I went to Sparkle again this year. Although this fabulous
celebration of everything transgender goes on for several days, I limited
myself just to the Saturday. This is largely because I didn’t want to set back
my improving health by spending more than one day in makeup.
On that note, I’m pleased to say that 15 hours in makeup
caused no eczema flareup, although all the antihistamine I took left me feeling
a bit spaced out and groggy. I suspect my friends are used to that!
I have always loved Sparkle. Though it makes for an
expensive weekend, there are so many official events and so many venues to have
fun in and so many friends to catch up with that it’s become the highlight of
my year. I was so distressed last year when I had to cancel my visit.
I turned up on Friday night after a smooth journey (no delays
through “gunmen on the line” as in 2015!) And do you know, there is now a train
every 20 minutes from London to Manchester – an incredible frequency for
intercity services. I had a quiet dinner on my own in Manchester’s Chinatown
(which is better than London’s Chinatown, in my opinion) and spent the evening making
essential beauty arrangements, such as painting my nails.
One thing I have always done is to photograph my outfits for
Sparkle. Chiefly as a personal record of my growth, tastes, fashion, etc. I’ve not
posted them before, but I will this time as don’t have many photos and usually
there are 7 or 8 looks for the weekend!
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| Daywear: pastel pink. |
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| Evening: black lace |
Saturday morning dawned bright and it was hot and fine all
day (I have luckily never been cursed with Manchester’s famous rain on any
visit I have made there) and I was in Canal Street, the heart of the Gay
Village, by 10. This was a daft thing to do really as there’s nobody around at
Sparkle till gone midday! But I enjoyed a light breakfast at Velvet.
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| Glowing in the lovely sunshine |
The first person I met was my lovely friend Wilhelmina from
Hungary. After a chat we went into the city centre for lunch as Canal Street
is a little pricey and we prefer real life ‘outside the ghetto’.
And then the afternoon was the time to bump into friends,
some of whom I hadn’t seen for years – Jolene, Amanda, Emma W and Jackie, Kate
and Suki, KD, Stefania, Gina, Rachael, Priya, Emma D, Joan, Tania, Jenny Anne and
Ellen, Karen… I was sorry to miss Lucy and Helen whom I’d tried to get in touch
with, but I know loads of other people who were there but I didn’t see. That’s
the trouble with being there just one day, and there’s not that much time for a
proper catchup with anyone. But the most important thing was for Roz White and
me to meet as women for the first time, which we’d never managed despite
knowing each other for so many years. A massive hug was called for. It was
lovely to meet her close friends Tegan and Sara for the first time, too.
In the evening I joined Kate, Suki, KD, Emma, Jackie and
Karen for a late dinner at Browns in Manchester city centre, a good restaurant
which has taken over an old but grand bank building.
After which I went to bed! I just couldn’t face a noisy
club, and the medication I take for my eczema prevents my enjoying a glass of
wine and was making me very sleepy. And I’m old!
So that was my Sparkle for 2017. Short but sweet.
Visiting Sparkle did me a lot of good. It made me feel part
of the community again and gave me a little more hope that I am coming out of
this devastating sickness. And I got to see friends whom I love very much.
I’m hoping that next year will be like 2010 – 2013 again – a
three-day party!
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| Slurrp!!! Dining in good company. |
Sue x
