For spring break my family went on vacation with our friends. We stayed at the Montage Palmetto Bluff. It was beyond spectacular!
We were allowed to ride bikes on paths all over the resort. I rode my bike so much. I saw my first alligator that wasn’t in a zoo. I went to the pool and played with my friends for a long time. I took tennis lessons and now I love tennis. On the last night, we had a nice dinner and I wore a dress. Then, I had a sleepover with my girl friends!
I decided that when I grow up I’m going to make my own hotel resort. It will be mostly for drag queens, gender nonconforming people and transgender people. A lot of transgender and gender nonconforming people like me don’t feel comfortable going everywhere. At my hotel resort everybody will always feel comfortable and welcome no matter what.
Straight people can go to my hotel resort if they are nice and don’t worry or even think twice about gender nonconforming and transgender people. If straight people think transgender and gender nonconforming people are just normal people they are welcome at my hotel resort. The straight people can dress however they want, too. The straight men can wear dresses if they want and the ladies can wear tuxedos. (Just nothing inappropriate.)
Drag queens can wear lots of makeup and anything they want.
Gender nonconforming and transgender people can go out in any gender identity they want and nobody will judge them. I promise.
The number one rule at my hotel resort is “you can never judge anyone for the color of their skin or the gender they are or the people they love.”
I will have activities for everyone to do. There will be tennis, bocce ball, zip lining, crafts and a big pool in the shape of a heart and it will be nice and warm. There will be two hot tubs. There will also be a playground with gymnastics equipment. People will ride bikes everywhere. They will also be able to ride in golf cart taxis. The golf cart driver will pull up to people and say “Hey, gurl, hey! Do you need a ride?! Hop in!”
I want to have a tree house at my hotel resort, but that might cost too much money for our financial plan.
The main hotel building will be a creamy white and the steps leading up to it will say “You Are Amazing.” That will be the first thing people see when they arrive. And they will believe it! There will be fancy people wearing rainbow colors for gay pride who open the front doors for guests.
Each night you can make s’mores by a big fire pit and talk to people and make new friends.
There will be shops all around my hotel resort. A wig shop, a dress shop, a shoe shop, a makeup shop and a craft store. There will be a gift shop that sells marbles with glitter in them.
There will be a theatre where drag queens put on shows every night. A different drag queen will perform every night so the drag queens don’t get too tired.
There will also be a kids fashion show every day. The kids can put on a show for their parents and guardians, if they want. But they don’t have to; it’s their choice.
There will be plenty of restaurants to choose from. A place for hamburgers. A fancy restaurant that serves oysters. And an Italian place that serves pink sauce noodles, red sauce noodles and butter noodles. There will also be a place for steak and chicken. Dessert is macaroons stacked into a pyramid shape in a rainbow of colors. There will be ink on each macaroon that tells the eater a message like: “You are amazing!,” “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” and “You can do anything!”
The hotel rooms will all have coffee makers in them with sugar cubes — because sugar cubes are extra fancy. Everybody will get a pair of white slippers. The towels will be folded into animals, like elephants, and room service will leave a chocolate mint on your pillow every night before bed. There will be a big bathtub in every room with bath salts that smell like vanilla and bath bombs that smell like lemon.
When a kid arrives, they will get to choose a free gay pride rainbow flag, a small tiny plush star pillow or a pink heart pillow. That will be their free gift. They can only pick one.
Everyone will always get along. I want everybody to feel luxurious while they are at my hotel resort. I want them to feel like a prince, princess, king or queen. Whichever one they want to feel like, it’s their choice.
The people who work at my hotel resort will know everybody’s name and pronouns and talk to each guest like they know who they are.
When people leave my hotel they will feel so welcome in the world and they will get all of their confidence. They will believe that they can do anything. When they go back to the real world and someone is being mean to them, they will not care because they will just be remembering how they felt at my hotel resort.
The only thing I don’t know about my hotel resort is the name. I can’t think of the perfect one. I need your help! Leave your idea for my hotel’s name in the comments below. I will pick a winner on Saturday. The winner will win a tiny paper airplane, two tiny origami figures, a friendship bracelet and a note from me.
Thanks for your ideas!
Love,
C.J.
Raising My Rainbow 
CJ I work in a hotel running the front desk and I have to say I’d quit my job and come work for you in a second. This is a wonderful idea for a hotel resort. I already wear a rainbow flag on on my tuxedo jacket to work every day. I also wear rainbow flowers on my head too. You have a wonderful idea here. You are amazing. XOXO
I would love to come to this resort. Maybe I could bring my friends and family, but even if they didn’t want to come, I think I would have fun meeting new people.
