Interested in facilitating a Gender Odyssey generated session? Find out more here.
Exclusive Conference Programming
2012 programming is now in the works! Last year’s program schedule and descriptions below will give you an idea of what you can expect to see.
We often develop workshops that are designed exclusively for a specific audience. This is to allow for a deeper exploration of a specific topic or experience that might not otherwise be achieved. Among others, this programming includes specific sessions for:
More Workshops & Presentations
A Cop Just Asked for my ID—Now What? Transgender Interactions with Law Enforcement
Patrick Callahan
A police officer has just asked you for your ID and it doesn’t match the name you now use or the gender you now physically present—what happens next? This workshop will present information that will help empower transgender individuals to successfully interact with law enforcement officers with regard to issues of gender identity.
Bent: Spoken Word Workshop
Cole Peake
Bent is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Seattle-based organization whose mission is to promote and encourage written and spoken word among LGBTIQ people and in our communities. Bent has helped, encouraged, and launched many trans and gender nonconforming poets, spoken word artists, and writers in its community-building and groundbreaking ten years of existence. Join some of Bent’s volunteer staff in this workshop designed to get your heart on the paper and possibly the stage! All skill levels wanted, needed, and desired! Just show up with your heart, okay?
Best of Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival
For six years, Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival has been bringing the best films made by and about transgender people to Seattle. Come see a collection of short films featuring favorites from this year’s festival put together by Three Dollar Bill Cinema. From comedies to documentaries to narratives, this diverse collection of work is entertaining and thought-provoking. Sit back and enjoy the show!
Three Dollar Bill Cinema provides access to films by, for, and about LGBT people and their families, creating a forum for LGBT filmmakers to share and discuss their work with audiences. Translations was cofounded in 2005 by Gender Odyssey and Three Dollar Bill Cinema and has been growing steadily ever since. By producing Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival, the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and other programs, Three Dollar Bill Cinema strengthens, connects, and reflects diverse communities through queer film and media.
Chest Reconstructive Surgery for FTMs
Dr. Michael L. Brownstein
This presentation informs prospective patients, their partners, families, and supportive friends of the options for surgery, the requirements to undergo surgery, the techniques, the limitations, and the risks involved. This will help those considering surgery to have realistic expectations for outcomes and to decrease the levels of anxiety associated with FTM top surgery.
Transmasculine Spectrum Chest Surgery Show & Tell
Remy Corso
Come one, come all to see the most fabulous showing of transmasculine chest surgeries in town! Participants as well as pre- and post-surgical photos have been compiled in advance for this workshop centered on questions from the most routine (cost, healing, complications) to those that aren’t easily answered on the internet (regaining sensations, “phantom itch”, when it’s time to have sex) and everything in between. We’ll showcase chests by surgeon and take questions after each group. We’ll also save time for socializing with your favorite chest models at the end. Bring your burning questions!
Creating Safer “Safe Space” Trainings
Chris Burns, Jaison Briar
This session aims to discuss transgender inclusion in Safe Space Trainings. There will be a presentation of a Transgender Safe Space Training promoting intersectionality and anti-oppression while exploring transgender community. Active discussion time will include questions such as “What makes a space safe for transgender people?” and “How does intersectionality promote safety?” Transgender advocates (both trans and allies) are encouraged to attend. A big “thank you” to PFLAG and Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church for their generous funding, which helped make this presentation possible.
Cutting-Edge Issues in Transgender Rights
Lisa Mottet, Mara Keisling
Transgender rights are rapidly evolving at the federal, state, and local level. There have been great victories in some places and losses in others. We will cover policy-advocacy efforts related to nondiscrimination laws, ID document policies, health care, college policies, and police/jails. Come hear what is going on and what you can do to make a difference.
Educators and Other Professionals Who Work With Youth
Marty Wilder, Beth Sheppard
Is it safe for trans or genderqueer educators and other professionals who work with children to be open about their identity in the workplace? With severe budget cuts and layoffs, the educational job market is highly competitive. How can we protect the rights of transgender youth on campus, foster diversity awareness, and still protect ourselves and our professional reputations on the job? What are our legal protections on paper and how does that really play out in schools or the workplace? Out and proud or in the closet, come share your experiences in a confidential conversation with others who work with children in the public or private sector.
