a night out at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. Both events were well attended. Photos on this page courtesy Denise LeClaire The Friday night fashion show is always well attended and a big hit. Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 8 FROM OUR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT By Christine Hochberg HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! By the time you read this another FIRST EVENT will have come and gone. My thanks go out to Joanie and her staff for putting on another spectacular and fun event. I also must acknowledge Catherine, Ruth, Marcia, Stacey and all the staff at the Crown Plaza Hotel for their usual wonderful care and awesome service. Some of you may of heard that I recently fell and broke my right wrist in three places (and no I wasn't in four inch heels when it happened - who starts these rumors anyway?) This girl has had to learn to drive and put on her make-up (not at the same time) left handed. Talk about FUN!!! Equality California will be putting on The California Transgender Leadership Summit at my Alma Mater the University of Southern California ( and yes I'm still crying about the Rose Bowl ) on February 17 - 19. I will be working registration for the event and then I'll be off to Denver for the Colorado Gold Rush where my good friend Donna Rose will be the keynote speaker. 2006 promises to be a banner year for our cause and I plan to be there and help as much as I can. Have a safe, happy, wonderful, and prosperous New Year. Love, Michael/Christine Hochberg PRESIDENT THOMPSON KICKS OFF FUNDRAISING DRIVE During the Awards banquet, TCNE President Sarah Thompson kicked off the Club’s first ever fundraising drive. The need to raise money is necessary because the club has only two major sources of revenue in First Event and Membership dues. “In order for Tiffany to be able to reach out and provide services for more Transgendered people as possible, we need to increase our revenue”, said Thompson. Throwing away her prepared script, the President told the 308 people attending the banquet what Tiffany means to her and how much of a role it has played in her life from the first time she walked in the building. Brought to tears in telling her story, it was a moving tribute to the role that Tiffany means to so many and what the Club wants to expand services to reach as many Transgendered people as possible. Money is still coming in and you can donate via check, VISA or MASTERCARD. Donations can be mailed to: Fundraising Committee, The Tiffany Club of New England P.O. Box 540071 Waltham, MA 02454-0071 Tiffany Club is a 501c-3 nonprofit organization and donations may be tax deductible. You Are Not Alone Group... Is held the first and third Thursdays of the month. It is NOT a drop in group. You must be interviewed first before being admitted. For more information, please call TCNE Tuesday nights or e-mail us at: [email protected] March 2006 continued from page 6 into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars, c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle and its passenger seat. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard / policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at night. 7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you 4 in 100 times (4% that means you have a 96% chance of not getting hit); and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zigzag pattern. 8. Women are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, welleducated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked for help into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. 9. Another safety point: If you hear a baby crying at your door during the night, the police will tell you that whatever you do, DO NOT open the door. Serial killers have a baby’s cry recorded and use it to coax women out of their homes. Dial 911 and wait for the police. March 2006 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter THIS JUST IN AT PRESSTIME TCNE President Sarah Thompson was involved in an auto accident in January 31 in New Hampshire. Sarah’s car was struck by a truck broadside on the driver’s side door. She was taken to the hospital and is being treated for multiple rib fractures. No additional details are available as ROSEBUDS goes to press. AN HONOR FOR MISS VERA Dear Colleagues, A program that features Miss Vera's academy is nominated for a U.K. entertainment award. Thanks to Secrets In Lace for bras and nylons, Versatile Fashions for corsets and Classic Curves for the T&A. Cherchez la femme, Miss Vera THE TIFFANY CLUB OF NEW ENGLAND 2006 AWARD WINNERS Every year at the annual banquet, a number of awards are presented to TCNE Members and Members of the Transgendered support community for