About Public Exposure ...

This is presented primarily to those who wish to attend DLV but lack any significant experience in mainstream public, and those who are concerned about such public exposure.

Diva Las Vegas is the most mainstream-oriented of the major TG events, meaning that many of our activities occur within facilities that are open to and shared with the general public.

When you attend Diva Las Vegas, you can expect a certain degree of exposure to the general public, many of whom will be tourists and visitors, throughout the event. However, the chance of being recognized or "outed" is very low as history has proven.

At our activities ...

Our final detailed schedule will now have an "exposure" rating for each activity, which indicates how much exposure to the general public is expected at each activity.

The exposure ratings are summarized here.

Degrees of Public Exposure at Our Activities
Rating:	What you can expect:
Minimal	Very little, if any, exposure to the general public. This includes "Safe Venue" activities, such as those in alternative bars and clubs, vendors who cater primarily to the GLBT community, etc.
Some	Incidental contact with the general public may be expected. Such contact will usually be non-intimidating.
Moderate	A certain degree of exposure to, and contact with, the general public may be expected. Such contact is generally expected to be non-intimidating, but may be uncomfortable to those without experience in mainstream public.
Significant	Exposure to, contact with, and interaction with the general public is to be expected. Such contact and interaction is expected to be uncomfortable for those without prior mainstream public experience.

Hints for minimizing your exposure:
Dress to blend in, not stand out. This is covered in depth in the various dress articles. Keep your voice down. Don't call attention to yourself. Avoid the tendency to hang around in groups. If groups form, stay back, away from them.

At your hotel ...

A large casino-hotel with a busy lobby and crowded casino will be far more intimitating than a smaller off-Strip hotel or motel.

If you're concerned about such things as a hotel lobbies, casinos, elevators, etc., then look for a hotel which offers smaller low-rise buildings either in addition to or instead of the more common larger hotel towers.

Several hotels have "garden" rooms in motel-style buildings, often at lower rates than tower rooms. Ask about this when you make your hotel reservation.

A room on a lower floor in a hotel tower may allow you to walk up and down, to and from your room. Lower floor rooms are almost always available for the asking. Ask the desk when you check in. Do be aware that some hotels allow you to walk down from your floor via the stairs, but not back up. This varies from hotel to hotel.

Smaller non-gaming hotels and motels are great for those who are shy of the public! These are mostly off-Strip and reasonable in price.

Those First Steps!

Those first steps out of the hotel room and into the real world are frequently reported as being unsure and stressful. Countless cases of a last-minute "bail-out" have occured at this point.

If you think that leaving your hotel room on your first time out may be difficult for you, it's easy to arrange for a Big Sister escort. Just write to our Big Sister Coordinator (e-mail address will appear in the Large Final Mailing) and explain the circumstances.

Should you get cold feet at the last minute and get "stuck" in your hotel room, phone our Big Sister Emergency Hotline (number will appear in the Large Final Mailing). We'll get a Big Sister to you to assure you and escort you.

On the town ...

When you're out by yourself or with others, if you want to minimize the attention you receive from the public, here are some hints:

Dress in a manner similar to other women of your age and size.
Don't unnecessarily assemble or parade in groups.
Keep your voice down and watch your language.

Tourists and visitors in Las Vegas will usually be paying attention to what they are doing and who is in their company unless something in particular attracts their attention. The more you can do to prevent being a magnet for attention means the less that you will be the object of attention of the general public.

You will notice that the field of vision of most tourists and visitors will be directly in front of them as they walk along the sidewalk and in passageways, through casinos, etc. If you keep out of these high-visibility thoroughfares, you'll be less conspicuous. Seek the road less traveled!

One very common misunderstanding!

People are, by nature, curious. When a group of TGs is obviously present, yes, curiosity will be aroused and onlookers will seek to know what the group is, who these people are, what makes them tick, and why they are doing what they are doing.

It's common for members of the general public to approach our people, ask questions, make small talk, even ask them to pose with them for photos.

This natural curiosity and amusement is often misinterpreted by TGs as acceptance and approval!

Many of those very people who exclaim "ooooh, cool!" and ask you to pose with them for photos are the very same ones who will go running to security the minute they see one of the group walk in the direction of a ladies room!

Be very careful!

In Conclusion ...

Breaking out from the limits which exist in such things as GLBT bars, support groups, and TG conventions and into the mainstream can be a life-changing experience. Diva Las Vegas offers this opportunity, and the organizers and volunteers will do all that's possible to help you feel comfortable in the general public.

Please let us know if you have any particular concerns. If you have concerns about any particular activity, please see the specified activity coordinator and ask about any details you need to know.

Please help us help you to have an unforgettable DLV experience!