Shangri-La or Terabithia
Love the full length mirror maybe a 3 way full length mirror.
The AAYR hotel. For Awesome As You Are
But no matter WHAT you call it, you need to have a door in the lobby that says, “What you see beyond this door defines awesome!” And when they open it there is a full length mirror.
The Love Inn
I love, love, love the idea for the hotel! I would stay there! Some ideas for names could be
The Star Shine Spa and Resort
The Just Me Hotel
Sparkle and Shine Resort
CJ’s Four “A’s” Resort – for the amazing, awesome, astounding, accepting stay
Check It Out Inn
Whatever you decide to name it, it’s going to be as amazing as you are. Thank you for being you. Shine on.
This idea makes me so happy I want to laugh AND cry! CJ, you are so awesome in so many ways.
I don’t know if hotels name ideas are meant to be one per person, but I have a few:
Beyond the Rainbow (are you getting tired of rainbow names yet? :P)
Seventh Heaven Resort
Glitter Haven
That’s all I’ve got. I will definitely come stay at your resort, it’s too fabulous to pass up!
I love this child SO much!!!! If only everyone was like CJ!
I really like CJs idea for a hotel. This boy just is amazing! He’s a truly inspirer.
I have linked this on my blog hiking tour (in german).
Greetings
Daniela
CJ’s Sugar Blossom Hill Experience
cuz it really would be a sweet experience.
I think that it must be dusty in here…
Love this. Adore you and your family and how you’re making the world a little kinder, more beautiful and more truly real just by being yourselves and living life with so much love.
Now, for name ideas and explanations:
1. Because it’s a: Phenomenal Palace of Peace and Pretty, you could call it
“The 4 “P”easons
2. Or you could call it: UOY and pronounce it “you”.
Because: you should always be able to be “YOU” no matter what you look like.
3. ALLOHA RESORT
Spell a word that has so many meanings-hello, goodbye, thank you, and include the word ALL- so all who enter know they are wanted and welcome- no matter how they identify.
And if I can’t win some of your fabulousness and praise for myself (to share with my fave gender creative kiddo) I LOVE the name “Amazingnest” that someone else suggested.
Such smart, creative and loving people. ❤️
“C.J.’s Over the Rainbow resort”.
You are one amazing kid. ❤️ I can’t wait ’till it opens!!!
Sign me up for a reservation! This hotel sounds exactly where I’d like to stay. As a straight ally, I prefer to hang out with LGBTQ people. They are just more fun, fabulous, and accepting.
My vote was going to be for Rainbow Resort, but I Googled it, and it already exists. I think rainbow or amazing should be in the name.
“Heaven”. Your hotel ideas sound like heaven to me. ❤
Hi CJ
You are AMAZING! I love idea for you hotel. Can you ask maybe your staff learn sign language? Because lot people think Deaf = thick! I am Deaf and lesbian so always people think it’s ok call me stupid and nasty because gay.
You are best example of all people fabulous! When you grow up I saving money come to your hotel!!
I love the idea! I would call the hotel Amis et Voisins (pronounced ah-mee a vwah-son). It’s French for “Friends and Neighbors”, and given that the hotel is meant to be a place where everyone is supported and accepted as part of a collective or community, I think the name would be a subtle way of expressing that ideal.
I love your plans C.J.! I hope to stay at your hotel someday. Maybe you can call the hotel “The Bridege” as you are bringing people together. But that might be confusing since it will be a hotel.
CJ this plan is great, and I think it could be very successful. I have been to a couple of places that are a little bit like your resort, but they are not permanent places like your resort will be. I have few minor suggestions you can consider if you want to, or not.
For the resturaunts, there should also be some vegetarian, vegan and health food type places. A lot of us LGBTQQIAA-ish folks care about health, sustainability and kindness toward animals, and would not be happy at the burger place or the oyster place.
I hope there will be lots of bikes to choose from of different types, because I will want to ride a lot, and I like to try different bikes!
I love all the activities at your resort. I imagine that there will be many special weeks, weekends, programs and events held there. Some may be ones planned by you and the staff. Others may start as things that people who are guests plan out. In fact you will need to have special plans for groups that want to book the whole resort, or one wing or the conference center building. This is something you may want to think about. Just as examples, you can look into things like the GALA chorus convention (this is a real thing in the world — GLBT choruses from around the country get together to sing. I may not have the name precisely right). Also look for the IAGSDC convention. This is also a real thing in the world, usually with over 1000 attendees every year. So you will want to have spaces for events of this kind, and your resort will be booked with many of them!
