TransOhio Transgender & Ally Symposium - Information - Get Registered!

[Shane Morgan]

Good afternoon!

August 14-16, 2009, TransOhio will be hosting the 2nd Annual TransOhio
Transgender and Ally Symposium. We have over 25 workshops &
presentations scheduled covering topics: Health & Safety: Legal &
Employment Issues; Partners, Spouses and Family; Religion and
Spirituality; Youth & Students; and Arts, Culture and Media.

If you're interested in seeing the list of presenters & workshops,
visit www.transohio.org/2009/index2.aspx. Our main website is
www.transohio.org.

Weekend Overview

Friday, August 14, 2009
Meet & Greet @ Club Diversity
Evening Performances @ Havana

Saturday, August 15, 2009
Workshops & Presentations @ Capital University Law School

Blurring the Lines of Gender, art showcase of local transgender
artist, Briden Cole Schueren @ The Center on High

Fabulously Fluid: A Evening of Performance, Music, Comedy and Spoken
Word @ Wall Street Night Club

Sunday, August 15, 2009
Symposium Closing
Post-Symposium Brunch @ Union Bar & Grill

Fees
General $30 (includes lunch & keynote address by Helen Boyd)
General $20 conference only

Students $20 (includes lunch & keynote address by Helen Boyd)
Students $10 conference only

Our Workshops and Presentations

Trans-Sex & Identity
Trans identities create a sexual landscape where you can't assume what
the "opposite" or "same" sex is, especially when someone is in
transition. Not only is the trans person often reinventing his or her
own sexuality, but if s/he has a partner, or is looking for one, lots
of issues come up. How does a heterosexual partner of a trans person
“transition” to having a same sex partner? How does a lesbian partner
find support in her community when she’s being identified by others as
straight? How do we balance our public and private identities in ways
that don’t invalidate either partner’s sense of self? How can we
respect & validate our partners’ gender before, during & after
transition? How can the trans person find ways to let their partner
know if/when their sexual feelings have changed? Presenter: Keynote
Speaker Helen Boyd (Helen is kink-, poly-, and queer-inclusive. All
are welcome to attend, and partners are encouraged to come with
questions/issues.)

Queers of Size: Promoting Fat-Positive Community and Activism in LGBT
Organizations
From The L Word to the pages of Out Magazine, often the queer body is
presented as thin, toned, and nautilized. In spite of these
stereotypical images, LGBT folks come in all shapes, sizes and
weights. This panel looks at size and sizeism in the queer/trans
community and the need for greater fat-accpetance. We will discuss our
experiences as queer people of size and fat studies scholars, as well
as our work as activists and community organizers to promote fat-
positivity with both society-at-large and within LGBT spaces and
organizations. Attendees will emerge with a better understanding of
fatphobia, as well as critical tools and resources for promoting fat
liberation and size diversity within their own community spaces,
organizations and advocacy groups. Presenter: Joelle Ruby Ryan

Communicating under Stress (A workshop for partners)
Communicating your thoughts clearly in a way that nurtures both
yourself and the other person is a win win experience. This workshop
is an opportunity for partners to examine new thoughts and to consider
some creative ways of communicating. Learn how to get your points
across in a kindly manner while also validating your own feelings and
experience. Taking good care of yourself and enhancing your own
personal growth can be done while caring for your loved one.
Presenter: Ellen Seigel

Our Experience in Becoming an Inclusive Congregation
Representatives of a variety of congregations across Ohio that
specifically mention gender identity or expression in their statements
of welcome will briefly outline the reasons for their decision, what
“went into” making it, and what the decision has meant to their
respective congregations. It is expected that at least a few
denominations will be represented. Representatives may include, but
will not be limited to, clergy from those churches. Presenter: North
Congregational United Church of Christ

Hormones & Black Market Perils
Presenter: David Brandebura, R.Ph.

HRT for Transgender Patients
Presenter: Dr. Elena Christofides, M.D., FACE.

FtM MtF Surgery: Regional Care now available in New Hope & Key West
Dr. McGinn will discuss her vision for regional transgender care and
emphasize the advantages of rewarding trans-friendly cities with our
business in the current economy. She will share the current offerings
of Papillon Gender Wellness Center as well as her current surgical
results for Vaginoplasty, FFS, Ring flap metoidioplasty and FtM top
surgery. This talk is useful for the FtM as well as the MtF community.
Presenter: Dr. Christine McGinn, D.O.