Effective Mentoring
Michael Brown
This workshop is specifically for transmen and transwomen who are interested in one-on-one, group and/or internet-based peer mentoring of trans youth and adults who are in the pre- or early-transitioning phase. Learn what mentoring is and is not. A brief introduction to mentoring covers the basics of boundary setting, communication skills, handling of difficult situations, conflict resolution, self esteem, and closure, as well as legalities when mentoring youth under the age of eighteen.
Emergence-See
Edna Seay Hicks
This workshop is geared toward family and friends of transgendered persons and will feature a group discussion. The discussion will be a sharing of experiences to help those who are newly aware of a transgendered person in their lives. Some discussion topics: When did they let you know of his/her new status? How do you discuss their emerging status with other family members? What about grandparents who have strong opinions of gender roles? How do you discuss their status with their former classmates and acquaintances? Have you changed how you view your loved one? Is it easy for you to use their new pronoun?
Energy Transference for Improving One’s Sex Life
Shihan Mac McGregor
It is energy that attracts us one to another. That tingly feeling, the draw we feel toward another person—it is all vibrational energy. Learning how to tap that energy within our relationships can create a much deeper connection and enhance our sexual experiences in great ways. As transgendered people, we can experience difficulties connecting with others sexually due to the challenges we may have in connecting to our own bodies—before, during, or after transition. In this workshop we will explore these connections, to others and to ourselves, with an ultimate goal of creating deeper connections throughout our lives.
Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval Into Opportunity
Peggy Holman
All change begins with disturbance. Our internal journey to claim our authentic gender identity is nothing short of disturbing, if not for us personally then certainly for our friends, families, and society. Even within trans communities our respective journeys often do not bring us together but may instead cause defensiveness and friction.
When we come to Gender Odyssey our hope is to find kinship in our similarities, but too often we become tripped up by our differences in race and class, our decisions to physically transition or not, and our views on femininity and masculinity, to name a few. As a community, we can arrive with a blend of past/present victimization combined with our current/future efforts at empowerment. It should come as no surprise that we encounter sometimes-volatile disruptions as we share our experiences.
Our success in creating community becomes more likely when we clarify a vision that energizes and helps us turn difficult, conflicted issues into transformative leaps of commitment and achievement. By doing so, we engage the natural forces of emergent change. Without disruption, there’d be no need to change.
By developing a healthy relationship with disturbance, we can turn resistance and denial into curiosity and creativity. Disruption brings out strong emotions—being compassionate is critical. At root, compassion means to suffer with. Compassion reminds us that we’re all in it together. Join Peggy Holman and conference organizers as we spread our wings and step into our leadership potential.
Father Stories
Lyle Blake
Is your father your biggest hero? Was he absent or unsupportive? How has your gender identity affected your relationship to fathering? Let’s share our stories of having a father, not having a father, wanting to be a father, not being able to be a biological father, and learning to be a father.
Gender Identity and (In)Fertility
Michelle Walks
This workshop will focus on issues of fertility and infertility, while investigating the different choices and experiences of butch lesbians, transmen, and genderqueer individuals in British Columbia. Specifically, this session will report on information gathered through interviews and online questionnaires completed by butch lesbians, transmen, and genderqueer individuals who have experienced or been diagnosed with a condition linked to infertility, as well as those who have had successful pregnancies. Also included in the discussion are various health care providers who care for such individuals. Attendees of this workshop will be encouraged to offer feedback regarding these preliminary findings (based on Michelle Walks’ SSHRC-funded PhD research), and share their own choices and experiences.
Gender Lexicon
Terra McKeown
The transgender lexicon seems to change weekly, if not daily. For some, this elusive compilation of labels is frustrating, confusing, and, at times, alienating. Others feel that to truly embrace gender’s full complexity, we must have evolving, organic language. Often, in trans/gender discussions, the conversation is limited to simple explanations of why individual people like or dislike certain terms. In this workshop, we’d like to step back a bit and get a bird’s-eye view of our communities’ gender identity language/framework. Let’s discuss both the problematic and the empowering nature of language with a goal of understanding our own process as well as that of others.