Finally, about the tree house, this is also a good idea, but when I think about it, then I also want outdoor camping, and tipi’s and cabins and all sorts of other things…. But this seems different from a resort to me. So I am not sure. Maybe have a resort and campground and wilderness all together? Or maybe have different places — some more expensive and luxury, others more for camping and outdoors? Anyway, I am all for tree houses! Many different ones! Also camp fires!
This is all wonderful, and I look forward to many more ideas to come.
I want to do the same thing except build a school, not a hotel, for trans and gender nonconforming kids. It’s going to teach about gay and trans people and history as well as the straight and cis history. It will be a place for kids to be themselves. They won’t be separated out by gender or be taught a gender binary. It’s going to be called Rainbow Village School or HALES (hope, acceptance, love, and equality school). Good luck with your hotel. Maybe we’ll come stay there on field trips.
CJ’s Snap’n’Sass Resort!
I just wanted to tell you that your amazing post gave me chills. I hope some day everyone can find a place like this, no matter who you are.
Wow CJ is a visionary! My 10 year old gender nonconforming son Sam says he LOVES the sound of this place – he particularly likes all the entertainment options and says he would choose the heart cushion free gift 🙂 Sam’s name suggestions are The Rainbow Palace, The Unicorn’s Horn, or The Glitz – in the same typeface as The Ritz – so you could go for afternoon tea at The Glitz 😉 Lots of love from London xx
Well my names would be:
This is the Place
Welcome
Feel at Home
Just like Home
Rainbow Connection
CJ’s Place to Be
Why Not!
The Greatest Hotel in the World (Think of this when you make the url for it or in the gmail address)
Over the Rainbow
You are Here
and I guess I will stop now
This is so fantastic CJ.
from a gender non conforming butch lesbian
The Most Amazing Hotel & Resort
Or just call it CJ’s and everyone will know how loving and amazing it is because you are. You’ve made my day. Thank you!!
Opal – opals reflect so many beautiful colors.
My partner and I will 1000000% go on vacation here. These are my ideas:
– Sparkle & Believe
– Tuar Ceatha (“rainbow” in Irish Gaelic)
– The Rainbow Residence
– The Regal Rainbow Retreat
I completely want in on this, CJ. My vote for the name of your fabulous resort is L’arcobaleno, which means “the rainbow” in Italian. It’s fancy and very fun to say. Keep dreaming, CJ; and thank you for sharing!
Maybe “Prism Palace” because prisms project rainbows out into the world, and that is what your resort would empower people to do: project their true colors out in the world. And you could sell all kinds of prisms in the gift shop so that guests could have rainbows with them wherever there is light.
(I also like Empower Palace, but it sounds exhausting, and Prism Palace will be a place where you can just relax if you want to…)
You’re a visionary!!!
I like “Prism Palace” because prisms project rainbows into the world, and that is what you would be doing: empowering people to emit their own light and show their true colors. You could sell prisms in the gift shop so that everyone could have their own rainbows whenever they wanted. I LOVE this place already! You’re a visionary!
What a fantastic plan, C.J.! I love everything about your hotel. I would love to stay there. I think for a name it could be just Sparkle – An Inn Where You can Be Out and Proud. You are awesome and I really think that this hotel could happen and fill a real need! I hope you get some funding for it sometime. I’d love to stay in the tree house. I’m sure you could find the money somehow.
Or Rainbow Ranch if I can enter twice 🙂
Straight people can be soooooooo boring. How about “Rainbowland Resort” A subsidiary of Rainbow properties.
I would name your resort “Amazingnest” like amazingness and nest to feel at home and comfortable.
I love this. And I said if I don’t win with my suggestions that I hope you do.
You’re a pretty good planner, CJ! Your hotel sounds awesome.
I would suggest you name it “The Ends of the Rainbow” because you’re including a whole spectrum of people, from one end to the other.
Tate, our 5 year old gender creative kid thinks the hotel should be called Rainbow Paradise 🌈. He said he would also pick the rainbow flag if he was the guest.
I like someone else’s idea of Rainbow Resort. I imagine that the people who you would want to attract would understand your concept from that name. I hope your dream becomes a reality and that it expands beyond the boundaries of your resort. You are why the word “fabulous” exists.
There’s no place like home
What a beautiful post! CJ – I am so enjoying your journey through life with your family! Every post warms my heart! My vote for the name of your hotel resort is “QueensGate”…a happy place!
Cheers!