their outstanding contributions. The selections are made by the Awards Committee made up of Club Members. The winners this year were: Friendship - Bobbi Cole First Year - Dianna Davids Miss Tiffany - Jaye Sacard Outstanding Contribution - Wini Peterson Most Helpful - Bobbi Colbert Man of the Year - Diego Sanchez, AIDS Action Committee Community Service Awards Mikala Howden - TS Haven House of New Hampshire Laura F. - Law Student, Founder of Laura5.com Lifetime Achievement - Sara Thompson Helping Hands Awards Dignity of Boston GLAD-Accepted by Executive Director Lee Swislow Presidents Award - Charles Woodman Founders Award - Gunner Scott Rosebuds is printed monthly in full color. With rare exceptions it might be printed bi-monthly. We guarantee at least 10 issues a year with extra issues printed for First Event and Pride Week. Rosebuds is now posted to the TCNE web site therefore advertisers have the advantage of both the printed version and the electronic version all for the price of one. Our web site gets thousands of clicks each month giving you a large national / international window of exposure. 2006 yearly rates are as follows: First time set up Ad Design Business Card 3.5 X 2 1/9th Page Vertical 2/9th Page Horizontal 1/3rd Page Horizontal 4/9th Page Vertical 1/2 Page Horizontal Full Page Vertical $25 $100 $50 $75 $140 $220 $260 $330 $600 (That’s only $50 a month for four color printed and electronic world wide exposure on the web!) Rosebuds is set in Microsoft Publisher and printed in four colors. The page margins are: Top, Left, Right .4 inch. Bottom .5 inch. It is laid out in three columns each column is approximately 3 3/8 inches wide and three rows each approximately 3 1/8 inches high therefore, our page is divided into 9ths. We accept the following electronic files. .JPG, .PSD and .PUB We can design your ad but if you wish photographs or illustrations in it you must submit them as a .JPG, .PSD or .PUB file. There is a flat fee of $100 for designing an ad. You will have three to choose from and must be able to open a .PDF email file to view your ad. Ads are “run of the publication” with the following exceptions; Back cover (half page only 20% sur charge. Inside back cover 10% sur charge. All advertising rates are subject to change, current advertisers will be given one month’s notice of pending rate changes. Interested parties should contact the editorial staff at; The Tiffany Club Of New England, Inc. (TCNE) P.O. Box 540071 Waltham, MA 02454-0071 Ask for a copy of our rate card. Email: [email protected] 9 10 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter THE BOARD HAS SPOKEN At its January 31 meeting, the TCNE Board organized for the year by electing Officers and Committee Chairs for the 2006 year. All of those elected will serve through January 2007. All of those elected were elected unanimously by the Board of Directors. Board Chair - Cherl Easton Board vice Chair - Bobbi Colbert Secretary - Deb Kelly Committee Chairs Treasurer/Finance Committee - Jamie Healey Membership - Stephanie Robin-Beach Web - Stephanie Robin-Beach Programs - Wini and Jonel Peterson Advertising - Bobbi Colbert Publications - Cherl Easton Facilities - Sue Bauer Public Speakers - Sarah Thompson Public Relations - Stephanie Edwards and Dianna Davids Elections - Deb Kelly Reception - Deb Kelly First Event - Dianna Davids March 2006 GLAMOUR BOUTIQUE West Side Plaza 850 Southbridge St. (route 20) Auburn, MA 10501 508 721 7800 BEST PRICES ON WIGS, BREASTFORMS, LINGERE, SHOES,ETC… Also visit us at: http:// wwwglamourboutique.com Directions: Mass Pike to Exit 10-12 South to 20 West (On right next to Spa King) A service of Worship, Hospitality and Good Fellowship for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgendered and Straight Adults, Youth and their families, friends and all who desire to worship where ALL God’s children are Welcome. Meeting each Sunday at 5:00 pm at Grace United Methodist Church 56 Magazine St Cambridge, MA 02139 Mission Statement Cambridge Welcoming Ministries is an open and affirming, progressive faith community dedicated to proclaiming God’s love for all with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and straight persons. Check with your insurance carrier or agent. You may be covered for hair prosthesis. We recommend that you bring a close friend or family member when choosing a wig. March 2006 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter 11 12 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter THE ANNUAL STATE OF TIFFANY ADDRESS By Cherl Easton Every year as part of the annual Awards banquet, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors presents her “State of Tiffany” address. The purpose is to update the Membership and guests about where the