Dr. McGinn will also be available for private consultation on Saturday
and Sunday. Consult reservations are required and can be made by
contacting the office at 1-215-693-1199.

Practical Legal Applications for the Transgendered Person & Allies
In this workshop, we'll be discussing topics that include: interacting
with law and government officials, traveling and dealing with the TSA,
driver's licenses, birth certificates, managing your medical paperwork
and how/when to disclose your transgender status, medical power of
attorney, wills and estates, contracts housing, trusts, funeral
arrangements and more. Topics are relevant to all attendees.
Presenter: Melissa Marie Alexander

Transgender Youth & the Juvenile Justice System
An overview of the challenges faced by transgender youth when they
become involved with the juvenile justice system: * Overview of the
juvenile justice system * How transgendered youth may become involved
with the juvenile courts. *Myths about transgendered youth in
detention *How the juvenile courts may perceive transgendered youth
*How the juvenile system responds to transgendered youth *Issues of
differential treatment *Issues of harassment/potential violence *Legal
rights of transgendered youth *Experiences of transgender youth in the
juvenile system *Special concerns with transgendered youth in the
juvenile justice system: *Mental health issues *suicide *Protection
from harm *Healthcare issues *Advocacy & reform issues *Working with
transgendered youth in the juvenile justice system. Presenter: Dr.
James Buccigross

Open Door Coffeehouse
Open Door is celebrating their 7th year through its partnership with
the Akron Area Pride Collective, to proclaim God's extravagant welcome
to LGBT and allied community. Open Door has successfully offered a non
alcohol venue with some wonderful entertainment from the community.
The Open Door Coffeehouse is an “open mike” style program for all
people, including the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
community. The Open Door Coffeehouse, an alcohol free/issue free event
for people to gather, socialize and make new friends. Participants
read poetry or short stories while others share from personal
experiences. They also have serious musicians and karaoke projected on
a screen so others can sing along. You choose what to sing, play on
the piano or other forms of entertainment such as funny and
professional videos from on line and personally crafted. Organizers
try to accommodate anyone whatever their genre or expertise, unless
you would rather just sit back and watch/listen. If you have a yen to
perform (music, poetry, interpretive dance, fiction etc.) you can let
it out here. Or you can make friends and be part of the audience in
the very safe, supportive environment. Presenter: Joni Christian

Safer Sex for Everybody
This session would cover the basics of safer sex and would include
information on generalizing good safer sex options to the trans
population. “Standard” safer sex literature often does not include
information that is readily applicable to trans people. In addition to
basic information, the session would include a question and answer
portion, and discussion as appropriate. Presenter: Elizabeth Weiss

Making History Come Alive
Many people would like to write a book but don't know how to go about
it. This program would explore some of the basics the presenter has
learned from almost 60 years as a writer/author. Although I could do
this solo, it also could be an interesting panel discussion with one
or two other published authors. Presenter: Diana Britt Franklin

Partners of Transgender Individuals Panel
Panelists: TBA, Moderator: TBA

Parents of Transgender Individuals Panel
Panelists: TBA, Moderator: TBA

Intersexed: A frank discussion of the lives of intersexed individuals
Intersexed People: How many of us are there, how little people know
about us and the condition we have. The more we educate people, the
more they will understand. Presenter: Barbie Rogers

Legislation and You
This session will focus on current legislation, how it effects the
everyday lives of the transgender community, and the importance of
making change. Participants will additionally learn impactful ways to
tell their stories in order to effectively educate and challenge
current legislation. Presenter: Erin Upchurch, MSSA, LSW

Everything You Wanted to Know about TRANS but Never Asked!
Open to All TQI & Allies, Partners, & Family Members of TQI. Sensitive
and thoughtful discussion of participant-raised topics of TRANS
Concerns, Questions and Answers with, Merâl Crane, Clinical Director
of the GPCO (Gender Program of Central Ohio) since 1979. No Questions
off limits! Presenter: Meral Crane