Good Sex: By the Author of The FTM Sex Guide
Jody Helfand
In this workshop we’ll discuss how to have good sex regardless of your sexuality and gender identity. Let’s talk about dating, intimacy, loving yourself and your body, sex toys, cam sex, phone sex, and other ideas mentioned in Helfand’s book. There will be a question and answer session at the end.
Good to Go: Gaining Confidence in Male-Oriented Environments
Lukas Walther, Julian Melson
Major stressors can arise when entering any male-oriented environment (job site, gym, hobby club, work crew, sports event, bar, etc.). This facilitated discussion will focus on possibilities and techniques for dealing with this, realistically and effectively, including the significance of self-awareness. How do our own presumptions and biases about masculinity and maleness help or hinder? Is it all that different from what non-transmen face? What barriers, if any, come up for you? How do you handle them? What outcomes have you had? What holds you back? What has helped you develop confidence? In short, what gets you “good to go”?
Hormones, Exercise, and Passing
Michael Huffington
Find out how to maximize your body’s potential to reflect the person you were meant to be. This workshop will provide information on how hormones influence the shape of our bodies, and will provide exercise recommendations on how to masculinize or feminize your body for those who are and those who are not on cross-hormone therapy.
I Just Need to Pee! (Eat, Sleep, See a Doctor…)
Jay Williams
Society is comfortable with male and female, and being comfortable is often equated with feeling safe. Most, if not all, systems and institutions incorporate the binary notion of gender to try to add a level of safety; examples include bathrooms, shelters, clinics, etc. But how can gender nonconforming people feel safe when these very institutions—knowingly or unknowingly—exclude us? How can we take care of our most basic human needs when our very presence is met with suspicion, contempt, fear, or ridicule? What can we do to change these spaces and what would that change look like anyhow?
It’s Not All Black and White
Andree Culpepper
Interracial relationships can be challenging and complicated, especially when your partner is transgender or gender nonconforming. Do racial dynamics sometimes impact your relationship in unanticipated ways? Has the dynamic between you and your partner changed as your partner’s gender shifts or evolves, or as their presentation changes? How comfortable are you with the ways you are perceived by the outside world? Are there things you like about it? Things that make you crazy? Let’s examine the added dimension that race brings to trans/non-trans relationships. This workshop is designed for each of us to bring our own experience(s) to share with others. Please respect this space and share from your heart and from your experience only.
Keyhole: Chest Reconstructive Surgery
Paul M. Steinwald, MD
Dr. Paul Steinwald specializes in the chest reconstructive procedure known as “keyhole.” During this session, Dr. Steinwald will discuss the various considerations of this procedure including optimal healing and preserving nipple sensation. Ample time allotted for Q & A.
Letters for My Brothers
Zander Keig
In today’s fast paced world, the internet can provide quick answers to personal questions. But when an individual raised by society to live, breathe, and look at the world with female eyes transitions to male, some of the most enlightening, helpful, and profound advice can only come in retrospect. Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect, edited by Megan M. Rohrer and Zander Keig, features essays from respected transmen mentors who share the wisdom they wish they could have had at the beginning of their journey into manhood.
Making Us Crazy: Medicalizing Transgender Identity
Annalise Ophelian, PsyD
How does it feel to have your gender identity included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders? This is the question explored in Diagnosing Difference, a new documentary that features interviews with thirteen transgender and genderqueer artists, scholars, and activists who discuss the impact and implications of the Gender Identity Disorder (GID) diagnosis on their lives and communities. Join director Annalise Ophelian in a screening of selected scenes from the film, followed by an interactive discussion of how mental and medical health care providers can improve their responsiveness to transgender clients.
Mother and Son Transitions
Jeri Starrett, Jace Dylan Starrett
This workshop features a mother, Jeri, and son, Jace, sharing their experiences from two perspectives, that of a mother and an adult child in transition. Jeri will share her story and the importance of building a network of support and resources. Jace will share his experiences in easing the transition process for family members and loved ones.
