So Who Are Chameleons?

by Marie-Desiree De'Orsay-Lawrence

(The Gender Centre advise that this article may not be current and as such certain content, including but not limited to persons, contact details and dates may not apply. Where legal authority or medical related matters are cited, responsibility lies with the reader to obtain the most current relevant legal authority and/or medical publication.)

May we wish all our sisters and brothers at the Gender Centre a Happy New Year. We are very excited about making contact with you at last.

The Chameleons grew out of a dissatisfaction with other groups that were doing nothing for our people across the wide field of gender issues that is a part of life here in South Australia. I had been trying to do a lot of the work by myself. Because I am a post-operative transgender person, the local cross dressers group ignored me and the girls I sent them.

So when Andi Sebastian our A.C.S.A. General Manager told me that there was a national group starting, got together with a few others and we started the Chameleons. We are under the wing of the Gay/Bi group named "Between Men" here at the Aids Council and since we started advertising we have had over 50 people contact us. I am very happy to report that 3 of that number are female-to-male transgender people.

We meet every Friday night at a local coffee lounge called the Witness Brew on Stuart Street, where we have been allowed to use the back function room free of charge, for which we have been forever grateful. Now that we have settled in we will be starting to run some training nights.

Alison our Chairperson and Working Party Representative on the Management Committee of A.C.S.A. has been busy lining up many talented people to help us train our members to become the people they wish to be.

I am coming over to Sydney for that wonderful Mardi Gras held over there, and am looking forward to meeting some of you then. During the parade you will be able to pick me out as I will be dressed as a Cardinal marching with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. In the order I am known as Father Izzy "Cardinal" Overdone, Father Confessor with the right to grossly distort and publish.

You will be happy to know that I am the first transgender person in the world to join the order. Mind you I got a little confused changing my sex so many times. Just kidding.

Well it's time for me to sign off from the Festival City of Adelaide. See you all soon.

With love from your sisters and brothers in Adelaide.

Polare is published in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Community Services under the S.A.A.P. Program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Advertisers are advised that all advertising is their responsibility under the Trade Practices Act. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, though no guarantee is made by the Editor that they will be published, nor any discussion entered into. The editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc.I, the Department of Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.