Trans Survival: Initiating activism on college campuses
Initiating policy change to make your college campus a more trans-
inclusive environment can be overwhelming. This program will start
with a discussion of the environments of different college campuses.
In the discussion each person in attendance will explain the changes
they hope to see on their campuses in order to make them more trans-
inclusive and the foreseen barriers to making these changes. After
this discussion everyone will look at the Trans Survival Guide made by
members of GenderBloc at the University of Cincinnati. We will discuss
the process of creating such a document and how the creation of the
document and the networking it requires can open doors to initiate the
previously discussed changes at your college or university to create a
more trans-inclusive environment. Presenter: Emma Southard

Queer Parenting
Presenters: Sile Singleton & Erin Tarr

"You look like a Freak": Influences of Gender on Societal Recognition
Identity is communicated through gender expression. Societal gender
norms determine what behaviors and expressions are culturally
acceptable and create a concept of normalcy. Normalcy is the key
determinant in societal recognition. We group identities based on
recognizable traits that align to gender normative expectations.
Atypical expressions in sex, sexuality, gender identity, and gender
presentation that exist outside a heteronormative construct lack
normalcy. This lack of normalcy results in marginalization, denial of
societal recognition, and the label of “freak.” This workshop
evaluates the cultural concept of normalcy and how it affects members
of the queer, and more specifically the transgender and genderqueer
community. It will cover gender identity, sexuality, desire, and how
these elements play into the presentation and creation of freaks. It
will also discuss who enforces the rules of gender expression, why we
feel we have to follow them, and how we can break them. Presenter: Jac
Stringer

Sex Change Hospital - Episode Screening & Discussion
Stephanie will lead a discussion and a Q&A session around the
screening of her episode of the GLAAD Media Award - nominated
documantary series, Sex Change Hospital. The series ran for the first
time in the U.S. on the Women's Entertainment (WeTV) cable neetwork in
the fall of 2008, and is currently still being shown on that channel.
It was also featured in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 in 2007. The
episode also features Stephanie's dear friend and noted author, Diana
Franklin, of Dublin, Ohio. Diana accompanied Stephanie to Trinidad,
Colorado for her gender reassignement surgery with Dr. Marci Bowers in
July of 2006, which is chronicled in the episode. Diana will co-lead
the discussion and Q & A as well. Presenters: Stephanie Battaglino and
Diana Britt Franklin

Gods, Goddesses, Atheists and Jesus - Transgender in Religion
What has religion had to say about transgender people throughout
history? Which religions and denominations are accepting and welcoming
today? Why does the Pope, while presenting in some interesting fashion
choices, have a problem? How do you choose a place of worship? How do
transgender religious professionals and congregants negotiate these
issues? How can we make our church or religious groups more educated
and accepting? We will look at and discuss these questions in a
practical and fun session. Presenter: Kat Holtz

FTM Panel Discussion (This discussion is for FTM/Masculine self-
identified individuals only.)
Let's drop the polite conversations and let's talk blunty. Come talk
to Shane, Jacob, Milo and Edward about their experiences growing up,
changes in community once you transition, coming out, sexuality and
relationships, things we know now that would've been helpful years
ago, hormones and experiences with emotional and physical changes,
managing anger & aggression, support networks, mentoring and more.
There will also be a discussion about surgical options and a chest
surgery show-and-tell. This discussion is for FTM/Masculine Identified
individuals only. Panelists: Shane Morgan, Jacob Nash, Milo Primeaux,
Edward Bowers

"Learning your Needs" Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence
(MACC) Statewide Needs Assessment
In this workshop, we'll discuss the following: 1) Learning to describe
your needs - Cultural Competence Needs Assessment Project design and
process, 2) Listing the Needs Assessment findings and 3) Discussing
the project outcomes and implications for the transformation of Ohio’s
behavioral health system. Presenter: Charleta B. Tavares

Our Sponsors
Capital University Law School
Outlook Columbus
The Center on High - Stonewall Columbus
Ohio Democratic Party LGBT Caucus
Wall Street Night Club
Club Diversity
The Apothecary Shops
Gender Program of Central Ohio
North Congregational United Church of Christ
The Wexner Center for the Arts
Equality Ohio
LinkOUT
NLA-Columbus
SpeakOUT