My Metoidioplasty Experience
Ryan Sallans
In May of 2008, Sallans traveled to Belgrade, Serbia, to complete what he calls “the works” metoidioplasty procedure. He returned to Serbia in December of 2010 to complete a revision of the first surgery. This presentation will explore the various aspects of preparing physically, mentally, and financially for the procedure as well as the “ins and outs” of recovery. Questions will be strongly encouraged and answered throughout this talk. Surgical outcome pictures will also be included.
My Naked Self
Anthony Neuman, Claire Avitabile
“My Naked Self” is an introductory workshop for anyone interested in exploring their gender identity and/or sexuality through writing exercises, improvisational movement, and spoken-word performance. Led by Anthony Neuman, FTM playwright and performer with the 20% Theatre Company – Twin Cities, this workshop will be a challenging and powerful examination of who others think we are, who we think we are, and the not-so-simple truth: who we are. No theatre or writing experience necessary!
Naming Ourselves: The Power of Choosing Your Name and Telling Your Story
Johann vanOverbeek
Changing your name can be a big step in the process of affirming your individual identity. Every person is unique, and your name can reflect your history, your future, and your personal power. This workshop is an invitation to share the story of your name and what it means to you and to obtain information about making your name change legal in your state. Come and share your story, listen to the stories of other courageous trans folks, and pick up some useful information about legal name change.
No Apology Necessary : Celebrating Masculinity
Lukas Walther, Zander Keig, Julian Melson
Many trans people feel that there is no distinct, definitive line between genders. Numerous others find, however, that we’re perceived as having crossed a line once we are fully recognized as male. Many of us living as male for several years experience unjustifiable targeting for being the embodiment of patriarchal culture. This shows up in accusations of misogyny and in demands that we become the model man, apologize for our masculinity, or deny any claim to manhood at all. How do we come to terms with our own maleness in light of feminist messages that men are the enemy? What happens when we seek to empower ourselves as whole human beings and are judged as trading oppression for privilege? How easy is it, really, to be a man in this culture? Having overcome many hurdles to live authentic lives, often at great personal expense, how do we deal with being criticized and objectified yet again?
In this two-part discussion with break-out groups, we will share our experiences as we’ve explored these questions and our answers/non-answers that have come out of this process. Ultimately we hope to answer the question: In what ways can we and/or do we truly celebrate and embrace our masculinity?
Note: This closed session is for transmen who have, for at least several years, been fully, easily, and intentionally recognized as male and masculine.
Phalloplasty: The Ups and Downs
Zander Keig, Dr. Trystan Cotten
Usually when the topic of phalloplasty comes up, the dialogue centers on the aesthetic and functional aspects of the surgery; however, while going through the process of phalloplasty, many transmen realize early on that they need to engage in dialogue about the emotional aspects (mental and physiological states associated with a wide variety of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors) more than the aesthetic and functional details. This can be challenging, as these are not usually considered facets of surgery. Perhaps you have had or are having the same experience. If so, come and join the discussion!
Pre- and Postoperative Care: No Surprises
Dr. Tony Mangubat
Surgery is foreign and frightening to most people, but for the trans community, surgery is often essential to achieving their physical gender identity. In this session, Dr. Tony Mangubat will discuss several different procedures that are common in the trans community but will also emphasize what you need to do to get ready for any procedure. Furthermore, most procedures have special care needs after you return home. We will address how to best care for yourself after undergoing various surgeries. Plenty of time will be allotted for questions and answers.
PUT THIS ON THE {MAP}
Sid Peterson, Megan Kennedy
Fed up with a lack of queer visibility, twenty-six young people in Seattle’s eastside suburbs weave together this groundbreaking narrative of shifting identities and a quest for social change. From getting beat-up in a schoolyard to being picked up as a runaway, queer youth exercise courage daily. PUT THIS ON THE {MAP} is an intimate invitation into their stories of social isolation and violence, fearlessness and liberation. Professing expertise over their experiences, queer youth provide a candid evaluation of their schools, families, and communities and move an audience from self-reflection to action.
