Flights: purchased. Hotels: booked. Bags: packed. Well not yet…
That’s right, for the second year in a row I’m making my rounds through all 3 major transgender conferences in the US this summer.
From June 13-15, I get my first summer dunk into trans immersion at Philly Trans Health, Or as I like to call it, my yearly excuse to visit Philadelphia.
Once again I’ll be presenting my Non-Binary Transition Workshop, except this year it’s divided into two workshops: the first is a straightforward lecture, and right after there’s a whole 90 other minutes dedicated to pure discussion.
Moreover, I’ll be pulling double duty with the Asexy panel. The panelists have been gathered, though the topics are still up in the air. Our intent is to cover a range of issues, such as the asexuality 101, intersection of trans/ace identities, relationships, significant others, and whatever else the audience comes up with.
As a volunteer, there’s a lot to keep me busy for the full two days of Gender Spectrum in Berkeley, from July 12-14. I’ll be moderating workshops, translating brochures, and live translating some the of talks. The latter is by far the most exhausting, since you’re not only attentively listening, you’re also actively processing the content then repeating it back in a different language! But without this service, the conference would not otherwise be accessible to the many parents who attend who only speak Spanish.
Technically I wasn’t going to present at Gender Spectrum, since I did not submit a proposal this year. But my friend Zander invited me to be in panel about “gainfully employed transgender adults.” Yeah, parents need a lot of reassurance their kids are going to turn out ok, and this is especially true when their kid is trans. Hopefully I’m a shining example of “turning out OK” (even though my mother doesn’t entirely realize this yet).
Last stop: Seattle, August 1-4.
Again, not one but two Non-Binary Transition workshop slots, along with the Asexy panel, which I have yet to find panelists for. (Yikes! If you are asexy – trans or not – and would like to participate, please email me!)
By the time GO rolled around last year, I was two conferences down and completely pooped. With my significant lovely traveling, I was left alone to face the ghastly flu that befell me during one of the conferences, a mere two weeks before GO. On top of that, two days before flying out I got an unofficial job offer. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to this last conference, which I begrudingly attended…
But boy was I in in for a delightful surprise! Not only did I end up having a blast, Gender Odyssey was exactly the kind of conference I needed at that time in my life.
The only downside was not having enough time to tour Seattle. So this year we’re taking the entire week to visit the area. And I can also leave the country now… Canada here I come!
While Gender Odyssey’s registration price might seem steep, they do offer need-based scholarships. Be sure to check out the GO blog that I’ve been slowly putting together, highlighting people’s experiences in previous conferences.
Best of all, I get to see a lot of the new friends I’ve made online, and reconnect with the old ones (and meet their mothers too). Since everybody is spread out geographically, this is a really unique chance to meet everyone in person.
Remember to be on the look out for bright clothing on a short spunky person. And if you see me, please say hi!