Hi CJ it’s Thomas I think a good name for your resort would be “The Positive Palace”😊 I can’t wait to stay your resort when I get older!!!😄💄💅🏻👑🎀🎀
CJ, you are mature and wise beyond your years. When you open that resort, I will be sure to get myself on the email list so that I can come visit paradise. 🙂
What about rainbow village? It would be a nice name because it does represent the theme of your hotel and it is fun
What about rainbow village? It would be a nice name because it does represent the theme of your hotel and it is fun
I’d definitely stay at your resort, CJ! And I’d like to suggest calling it Rainbow Heaven Resort. (And I have to concur with the commenter somewhere above, who suggested the Glitter Grotto for weddings and other big events. I can totally picture an event-type room with a stage area at one end, and the stage itself is surrounded with little crystals on the walls and ceiling (but not into the main area of the room) so that the stage looks like it’s inside a geode.
You could call it “Pot of Gold Resort”, because there’s a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, right? And the end of the rainbow is where it hits the ground. So “Pot of Gold Resort… where rainbows come to rest.” Then you can use fancy gold touches everywhere and leave chocolate gold coins on the pillows instead of plain mints.
I love this and thought pot of gold would be fitting as well!
You could call it “Pot of Gold Resort”, because there’s a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow, right? And the end of the rainbow is where it hits the ground. So “Pot of Gold Resort… where rainbows come to rest.” Then you can use fancy gold touches everywhere and leave chocolate gold coins on the pillows instead of plain mints.
Hey Lori. And hey CJ. Hello all Duron family! Riley here. So I loved this. It is an amazing idea. CJ you are an incredible human being. And you have such humanitarian ideas that could actually help this world to be a better place. You are so accepting and loving of others and you have such an incredible family and friends to nourish that. Keep on coming up with hopes and dreams and wishes and goals for your future and life! As for the name of your hotel I really couldn’t come up with a great one but I tried. Rainbows With Open Hearts and Warm Embraces is what I would call it. Hope you like it. Love you all. Stay safe and have fun.
What a lovely plan you have.
Let me know when it’s open so I can make a reservation.
Cheers,
David Fletcher, MD
Hotel Free to be Me
I love this! I’ll be honest, I always said if I won the lotto I would open an Inn for “us” (LGBTQ) and call it rainbow’s end and the tag line would be “the Inn that is really out”. I truly believe you will reach your goals so if you like it, you can have it!
Hi CJ:
You are truly amazing!! You already have a business plan. How about this name?
“CJ’s Palace of Dreams…
Where Everyone Feels Fabulous.”
Good luck with your new venture. Maybe you can crowd fund it to raise the money to build it. I’ll donate all the legal work like the contracts if that would help. Anything for your Wonderful idea!
Love to you and your family!
Christine Crane
P.S. you sure have grown tall…Legs to the sky. You could be a model too.
Yes CJ
Someone commented how tall you’ve gotten
real long legs on you. I think Mom letting you post is awesome. I will continue to follow you as you go through your teen years into adulthood. Maybe Chase should add a sub blog and call it Living With My Rainbow Bro.
Send my regards to Chase, tell him he’s never forgotten.
What a wonderful place…I would definitely visit frequently..you already have so many great names to choose from..I like Butterfly Kiss, Rainbow Wishes!
Whatever it is called I am sure it will be Absolutely Fabulous. I want to come and have unicorn hair or rainbow hair, whatever they call it. I want to be there with my brother who I love to bits. Let me know when it is open. Hugsxx
What a marvellous idea, CJ. You have obviously thought a lot about this and have some wonderful ideas. I’d love to visit. Have you thought about where you want to build this?
For a name, I go along with some of the others. I think CJ’s Rainbow Palace would be great.
I want to go stay at ‘Positivity’. Everyone should take a trip there. Beautiful idea CJ
I think your resort sounds wonderful. I wish there was a place like that now. You are an amazing child with such a big heart. I’m not sure of a name but I will definitely visit your resort.
I want to make reservations now please!!! It sounds like a very nice and relaxing place to visit. I do hope you can figure out a way to make the tree house happen. I’d like to stay in it.
I don’t care what it’s named, I just want to come visit!! C’mon Inn. Or even better, the C’mon OUT!!!
CJ, your blog post made me cry! Your resort sounds like a beautiful and wonderful place. I would call it “The Rainbow Connection,” because that’s one of my favorite songs, and I feel like your rainbows will connect people and places all over. Keep dreaming, my friend! You have a lot of people rooting for you!!
Name for the Hotel: Loves Welcomes Everyone!
Dear C.J.,
Your resort is the place I want to visit.
Let me know when it opens.
Sounds like paradise to me.
All of it.
