Two Women & NO Poodle--Update from the, uh, skies!

We had only one week at home after the official end of our year long journey, Gay Into Straight America, before we hit the road again. Well, not really. We hit the “friendly skies,” via Delta, headed for Provincetown, MA.

Flying standby, we made the first leg to Salt Lake City before not getting on the first flight to Boston. We spent most of the day in the airport, before flying out that evening. Our friend, Tracey, graciously set up a hotel room in Boston for us, before we drove to Provincetown, MA.

On the flight into Boston, the guy who sat next to Dotti turned out to be the chief of police in LaGrange, Georgia, only 20 minutes from Franklin, where Dotti’s parents own land on the lake (her Dad is deceased, but her mom still owns it). As sometimes happens on long flights, the conversation didn’t begin until descent into Boston. Before we landed, he shared that his mother’s sister, Polly, was with her partner, Laura, for 50 years. Laura died n 1996. Polly lived to be 102. Family values? We think those are good ones.

He spoke of another relative who called to ask if she could bring her “friend.” They said, of course. He said he felt sad that she felt she had to ask, but that she probably did because her parents don’t accept her as lesbian.

Our first night in P-town was spent with Elizabeth and Amy, our friends from just east of Boston. Elizabeth worked with Roby some years back on some clinical research studies, when Roby was at Bellingham Asthma & Allergy. We hadn’t seen each other in years, so it was a delight to spend some time together! Elizabeth and Amy were married in Hawaii a couple of years ago, and most recently, had the privilege of marrying legally in Massachusetts! We did an interview/conversation with them in P-town, and we’d like to share that podcast from the road with you in the near future…So come back!

We stayed overnight with Joann and John, PFLAG parents in Orleans, MA, just outside of P-town. PFLAG folks are always so welcoming. We love you!

We enjoyed two days of Women’s Week, heard our dear friend, Lucie Blue Tremblay twice, spending time with her and Pat. It has been the first chance we have had to catch up with one another since Lucie sang at our kick-off concert for our journey.

We also attended a one-woman show by Sara Moore called “Show-Ho.” We met her when she was with a group of people at a table next to us at dinner one evening. Hearing them mention the upcoming transgender conference, Fantasia Fair, Dotti invited them to attend the public events. That led to conversation about our journey, and giving rainbow wristbands to the entire table.

Sara formerly toured as a clown with Ringling Bros. Circus for about sixteen years. She is a talented actress, filmmaker and performance artist. In this show, Sara tells the story of life in the circus, and being from “the island of misfit toys.” What’s so remarkable about Sara is that she plays each character, using different voices, accents, facial expressions and contortions, and she does this all by memory for a full hour! Look for Sara, or contact us if you are interested in having her come to your town for a show! We are going to bring her to the Pacific Northwest in 2007.

Roby: From Sunday to Wednesday, we enjoyed being a part of Fantasia Fair, the oldest transgender conference in the US. Dotti works with the significant others of the transgender, and couples. This year she also gave a keynote, which was brilliant. We enjoyed spending time with dear friends who we usually only get to see once a year. We had the opportunity to do a podcast interview with Kathryn and Lauren Bode. We visited with them in San Francisco on our journey. They are a remarkable couple, with Kathryn having transitioned when she made a career change a couple of years ago. They have been married for 17 years, and offer great insights on what it means for a couple who navigate gender variance.

Dotti: Before leaving Provincetown, MA, I had the privilege and honor of interviewing Brian McNaught, called the “Godfather of Gay Sensitivity Training” by the New York Times. As part of our Stand UP Speak OUT “Great American Roadcast” series, this podcast offers insight from a person who has been in the field of diversity training for over 30 years. I was fortunate to have studied with Brian in 1999 at the Thornfield Sexuality Workshop, participating in a special track, “Gay Issues in the Work Place.”

Brian is not only a great trainer, but a great personal communicator as well. His essence surrounds you like a cuddly teddy bear, as he bears witness to your presence in a room. Don’t miss the podcast. Not only will you discover how Brian was drawn into the field through his own “outing” process, but his insights on the impact of Corporate America on society are noteworthy.

He and his partner, Ray, have been together for 30 years. We asked them their secret. They replied, “Communication!” Ray jokingly added, “And he obeys me.” That brought a chuckle from Brian. They are one couple who serve as a model and inspiration for me.

After Fantasia Fair, we flew to Cincinnati, Ohio on October 18. Our good friends, Mary & Teresa picked us up at the airport holding a sign that said, “Two Women, No Poodle!” It was Mary’s birthday, so we went out to celebrate with sushi.

We enjoyed a lively crowd at The Union Station in downtown Cincinnati on Friday night, Oct. 20, where we gave our “Gay Into Straight America” presentation, sponsored by Janet Hill and WomenOutFront. Not only were Teresa and Mary our fabulous hostesses, but their wonderful business, Angel Whispers Cookies, made custom cookies with our logo, offering them to people who purchased one of our T-shirts.

Before leaving town, we planned for a future workshop on “Living Authentic Lives.” The comments from people who attended our speaking engagement were encouraging. Person after person came up to us, personally thanking us and sharing some bit of information on how our talk impacted their lives and inspired them.

Next on our schedule: Corbin, Kentucky!