Coming Out When Going Out

Next weekend, I will attend a ham radio convention in central Massachusetts. I plan to arrive mid-afternoon Friday and attend a ham radio dinner Friday evening (hams will be served, but ham is not on the menu). Saturday, I will take in the workshops and presentations of interest and peruse the flea market and exhibitor booths, then drive home Saturday evening.

Personally, I will be breaking some new ground. Although, I have attended the Hamvention in Ohio a half dozen times as a woman, I have never attended a local ham event as Stana. As a result, I am likely to run into local radio friends and acquaintances who don't go to Hamvention and may not know about my preferred gender. 

So I may be coming out to a few folks next weekend, which is always a dicey proposition. Over the years, I have come out to a lot of people at Hamvention and there was only one occasion where it did not go smoothly. At the time, I thought the fellow, who I had known professionally for years, was not too thrilled with my change. But in retrospect, I think he was just very surprised and taken aback when I sprung Stana on him. I hope to run into him next weekend to smooth things out.

And so it goes.

Wearing IRO dress and jacket, Maison Bonet belt and Jimmy Choo boots (Source: Intermix)

Duke Looks Like a Lady: Duke of Windsor (seated left) femulating in 1925.