Trans Pride- Washington D.C.

My first Trans Pride as a transgender girl. This was a big day for me; I knew it dating all the way back to the first day I walked out of the house dressed like a woman. So big I made it a point to ask my kids three months in advance if they would go with me. Of course I was so proud that they both agreed immediately.

Still, I knew they both were adults and they had their own adult lives to lead so I made sure I reminded them two months before, one month before, even two weeks before unfortunately I did not know until the week before that neither one could make it followed up by finding out Kimberly couldn’t attend either.

Oh the joys of friendships. Jamie and Marcie had already made plans to go with me which made the disappointment of my kids backing out much more bearable.

I had been to at least a half dozen gay pride events and they were always fun and exciting with lots of things to do but Capital Pride is not the same thing as Trans Pride. They could not be more different. When I walked into the building I noticed about eight tables lined up on either side of the room and I knew instantly that this was not going to be a fun and exciting event.

But at the same time I recognized a few of the girls that I had met at Freddie’s over the course of the previous three months. And as I strolled down the aisle hugging, kissing and greeting my acquaintances I realized that this event was going to be special, not in an entertaining way but in a much needed way.

Of course this much needed way does not translate very well into story form so I have no plans to bore you with the many details but I think it is important for me touch on a few.

The first, an elderly woman sat at the back of one session not saying much and not interacting with the other girls in the room but when we took turns introducing ourselves she finally spoke. “I am here to learn.” She said rather meekly. “My son, eh, my daughter who lives 2000 miles away, told me that she was transgender and I do not know anything about it, I was hoping I could understand.”

See memorable.

The other, beautiful encounter I had was a father, with his 13 year old transgender daughter, he was there to show his support for her. I remember thinking that there is real hope for the transgender community.

Somehow I knew that the daughter that had come out to her elder mother and the young 13 year old transgender girl would make it, they would not be in danger of succumbing to high rate of suicide that befalls our community.

At first thought you might think that those encounters would cause me to be depressed, to find myself without family while I saw other families standing firm beside their relatives, but you would be wrong.

Those families had something special yes but I, I had my family when I needed them the most. They were with me when I was alone with no friends. They escorted me to places that they hated; they stood beside me the entire time I felt new, like an outsider. And they never, ever complained.

And in their stead was my friends, my sisters who were in fact my family also. I was not alone and for the first time in my entire adult life I felt as if I would never be alone again.

You may ask, why Trans Pride meant so much to me when most might think seminars and group sessions might be a tad bit boring and I would answer, “It made me know why I finally realized God did not make a mistake.” I finally understood I had a real purpose, I was put on this earth to live through trials and tribulations, to suffer, to anguish long enough to understand what it truly meant to be happy and understand what it means to others to wallow away in that same type of sorrow. I was put on this earth by god to repay god for the total bliss, for the heaven I had attained so easily after I began my journey.

I wanted to help and I knew that day I one day, somehow, I would.

#Marcie #Jamie #Pride #Family