Club stands and where it looks to go in the next year. Here are Board Chair Cherl Easton’s remarks made on January 21st to the annual Awards Banquet: On behalf of the Tiffany Club of New England, we welcome you and say a very sincere thank you for being part of our First Event. From time to time, we at Tiffany have heard us described as, “stuffy, standoffish, cold or not appreciative”. Well, we’ve been working hard to shake people’s perception about us. 26 years ago, we had the block to ourselves as a transgendered organization. People came to us as we were the only game in town. Some of you may remember driving to the phone booth at the Wayland public library to make a phone call. Soon, 2 members would show up and you would be interviewed in the back of a car. Some of you right now are turning to the person next to you and are asking them what is a phone booth??? Well, its 25 years plus later and tiffany has a lot of company in the community providing support for the transgendered community. The days of tiffany sitting back waiting for people to come to us as the only way to reach transgendered individuals is as outdated as the old phone booth. The majority of transgendered people exist now in the real world and we need to connect with them in that realm. Our average member is age 40-50, and our Club needs to reach a new generation of youth and younger adults. In order to do that, we need to work with other groups, organizations and people to help the overall cause. The tiffany Club comes to this with no solutions to any problems; we only want to help be part of the solution along with others. Whatever our Club can do to help any group or individual, we stand ready and able from this point forward to do whatever it takes. We may be inexperienced at some of the things you do, but we’re willing to learn. Our goal is your goal, to reach as many Transgendered people in need with support, information and a feeling of belonging. its 2006 and the Tiffany club of New England reports for duty with a smile, our sleeves rolled up and ready to rock and roll. March 2006 NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THAT Tiffany Members know that the Board of Directors meets the fourth Tuesday of every month in the living room. But did you know that those meetings are OPEN to all Members? At one time, Board meetings were held on Friday nights when nobody was around. Several Board Members were able to change the meeting night to Tuesday night in order to make the meeting more open and accessible to all Club Members. Board Chair Cherl Easton says, “We welcome anyone to come in and listen in on the meetings and offer an opinion. We want people to get involved and to see that the running of TCNE is open and not conducted in back rooms”. The only exception is Executive Session where we discuss personal Membership matters and is only open to BOD Members. That usually is only five to ten minutes of the entire meeting. So next time you see the Board meeting, come on it, sit a spell, take your heels off and be part of the action. March 2006 TRANS NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD (SAN FRANCISCO) -- Jose Sarria wanted to run for local office, but he didn't own a proper suit — just a closet full of feather boas, hand-medown stiletto pumps and sequined blue-chiffon evening gowns. The year was 1961, when police routinely harassed patrons in gay bars, even in what is now the gayest big city in America. With a borrowed suit and word-of-mouth campaign that featured high-drama hilarity and flair, the flamboyant drag performer was among the nation's first openly gay political candidates. Sarria won 5,600 votes — ranking ninth of 33 candidates — in an unsuccessful run for the Board of Supervisors. His bid inspired successive generations of gay politicians in the city and suggested the considerable influence the gay voting bloc would one day wield. Now, a gay San Francisco Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter supervisor wants to honor the 82year-old Sarria by naming a section of a street after the longtime gay rights champion and fundraiser, who also started the Imperial Court System, a social and philanthropy group regarded as the Gay Shriners. Sarria now lives in Cathedral City near Palm Springs. (LOS ANGELES TIMES) (Washington, D.C.) — The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Religious Leadership Roundtable has released a groundbreaking study on the resources, challenges and opposition to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenderaffirming religious organizations. The study, David v. Goliath: A Report on Faith Groups Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality (and What They're Up Against), by Richard A. Lindsay and Jessica Stern, surveys 29 