Sparkle Trip Part 3 (Saturday Afternoon)

Saturday Sparkle in the Park

I was up before Diana so I went into the city centre to buy a new umbrella as my one had seen better days. Diana had lost hers somewhere so I said I would get her one as well.

Passing Sackville Gardens I saw people setting up the stage and stalls for Sparkle in the Park later on. I really hoped it wouldn’t rain. I need not have worried .

I found 2 umbrellas and went back to meet Diana for breakfast.

After breakfast we went to the park which was ready for the days events. We met up with Mandy who it was great to see again. Diana had volunteered for a stint on the desk at LGF signing people in for the talks being held there. She had also volunteered for an hour on the Manchester Concord stand.

Two other people I was really happy to see were Bev and Gemma and her partner.

Karen a really nice lass who is on the MC committee was dashing about checking everything was going ok . She puts a lot of work in where Concord is concerned. I was once mistakenly put on the MC committee instead of her which we still joke about.

When I am in Manchester, and Sparkle brought this home to me even more. I feel part of the T community, but sort of on the fringe. It’s because I don’t get out as much as I want and see my friends. The majority of my time I live in male mode working to earn a living so I can be comfortable and have times out being myself. Life at times feels empty. Home for me is not home if that makes sense. Manchester a place I have never lived feels more like home.

On the stage we had a speech by Lynn Featherstone MP, the Equality Minister. She talked a lot but nothing she said stood out. Marianne’s band The Strawberry Elephant Experience were first on and really good.

There were a couple of stalls offering information on laser hair removal and liposuction. The ladies on these stalls were telling me about fat removal. While they were telling me about this I did ask if they thought I needed it. One laughed after she looked at me and said as a joke  ’I hate people like you.   I am quite skinny, probably to much.

At the UNISON stall I spoke to a lovely lady. We had a long chat. A lot was about transitioning. She had been through the process herself. She never made any judgements on my situation, but gave me some good advice and a lot to think about. To go down that route I know you have to be sure and realise you may open the gates to your own personal hell, but then again you may be in that hell with full transition your only escape. For me I exist in a limbo that I have written about before on another blog. It’s tough, but not hell. A very uneasy balance that I try to maintain.

Kate and Suki appeared and I spent some time with them looking round the stalls and getting some pictures.

Diana and Mandy

Eventually the park event came to a close. It had been a lovely afternoon.