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14. We take photos at our meetings to document our chapter's growth. If you do not wish to be photographed, tell the official photographer and she will not photograph you. Similarly, do not bring a camera to a meeting if you are not a regular member. Visitors or first time attendees may not bring a camera. When you do bring a camera, do not photograph anyone--foreground or background--without permission. Take special care not to photograph anyone en drab. There are special rules regarding where cameras may be used. The rules do not always apply to the official photographer who knows the rules that she must photograph by, so don't assume that just because she is doing something, you may also do it. Here are the rules that pertain to you:
a. Video cameras are NEVER permitted because they capture not only pictures but also voice, mannerisms and background noises that should not be captured.
b. Personal cameras may be used inside the hotel room during a 15 minute period of time toward the end of the meeting. The meeting leader will announce publicly when that period begins. Cameras may then be used only against a specified background. This way, anyone who does not want to be in a photo should avoid standing in the posing area.
c. The photographer is responsible for assuring that no one is ever accidentally in a background of a photo being taken.
d. Photos may be taken outside at any time by a regular member (not a first time member or guest) but the photographer is totally responsible for assuring that no one is ever in the background of any photo being taken and that she has the permission of anyone who is photographed.
e. Any chapter officer may stop picture taking for any reason inside or out.
f. It is the responsibility of the photographer to assure that persons who do not want to be photographed are not photographed. It is not the responsibility of a member to avoid being photographed. If you bring a camera, understand that distinction.
g. Photos taken at our meetings, including outside of our meetings of any person attending the meeting, are the property of the person being photographed, not the photographer, regardless of who owns the film. This includes copyrights. Use of those photos by anyone including the photographer is with the permission of the person or persons in the photo. Acceptance of this provision is a condition of being allowed to bring a camera to meetings.
15. You are not required to dress at our meetings. Your goal should be to become comfortable enough with us to eventually dress. We understand that this may be difficult or impossible for some. We do not admit individuals who are not crossdressers and who only want to socialize with crossdressers. If you do not dress at a meeting, your goal should be to work toward a situation where you can eventually dress at meetings.
16. Individuals who dress at meetings must do so fully. Partial dressing is not acceptable. Some individuals just like to wear a skirt or lipstick or a wig but otherwise remain dressed as males. This is not crossdressing. It is referred to as fetish dressing or gender bending. We will be glad to counsel you or refer you to a group that can help you.
17. Children are not invited to meetings. Some crossdressers have chosen to bring their minor children to meetings in the past to show them that there are others who are gender gifted. This however has serious potential ramifications under Florida law and a misunderstanding could easily impact all present. At a minimum, it makes some members uncomfortable. If you have such a personal situation, ask the chapter leadership and they maybe able to arrange a smaller group meeting that will benefit your children. We are aware that some crossdressers disagree with this policy but this is( conservative Florida and while no one can arrest us for crossdressing, there is some belief that we may be breaking the law if we admit children to meetings.
18. Report any problems to our leadership and let them report to hotel security or management. We welcome all crossdressers and their spouses or partners to our meetings. We have all experienced that feeling of deep concern that our secret will be discovered. Members have told us that they were certain they would be followed or that the police would record license plate numbers or that the meeting would be raided and all present would be arrested. Nothing illegal happens at our meetings, we meet with the full support of the hotel management, and both the police and the hotel's security force have demonstrated over the years a desire to protect us and keep our meetings safe. Your cooperation with the above rules will assure our continued security. If you experience any problem, let out liaison help you report it to the hotel management.
Don't "freak out" if someone knocks on the door and when you open it you find hotel security. They check up on our safety and needs at least once each evening to make sure that no one is causing a problem for us. We appreciate and welcome this. Besides, it must give the guards something to giggle about in the office in what must otherwise be a very boring job!
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