Paula's Place

Paula's Place

Sunday 3 August 2014

And all That

Today I have hit a milestone that any British History Scholar will immediately recognise, today the number of posts on this blog reaches 1066.   But not to dwell on the historical, rather the historic, and today I celebrate an historic celebration.   I know that's all a bit of a mouthful but in my defence I started to write this post a couple of days ago and only got as far as the title and the first sentence.   I like them, and have not had a chance to catch up, I been very, very busy but I have also  passed a couple of mile stones.

Minnie makes another appearance in Brighton
A couple of weeks ago I attended my first Pride event, by going up to town and watching the London Parade go past.   That was something of an eye opener for me, I began to understand the scale of these events and breadth of the diversity that participates, but mostly I got wet.   Yesterday I went a stage or two further, not only did I join in the Pride invasion of Brighton, I walked in the parade!   I also became the "Bubble Queen".   There was a Trans Float organised by by the wonderfull Ed from FTM Brighton there were a few of us flying the Trans Flag, well actually two of us flying the flag four of us blowing bubbles at the crowd and the rest were carrying placards.   I always have a little suspicion that in a lot of LGBT events and organisation the T is forgotten or misunderstood (there's a potential stage name for me Little Miss Understood) so we were there to put the T in LGBT.   We were (nearly) all dressed in purple, and represented the spectrum of Trans Men and Women, Crossdressers and supporters.   I will confess that I was both a little bit apprehensive and hurried so no necessarily in the best frame of mind to be promoting our cause, but after blowing up some balloons as soon as we started the parade, the love, support and enthusiasm of the spectators carried me away on a wave of euphoria.

She walked the whole Parade in these - Respect!
Normanaly I am not the most demonstrative of types, but I found myself giving and receiving hugs and kisses, vodka jellies and smiles; waving at the crowds, and generating lots and lots of bubbles.   Indeed I think the word I heard most as we walked through Brighton was "BUBBLES" everyone loves bubbles, and I do think they helped the love flow.   The second most heard thing was "Look at those shoes" my new friend Swingerella has the most daunting line in footwear (I don't think they came from Saxon).

As well as being a great day out, meeting and making friends, and enjoying a bit of showing off, in some way I feel as this has been something of another Rubicon that I have crossed.   I it is a new level of being Out, and I also feel as though it has pushed me a little further along my path of transition.

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