Outreach and Education in Country Areas

Outreach is a new education program, started in 2007, to allow cross dressers from country areas, their partners or wives and family, counsellors, health professionals and any other interested parties to meet and discuss relevant issues about crossdressing and gender.

We have conducted seminars in Coffs Harbour (2007), Dubbo (2009), and Yass (2009) where we have brought together people in an informal atmosphere where we can exchange thoughts, ideas and experiences. This entails a presentation by members of Seahorse and their partners, followed by an open question and discussion time.

If you are someone who would like to know more about gender issues, then please come along to our seminar. If you know someone who would be interested in attending these seminars, then please pass this invitation on to them.

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Outreach Seminar 2010

The next seminar that we are holding will be at Nowra, NSW:

• When: 22nd-24th October 2010. PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE
• Where: The Bounty Motor Inn & Function Centre
  271 Princes Highway
  Bomaderry NSW 2541
  Phone: Diana Jaques [Events Coordinator] on 4421 2233 or 0414 243 453
  Fax: 4423 1844
  Accommmodation Bookings: bookings@bountymotorinn.com.au
  Website: www.bountymotorinn.com.au
• Arrival & Registration: 10:30am Saturday 23rd October.
• Seminar: 11:00am Saturday 23rd October
• Cost (including light lunch): $20.00
• Social Night: 7:00pm Saturday 23rd October
• Accomodation: $110.00 per night.

For more information and to attend the seminar, please contact Seahorse Society on 0423 125 860 or 0404 356 747

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Aim of the seminars

The aim is to hold these meetings in 4 or 5 major cities in country NSW, for example; Coffs Harbour in the North; Dubbo in the West; Canberra or Yass in the South-west and Nowra on the South Coast. Delegates from the Seahorse Society with their wives/partners would travel to these regions to conduct a seminar on gender issues, with the main focus being on crossdressing.

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Topics that would be covered

1. Why do I need to cross dress?
2. Definitions of the "boxes" found in gender issues.
3. Learned or inherited behaviour?
4. Hormones: cause and effect.
5. Is becoming a transsexual the next step, or the answer?
6. Nature versus nurture.
7. The power of the brain.
8. "Finding me"- What conclusions did this bring me to?

The meetings may also cover social and legal protocols such as:

1. General social behaviour when out in public, when dressed and presenting in the clothes and manner of the opposite sex.
2. What to do if you are stopped by the police.
3. Club, travel and public place protocols.

The wives and partners will examine the cross dressing from their perspective. They may discuss issues such as;

1. The social implications.
2. Family circumstances.
3. Does this make me a lesbian?
4. Setting boundaries.
5. Living with "the other person" and how cross dressing affects them.

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It is also a social event

Along with the serious sides of the seminars there will also be a social element. This will allow the participants to meet each other, exchange contact information, and hopefully forge bonds that will allow for more meetings and social engagements.

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The future

The plan would be an ongoing event, with the regions being visited once a year. At present, we do not have the funding to run these twice a year.

If anyone has any comments, suggestions or feedback on this scheme, you can contact the Seahorse Society.

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Previous Seminars

1. 28th April 2007, Coff's Harbour.
   Read the report of that meeting
2. 15th March 2008, Dubbo.
   
3. 12th September 2009, Yass.