PUT THIS ON THE {MAP} is reteaching gender and sexuality to professionals such as school administrators, social workers, health care providers, and juvenile probation staff. With youth voices at the forefront, our team of educators uses dynamic, relevant, and informative professional development trainings and workshops to shift the conversation about gender and sexuality in our communities.
SOLD: Examining the T in TV Advertising
Nadja Dee Witherbee
This workshop presents a study of transgender characters as they have been created by commercial ad agencies from across the globe. By studying these commercials, which span almost twenty years, we gain a better understanding of how powerful corporations such as Mars Company, PepsiCo, and Motorola use transgendered characters to sell their products. As a participant of this workshop, you get to be the judge of whether these transgendered characters did harm to the community or if they helped promote fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of trans people and events in the media.
Soothing the Soul through Words, Images, and Experiential Learning
michael munson
This workshop is a dynamic, interactive, experiential, and reflective space that encourages and allows participants to transform feelings about personal or global loss, trauma, or life-hardships into empowered hope. Attendees engage in a structured, safe, creative setting and will use writing, art, and movement exercises to address topics that impact us all. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of hope, community, and connection with themselves and with others. All materials provided, but feel free to bring your favorite healing journals and tools. No experience necessary.
Standing Room Only
Dj. Hicks
Join us for this hands-on interactive workshop held at the urinals. This closed workshop is for FTMs who want more confidence, comfort, and control in the men’s room. Dj. will demonstrate how to piss at the urinal using his stp (stand to pee) device. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the behavior and conduct expected in the john and are encouraged to showcase their own stp devices and techniques.
Street Smart Self-Defense
Shihan McGregor
Self-defense is important for all, but in the transgendered and queer community it is even more important due to the fact that we can be at greater risk. In our country, a rape happens every six minutes and an assault occurs every four minutes. Knowledge disperses fear! Learn the basics of:
- how to identify potential attackers
- how to read and understand the signs of escalation before a situation gets physical
- how to identify the weak points of the body that will take down a larger, stronger attacker
- how to outsmart most violent criminals
- how violent criminals choose their victims
- how to use common everyday objects to help fight off an attack
- how to get home SAFE
This will be a hands-on, interactive workshop where you will get to practice boundary-setting skills and fending off an attacker.
Surgical Options for FTM Patients
Dr. Toby Meltzer, Dr. Burt Webb
A comprehensive overview of the many surgical options available for female-to-male patients including, but not limited to, chest surgery, lower surgery (phalloplasty and metoidioplasty), urethral lengthening, hysterectomy, vaginectomy, oophorectomy, secondary repairs, and other associated procedures.
Tai Chi Wellness for Managing Stress
Shihan McGregor
Going through transition can be a very stressful process for any individual as well as their loved ones. Managing that stress in a healthy way is imperative in order to achieve a successful transition for all. Tai Chi breathing and flowing exercises help one connect their breath, mind, and body as one. This helps one be and feel more centered, calm, and energized. These exercises also increase oxygen levels in the body and clear the mind and body of stress. Tai Chi is known to lower blood pressure, help those with asthma and breathing/lung issues, tone the body, increase balance, and balance the chakras. Note: This workshop will be a moving, interactive workshop. Wear comfortable, loose, and easy-to-move-in clothing.
Healing Touch: An Introduction to Queer Tango
Lyle Blake, Carol Ann Aldrich
Touch is a human need. In our increasingly virtual world, we make many connections—virtual connections. We still need touch. Tango is all about connection through touch. The dance is communicated tactilely. A barrier to tango for us is its rigid and stereotypical gender roles. Curious about how to queer tango? Interested in the healing touch available through tango? Just want to move about the room with someone? Come explore. Come play.