If the financial planning would allow tree houses to be built, that’s where I’d like to sleep. Can you put bookshelves in the treehouse with loads of books?
I can’t think of any good names, so I’ll have to make a paper plane myself, but that’s ok.
So let me know when paradise C.J. is ready to welcome it’s first guests.
what he said!! Are you taking bookings yet?
Rainbow Haven (with a Glitter Grotto for weddings and other fabulous extravaganzas)
CJ, this is beautiful. The name that popped into my mind is “Rainbow Resort”, and this straight ally will be among your first guests!!
CAYA (Come As You Are)
👍
I think CJ’s Pride Palace has a nice ring to it and I would definitely come with my daughter. She needs a place to be her sparkling self! Great idea!
Michelle, congrats on winning the naming game! Please email your mailing address to me at raisingmyrainbow@gmail.com so I can send you your prize package of a tiny paper airplane, two tiny origami figures, a friendship bracelet and a note from C.J. 😉
Yay! Thanks!
What a wonderful place!!
I think it should be name Everybody’s Place!
I absolutely love this! I want to stay there now!
How about the Rainbow Palace?
CJ, this touches my heart. Your an amazing person, to dream and dream big!!!
The name that comes to me, “Butterfly Kisses, Rainbow Wishes”
Please do keep us posted as your dreams progress.
How about “The Celestial Rainbow” And underneath “The place you can be you true self”.
I would LOVE to travel to your hotel resort 🙂 It sounds absolutely AMAZING!
I think your resort should be named “Welcome Home” or “Your Majesty” because everyone is welcome, and you will make them feel like royalty. What a great idea, and I can’t wait to book my stay!
CJ – This is one of the most beautiful ideas I’ve ever read. You are an amazing kid. As for a name, my first thought was “The Glitz” – sorta like The Ritz but with more glitter?! And if you have a hair salon at this hotel, one of the funniest names I’ve ever seen for a salon was “Curl Up and Dye”! Keep dreaming big!!!
I want to go there right now! Lots of resorts have fancy one word names, so how about…Expressions! Or Styles!
The Inclusion Seclusion. And I will sign up right now, too!
The name of the hotel should be, “CJ’s Dream Palace. A place to be yourself.”
You have wonderful ideas CJ!!! You could call it the Amazing Rainbow Resort!
It sounds amazing. I’m not sure about the alligator, though. I can do without alligators, unless they come in cake form. https://uk.pinterest.com/explore/alligator-cake/
I would name it the Five Star Fabulous Hotel because obviously you would get a five star rating from any critic or travel guide, and who doesn’t love stars? Five stars is superior. And fabulous because, gurl, you are fabulous!
Bliss. I would call that place Bliss.
How about CJ’s La Place san Souci – it’s French and it means CJ’s place of no worries or CJ’s carefree place – something like that. Anyway, it sounds like a perfect vacation spot!
Dear CJ: I want to stay at your magical resort right now – are you taking pre-bookings?
How can we as a community help you build this dream? Perhaps we can help send you to business or hospitality school? Or crowdfund the building site?
As to the name, I think “Elysian Fields” is good – both because it is a fancy way of describing paradise (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysium) but also because it sounds like the name of a drag queen.
I would totally stay at CJ’s resort. ❤ Resort Amazing!
Hi, this is a great idea! I will suggest a French word : Le Paradis. When I read your text, I was thinking that the place u describe is paradise on earth!
With love from Bordeaux, France.
Maéva Gémini
“This is me !” Hotel
My daughter and I thought “Rainbow Sparkle Hotel” would be good! Your hotel sounds fantastic!
Rainbow Gardens
There is no other hotel like this. How amazing is this! No name would do it justice unless it had a piece of you in it. I vote for CJ’s Place.
How about CJ’s Fabulous Resort?
This is a great idea!! My suggestion for a name would be The Fabulous Butterfly Resort Hotel.
What an absolutely amazing hotel! Maybe you could call it the Palace Amazing, since it sounds so fancy and incredible, and you would treat everyone like royalty.
I so love this idea!
Maybe a name like, “The Incandescent”, an all-inclusive resort that IS all-inclusive, where everyone can shine as bright as they want.
Interesting name.
Sounds like a wonderful place, CJ!
I forgot the name…Dreamland.
C.J., I LOVE this – it sounds like so much fun! Can my family and I be your first reservation? Love and hugs to you, kiddo. You are amazing and super fabulous and I love your ideas!
How wonderful. I would love to be one of your first guests! Thank you, CJ!
Love it! What a wonderful idea, CJ! If I can think of any good names, I will come back and post it.