organizations, including large denominations and independent congregations. "This report shows that some of the most important debate over lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality is not happening in Congress, but in religious denominations," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "The organizations in this report, and many others like them, are winning the hearts and minds of people of faith in spite of tremendous obstacles and meager resources — it's truly David v. Goliath." In recent years, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people have faced unprecedented attacks from a highly organized religious 13 right. David v. Goliath outlines the "parallel" progressive faith movement that welcomes LGBT people, and has grown simultaneously with the secular rights movement. It reveals the intense opposition to these progressive faith groups and the huge forces waged against them by the anti-LGBT industry, which has unabashedly and effectively rallied conservative people of faith to its cause. The report includes large denominations and independent congregations such as the United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist Association and Congregation Beth Simchat Torah; LGBT denominational affinity groups such as DignityUSA (Catholic LGBT organization) and the Institute for Welcoming Resources (mainline Protestant LGBT organization); and "bridge-building" organizations such as Al-Fatiha (Muslim LGBT organization) and Queer Asian Spirit, which explore the intersections of religious or ethnic minority identities and LGBT identity. Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, executive officer of the Institute for Welcoming Resources, said, "There has been a concerted effort from the conservative political establishment, through secular organizations like the Institute on Religion and Democracy, to influence the mainline Protestant churches, create schism on the issue of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender people, and lure the denominations into a hard-right ideology, which would represent a vast and historic shift in the nation's religious landscape." David v. Goliath also reports on faith organizations outside the mainline denominations that are working with populations that face issues of intersecting identities of ethnicity, race, national origin, gender or HIV-positive status, combined with being LGBT. "When you're black, HIV-positive and transgender, and you are looking for a faith community to support you with your physical, emotional and spiritual needs, you are in the most absolutely Continued on page 14 14 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter March 2006 Our thanks to Jay for giving us this image to print. Please note that the photograph from Jay will be much higher in quality than this image. ©2006 Jay Groccia www.OnSiteStudios.com continued from page 13 vulnerable position of people in our society," said Bishop Yvette Flunder, founder and senior pastor of City of Refuge Church in San Francisco. "Someone's got to provide the bridge for people at the intersection of these identities to connect them to the services they need. Someone's got to give them the loving community they need to survive." (247GAY.COM)( (VietNamNet) - Gender reassignment surgery is easy for modern medicine, but the new life it brings remains a problem for Vietnamese living in a society with traditional views on sexual identity. Sex changes are still forbidden in many countries, including Vietnam. Mr T, born in 1968 in My Tho Province, sought assistance for 20 years to 'become a woman'. At puberty, T realised that he was truly a woman, but his family told him that this was a wild thought. To escape the stigma, T's family moved to HCM City. There they began a new life, but T was still ‘imprisoned’ in his home and thought of committing suicide. Doctors, though feeling great sympathy for him, could not help because Vietnamese law did not permit gender reassignment, allowing only treatment for what it perceived as 'problems in the sex organ'. The pioneers Last year, newspapers reported the first case of gender reassignment in Vietnam. Mr Thai Tai spent US$30,000 on a transsexual sex reassignment surgery in Thailand to become Ms Thai Tai. She leads a normal life and runs a successful busi- ness. Participating in a fashion show at a club for homosexual people, I recently met several women who had been gender re-assigned through surgery. They are singers, always performing at nightclubs and dance halls. Though smartly dressed and well made up, they bear some male characteristics: less-than-smooth skin, slight leg hair and strong voices. Doctors cite genital hormones as the basis of gender. Thus, simply changing the physical characteristics