The Art of Self-Publishing
Jordan Harrington
Have you got a book in you? Figuring out how to self-publish a book in the age of digital and print-on-demand technologies can be very confusing and time-consuming, but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Get the information and empowerment you need to put your book into the hands of people who will appreciate it. While most self-published books sell only 50 to 150 copies, Jordan has sold over 30,000 copies of a single title and was an invited speaker at the first Instock Conference for Self-Publishers. Workshop topics will include: Who Should Self-Publish, Developing Compelling Content, Soliciting Reviews & Input, Professional Interior & Cover Layouts, Self vs. Traditional Publishing Profit Comparisons, Copyrights & ISBN Numbers, Selling & Marketing Online, Book Printing Options, Avoiding Common Scams, and How to Work with Retail Outlets & Wholesale Distributors.
The Informed Consent Model: The Right to Pursue and Obtain Hormones and Surgeries
A. Canelli, Calvin Burnap
Have you found that the choices about your body are at the mercy of your health providers? Mental health and medical providers are given the decision-making power over medical changes trans people choose to make about their bodies and when they “get” to do them. Join this discussion on the Informed Consent model for access to gender confirming medical procedures such as hormones and surgery. Come strategize about the use of policy to shift the power of self-actualizing into the hands of trans people and out of the gate-keeping mechanisms of medical and mental health providers. This discussion will be predicated on the use of anti-oppressive and inclusive language.
The Movement vs. Me: Self-Care for Activists and Advocates
Allyson Robinson
Activism and advocacy draw passionate, others-focused people and our transgender communities demand greatness from our front-line fighters, but these internal and external demands carry a high cost. This workshop explores the challenges trans and allied activists face in prioritizing personal well-being, the costs of neglecting self-care, and the benefits of making it a priority. Participants will learn strategies for coping with the unique stressors associated with activism and will leave empowered to develop a simple, long-term, sustainable self-care plan.
The Race/Gender Balancing Act: Privileges and Challenges
Trystan (Theo) Cotten
A gender transition can result in new experiences of privilege—both lost and gained—but that experience may be nowhere near the same for trans people of color as it is for white trans people. Has your relationship to race transitioned along with your gender? What was expected and what has taken you by surprise? How does acquiring male privilege balance with the losses that come with living as trans? Or, have you transitioned to female and discovered a far-less-friendly world? More friendly? Come share your experience and hear the stories of others as we explore the inextricable relationship between our gender and skin color.
Note: Open to all
The Rules of Attraction
Kory Martin-Damon, Qian Li, Marcus Greatheart, MSW
Homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, … transsexual? There is no word for people who are specifically attracted to trans people. For trans people, how does this affect our ability to feel sexy and desirable? How do we know if someone’s attraction to us is based on a gender fetish? Do we ourselves fetishize non-trans bodies? For non-trans people, are our motives questioned when we prefer to date trans people? How do we deal with language that assumes we’d rather date non-trans people? Join us for an in-depth discussion of navigating dating, sex, and intimacy with bodies that aren’t recognized by the current language of sexual orientation. Let’s talk about getting confident in our own sexiness, and making room for trans-specific desire.
Note: This workshop is open to all.
Trans Adoptees
Logan De Ley
Were you adopted as a child? Both being an adoptee and being trans can have a big impact on your identity and your connections to others. This workshop is an opportunity for trans adoptees and their loved ones to gather and share their experiences. Discussion will focus on our relationships with our families of origin, our sense of roots, and the intersection of being trans and being an adoptee.
Trans and Genderqueer Sex Workers: Creating Community, Allies, and Support
Lucien Justice, Kari Lerum
This workshop is for trans and genderqueer sex workers, as well as their allies. In it we’ll discuss the unique experience and needs of trans and genderqueer sex workers. The workshop will explore questions such as: How are trans and genderqueer sex workers received within broader sex worker communities? How does queerness interact with sex work? How does sex work both support and detract from the transitioning process? What kind of resources and support are available, and what else is needed?
Trans-er than Thou
Bree Sutherland
It may not be hard for those of us at this conference to reach a consensus regarding the outside world’s view of transgender people. We might easily agree that trans people are discriminated against and misunderstood by many in the outside world.
But what happens when we, ourselves, look at the differences within our collective gender communities? Are we just as uninformed and biased in our own thinking as those we consider “outside”? Do we make our own rigid determinations about the “real” ways of being trans? How do we make those determinations? Is it along class lines, for example, financially inaccessible surgeries being considered markers for “real” trans people? Living full time? Appearance? Queerest?
