Life Members of the Seahorse Society

The Seahorse Society currently has four Life Members. They have between them a combined total of more than 280 years of cross-dressing!

Above is a photo from the Seahorse Ball 2009 showing a special presentation ceremony.
From left to right: Rosemary, Jill and Phia.

• Rosemary (#210) was honored as a Life Member in 2008. She founded the Seahorse Club, as it was then known, in 1971, the first organisation for cross-dressers in Australia.
  
  Rosemary continues to serve as Secretary on the Seahorse Committee and to attend meetings regularly. Known for her impecable English accent, Rosemary is a witty raconteur with many amusing stories of her time with the Beaumont Society in the UK and the early years of Seahorse in Australia.
  
  
• Jill (#218) was honored as a Life Member in 2009. Like Rosemary, Jill was one of the early members of the Seahorse Club.
  
  In addition to being known as one of the longest standing members, Jill is famous for her amazing wardrobe of ball gowns and accessories that fill a large room. From time to time, Jill will have a give-away night at Seahorse meeting when she decides to thin out her vast collection. Jill's trademark is wearing a ball gown to every Seahorse meeting and we have never seen her wear the same gown twice!
  
  
• Phia (#143) was honored as a Life Member in 2009. Phia, short for Sophia after Sophia Loren, and born in 1929, is our chronicologically oldest member.
  
  Phia has lived full-time as a woman quite a number of years and has many funny stories to tell. Some years ago, she attended at school reunion at St Joseph's College. One of the Brothers asked her if she was married to an Old Boy, to which Phia replied that she was one of the Old Boys! On another occasion, a policeman rather rudely asked her why she was in "drag". Phia proceeded to lecture him on the differences between drag queens, cross-dressers and transsexuals, and the chastened officer backed off very promptly!
  
  
  
• Julia (#478), pictured above, was honored as a Life Member in 2011, after serving as President for the preceding five years.
  
  Julia has to been one the hardest-working Presidents ever. Her skills as an entertainer and function organiser have been immensely valuable to the Seahorse Society, in particular with the organisation of the annual Seahorse Ball. Her committee management style has been energetic and enthusiastic, and always with the best interests of Seahorse in mind.