Keystone Conference 2025; a first timers experience

Wow! There is so much to say about this experience, i guess I'll just start at the beginning. 

A few months ago I decided that 2025 was going to be the year that I spread my wings and travel to Keystone Conference in Harrisburg, PA. I really had no idea what to expect, but I wanted so badly to be around others who identified like myself. 

I started researching, and reading everything I could about the conference. It turns out there wasn't a ton of information out there. Luckily the girls over at Crossdresserheaven.com came in clutch, with lots of them sharing their experiences from past years. It all seemed so amazing, and the excitement continued to build .

At this point I had another small problem that im sure im not the first girl to have. You see, as a closeted crossdresser, who had never spent any real amount of time dressing in a public setting, my wardrobe was a bit, uh, we will say risqué for an event like this. Not to mention I didn't have nearly enough outfits for 5 days. And shoes, that was a whole other problem, you guessed it, nothing but sky high stilettos lol. Being a plus size girl with big feet, I cant just shop anywhere, I leaned into torrid for some super cute fits, and great shoes up to size 13, and got several other outfits from shein. Awesome, now I can dress for the week without looking like I belong on a street corner somewhere 😁

Then there was my next obstacle, makeup. I had never worn makeup before, and had no idea what to use, how to do it, totally unprepared. I started doing some research, YouTube, tiktok(shout out to Grace Powers!), watching my wife do her makeup, reading in the beauty section on crossdresserheaven.com, anywhere I could. Over the next week or so I started buying up product and preparing, once I had everything(yeah right lol) it was time to give it a shot. 

I got through the first time, and we'll, I'll spare you the pics, im sure you have a mental image. It wasn't pretty lol. So back to videos I went, and over that few month span, and many more trips to ulta, I was able to come up with what I considered a decent everyday makeup look. 

Finally it's time to depart, I've packed nearly every fem item I own, and im on the road. The excitement was through the roof, but was also accompanied by plenty of anxiety. Ive chatted with a couple of girls online, but I literally know no one, would I be able to make friends, would I spend the week hanging out alone? And going out in public, how would we be treated? Im happy to say all of these fears were totally unfounded. 

Once I arrived, there were girls everywhere, lots who you could tell had been friends for a long time, catching up, making up for lost time. Arriving in drab, I felt so out of place, everyone was in femme and looking gorgeous. So I did what anyone would do and rushed to my room to get ready for dinner. 

Walking out of that elevator into a room full of girls all dressed and ready for dinner was amazing. It was like for the first time in my life, im surrounded by people who are just like me. Everyone has their own story, but once you start talking, you find out how similar all of those experiences are. 

I boarded the bus and headed to dinner, as we walked into the resturant, I wasn't sure how the general public would react, but thankfully, everyone is too consumed in their own lives to really even notice, we sat and had a great dinner, and I managed to make my first friend, a beautiful lady named Lauren. We chatted about our lives, our families at home, hobbies. It just felt so natural. Over the next few days we would continue to spend time around one another and building quite the friendship. 

Throughout the week, i met so many new people, i couldnt begin to list them all, each one special in their own right, but with all of them, one thing was apparent. Everyone at this event has dealt with some level of rejection from others, and they dont want anyone to have to feel that way around them. This created such a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was so complimentary of one another, welcoming new people into their longstanding friendships. It truly was a beautiful sight to see, and so special to be involved in.

Friday night after dinner, there was a group who was going dancing, and I decided to take a chance, not knowing how to dance at all, and join them. Little did I know, this would lead to a new friendship with one of the sweetest, most caring, people I have ever met, not to mention she is a total smokeshow @ArikaAutumn. Arika made me feel so good about myself, with her support I was able to work my way onto the dance floor and have an amazing time. Through the rest of the trip we became pretty much inseparable, pushing each other to make the most of our time at Keystone, trying new things, and most importantly, sharing our stories, and learning that even though we are hours away from one another, we are living nearly parallel lives. I will forever value her friendship.

We finished the event out on Saturday night with the Annual Gala, everyone was so gorgeous, it was like the prom we never got to have. Everyone taking pictures, sharing stories, and just enjoying the company of one another, preparing for the inevitable return to our day to day lives that we all knew was coming, but wished we could postpone. 

Sunday morning, it was time for final goodbyes, and trips back home, some long, some short, but each and every one of them thinking about the experience we have just been a part of. I gave Arika one last hug, and made my rounds saying my goodbyes to some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Id be lying if I said I didn't cry as I got into my truck and pulled out onto the road. 

This week was a beautiful experience, something I had only dreamed about for most of my life, and finally, I had the opportunity to live it, and it was so much more than just a conference. It was a life changing experience, something I will hold in my heart forever. Im so thankful to have been lucky enough to attend, and am already counting down the days until next year. 

So with that, I'll leave you with a quote that seems fitting, " Goodbye doesn't mean the end, it does not say forever, it just means that we will soon meet again"

Thank you so much to everyone here on CDH who gave me kind words, and encouragement leading up to the event, and for everyone who took time to make me feel welcomed. It was truly an amazing experience, and I hope to be able to pass on the kindness that I have felt from this group of amazing women.