This session is not about assigning blame. It’s about creating conversations where we can each examine our own discomfort with difference. We’ll look at these differences with a goal of gaining a fresh perspective and a chance to celebrate our unique lives together.
Results of the Groundbreaking National Transgender Discrimination Survey, Part 1: Documenting Discrimination, Advocating for Justice
Lisa Mottet, Mara Keisling, Justin Tanis, Jaime M. Grant, PhD
Every day, transgender and gender nonconforming people bear the brunt of social and economic marginaliza tion due to their gender identity and expression. The struggle for fairness has too often been held up because of the lack of hard data on the scope of the discrimination they face. Two years ago, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force formed a groundbreaking research partnership to address this problem by launching the first comprehensive national transgen der discrimination study! Join the coauthors of the study to hear about findings related to employment, housing, public accommodations, identity documents, health, family, police and prisons, and how to effectively use the data to make the world a better place.
Results of the Groundbreaking National Transgender Discrimination Survey, Part 2: Living Trans and Gender Nonconforming Lives—Health, Family, and Education
Lisa Mottet, Mara Keisling, Justin Tanis, Jaime M. Grant, PhD
This second stand-alone workshop paints the compelling picture of family life, experiences in school, health and health care access, as well as who trans and gender nonconforming people are.
Seven-Year Itch
Zander Keig, Patrick Callahan
Many years have passed since you physically transitioned, and the impact it had on job, family, relationship, medical issues, and the like has faded a bit into the past. What’s going on in your world now? Your gender may no longer be an issue in most of your personal relationships, but where does it pop up? Are you back in the dating pool with no idea how to begin? Reentering school, and the financial aid administrator wants to know why you aren’t registered for selective service? Are you living stealth, or out? Where do you disclose your gender, and where do you find it to be irrelevant?
Note: The focus of this workshop is on people who are five or more years post-transition. All are welcome to listen, but we ask that you respect the intent to create a focused conversation relevant to this particular subset of the trans community.
Trans Inclusion in Health Insurance 1& 2
André Wilson, Jamison Green, Erica Sekins (ES)
Workplace advocacy has increased the number of transgender-inclusive insurance plans in the United States. Eighty-five companies rated by the HRC Corporate Equality Index (CEI) and numerous other employers now cover services related to transgender transition (e.g., sex reassignment surgeries). Learn how effective advocates identify the challenges, target resources for success, and mobilize key leaders, outside experts, and teams. Some plans are easier to change than others. Avoid the data rat race—find out the basics of how insurance works, which information matters most, and how to ensure an impact. We’ll also discuss advocacy for public employee and student plans, important changes to the CEI, the role of WPATH Standards of Care, and insurance carrier medical policies. We’ll go over what plans have covered, the insurance administrators they’ve worked with, costs and utilization of coverage, pitfalls to avoid, and best practices to strive for. During Q&A participants are invited to share their own advocacy successes and challenges.
Transforming Family: Voices of Trans Parents
Jake Pyne
The experiences of trans parents are slowly becoming more visible, including the struggle to maintain child custody, discrimination in fertility clinics and adoption services, and the everyday devaluing of our unique families. Less attention has been given to how trans parents and our allies are responding. Transforming Family is a recent community-based research project carried out in Toronto, Canada, initiated by a trans parent, in collaboration with the LGBTQ Parenting Network (Sherbourne Health Centre). The project attempted to document trans parents’ experiences of discrimination and the impacts on their families, as well as the strengths that trans people bring to parenting. This workshop will highlight some of the stories emerging from this research, some programs beginning to address these concerns, and a short video made collaboratively with trans parents. Through group discussion, we hope to dialogue with other trans parents, allies, and service providers about how we can take action to create a world in which trans parents can raise their families free from discrimination.