outside is only a partial solution and genderreassigned people must take hormones every day for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately these hormones are not easily available in Vietnam, are quite expensive and must be bought abroad, forcing some to give up dreams of a sex change, sanctioned by law or not. FIRST EVENT PHOTOS We’ve had inquires about photos that were taken at First Event. If you’re looking for a photo from First Event, please contact: Gerald "Jay" Groccia, Photographer, OnSite Studios 116 School Street Boylston, MA 01505 508 869-6955 www.OnSiteStudios.com or OnlinePropertyShowcase.com Information on the group photo, taken at the Saturday night banquet, will be published in ROSEBUDS and on www.tcne.org. Rebecca Shafir M.A. CCC Voice Feminization State-of-the-Art 978 287-0810 FIRST EVENT SURVEYS We collected over 50 surveys at First Event giving us feedback on how this year’s event was. We’re still tabulating the numbers and will bring you the results of the survey in our next issue of Rosebuds. You may also contact me at First Event My background as a speech/language pathologist and voice coach gives you the most effective voice therapy approaches to date including voice analysis, computerized feedback, ear training and mind/ body vocal training strategies. March 2006 15 SPRING FLING 2006 May 12th - May 14th REGISTRATION FORM Total Arrival Date: Departure Date: Sat Night Menu Selection: (Check One) (Check One) (Qty) one per registrant Fri. May 12 Sat. May 13 [ ] Chicken Piccata Sat. May 13 Sun. May 14 [ ] Fresh Native Scrod (Alt) (Alt) [ ] Vegetarian Description: *Full Package Full Package $80.00 per person Rooms - Please make your reservations through us $ Please indicate any special needs such as, Smoking or non smoking room, Single or double beds, Handicap accessible Etc. Standard Room $95 per room/per night $ Water view Rm $112 per room/per night $ Smoking Non Smoking Single Double King Handicap accessible Any special room requests No. Pers Rates $70.00 per person $ Before Mar 12 *Sorry no discount for a la carte. (Registration fee covers: Friday’s Meet & Greet, Bayside Betsy’s, Saturday night Dinner/Dance and Sunday breakfast buffet) NAME(S) YOU WISH TO BE REGISTERED UNDER AT THE HOTEL Adopted Name for Registration:________________________________________________________ I’ll be sharing a room with:____________________________________________________________ PAYMENT Check One: Cash Money Order Check Credit Card CREDIT CARD INFORMATION Card Type (Check One) Master Card Visa Expiration Date (MM/YY) _____/______ Card Number Name Printed on Card_______________________________________________________________________ Signature__________________________________________________________________________________ MAILING ADDRES FOR CONFIRMATION LETTERS Mailing Name______________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State__________________ Zip_____________ Phone & Name to address you: ( )____________________________________________ E Mail Address_____________________________________________________________ Use E Mail only for confirmation: YES NO Doesn’t Matter: BAYSIDE BETSY’S Chose one and indicate how many: USDA choice Roast Prime Rib, Oven Roasted Potato, Fresh Vegetable du jour. Qty [ ] or Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna, Terriyaki Glaze, pickled ginger/wonton chips; Garlic Mashed Potato, Fresh Vegetable du Jour. Qty [ ] All meals include salad, bread selections and soft drinks., all liquor is a la carte. A la Carte: Friday “Meet and Greet” Bayside Betsy’s Saturday Dinner Dance Saturday Dance Only Sunday Buffet Cost Qty $15.00 $35.00 $50.00 $20.00 $15.00 Total $______ $______ $______ $______ $ Total $ GRAND TOTAL (ADD IN THE ROOM) $___________ Complete this form and return to: T.C.N.E., Spring Fling 2006, P O Box 540071, Waltham, MA 02454-0071 No Reservation will be honored without Pre-payment; Make checks payable to: T.C.N.E., Inc. Registration forms received after 4/12/06 will be subject to availability. No Cancellations will be accepted after 5/5/06. All cancellations, subject to a 10% handling charge. If paying by credit card please remember to sign form, incomplete forms will be returned to sender. Note: if pay by credit card, you may FAX this to 781-899-3562 16 Rosebuds - Tiffany Club Newsletter March 2006 EVENTS March 2006 SUN MON TUE "It's who you love that makes you the person you are." --Jean Southard 5 6 7 WED 1 THU FRI 3 2 You Are Not Alone 7:30 PM Friends and Family Christine Becker 7 PM—9 PM 8 9 10 SAT 4 11 Open Meeting 7 - 11 PM 12 13 14 Open Meeting 7 - 11 PM 15 16 You Are Not Alone 7:30 PM 17 18 St. Patrick's Day 19 20 21 Open Meeting 7 - 11 PM 22 23 24 26 27 28 Open Meeting 7 - 11 PM BOD Meeting Open to members 29 39 31 25