Transgender Survivors
michael munson
This interactive and fast-paced workshop will encourage participants to expand their transgender vocabulary and conceptual framework(s), specifically in how they apply to transgender sexual assault, domestic violence, and/or hate-violence survivors. Attendees will increase their ability to fluidly and respectfully interact with and serve transgender survivors and loved ones. Topics will include prevalence rates, barriers to accessing services, and unique issues facing transgender survivors and service providers. Participants will leave with practical steps that will assist them in modifying existing policies and procedures, identifying and lowering barriers to service, and improving effective services to transgender survivors and loved ones.
Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man
Chaz Bono
The only child of famed entertainers Sonny and Cher, Chaz Bono is an LGBT-rights advocate, author, and speaker. Chaz recently began gender transition in the public eye, where he continues to impact change and create awareness and visibility for this cause.
Chaz shares the story of his personal journey in the recent book Transition. Come hear Chaz discuss his life and talk about his book and the recent documentary chronicling his gender transition. If you want to know what it is like to transition while the whole world watches, come to this interactive session and talk to Chaz about it. His book is a candid account of a forty-year struggle to achieve authenticity.
Transmen and Exercise
Michael Huffington
This workshop is for guys who workout or play sports to share what has worked for them to get bigger, faster, stronger, and more cut. Discussion will also include sports injuries and overcoming them.
Transmen in MSM Spaces
Niko, Kai Kohlsdorf
TMSM (transmen who sleep with men) deal with barriers to accessing MSM spaces. Issues pertaining to passing, identity, disclosure, and risk are often anxiety producing. This presentation will provide an overview of TMSM and MSTM (men who sleep with transmen) populations, the experiences of men in each population, and how these identified concerns pertain to introducing transmen to MSM spaces. The presenters draw from personal experience and will begin an open discussion about experiences accessing the MSM population in a variety of ways (internet, hook-ups, dating, etc.). Tips and tricks for accessing these communities will be offered.
Twelve-Step Meeting
This is an open meeting for all conference attendees currently working a twelve-step program. Meet with others to find support and make connections for the conference weekend. In addition to our Friday and Saturday morning meetings, we’d like to encourage you to set times and places for any additional meetings desired throughout the conference weekend.
Twenty-Something Caucus
Caucus space is designed specifically for people who share a common identity, issue, or circumstance to come together, talk, debrief, or simply hang out. We ask that only those who feel they are personally aligned with the listed caucus topic access this space. There will not be a facilitator so please keep in mind the discussion guidelines located at the beginning of your program book.
We Made This Road by Walking
Duncan Gibbs
Meet the artists represented in “We Made This Road by Walking,” an exhibition of work created by artists in the transgender community and curated by Duncan Gibbs. Here is an opportunity to discuss the works on display and issues at the intersection of art and transgender experience, as well as for artist networking and support.
What’s the Rush?
Marcus Greatheart, MSW, Kory Martin-Damon, Qian Li
I love living in the middle of gender; why can’t people be okay with me being the way I am? … My family will NOT accept this—it’s completely outside of our culture, and I can’t risk losing them. … I’m happy with my body as it is—it’s everyone else who needs to change! … I don’t think my education or career will survive a gender transition. … How can I transition now? I’m 65! If you have these or other thoughts about a physical transition, come share them in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. This is a panel discussion dealing with the imperfect process and experience of a physical transition. We will discuss having second thoughts, re-transitioning, and transitioning for reasons other than “traditional” reasons. We’ll think outside the box of Should I or shouldn’t I?
What’s Up With Intersex?
Jane Goto will briefly discuss the history of the intersex movement, relate her own story, and share some insights gleaned from five years on the front lines and as the first point of contact for ISNA.ORG and a national diagnoses-specific support group serving affected adults and families. Within pop culture, the media, and gender studies, both transgenderism and intersex have become the cause célêbre. Despite this newfound interest, many people have little understanding or misconstrued ideas about transgenderism and intersex, sometimes confusing one for the other. This session will help participants better understand the needs of intersexed people by deepening understanding of the two categories and the institutional issues—where the commonalities lie and where they diverge. Participants will emerge with a better understanding of the categories, acquire relevant vocabulary, and develop a better understanding of the healthcare, political, and legal issues intersexed people face.
