TRANSforming Gender Conference

“while we’ve made some steps, we really have a long ways to go.”

The 10th annual TRANSforming Gender Conference is happening March 10th through 12th on the CU Boulder campus. Morgan Seamont with CU Boulder’s Gender and Sexuality Center says that the conference examines all facets of gender related to Trans, related to Gender Queer people, related to Inter sex “it’s really an examination of the rules that apply to gender as well as understanding life experiences of those who identify as transgender.”

Seamont says that there is more awareness about the transgender issues which he attributes to more transgender celebrities like Chaz Bono and Caitlin Jenner. He cautions that while there is more awareness and visibility for transgender people, there is still a huge problem of violence against transgender people who routinely experience discrimination when it comes to issues like housing and employment “while we’ve made some steps, we really have a long ways to go.”

This year keynote speakers include Jennicet Gutiérrez, an advocate for undocumented transgender people; Cece McDonald, a national leader in the civil rights transgender movement; Tiq Milan, national spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; and Kim Milan, co-founder of The People Project, a movement to empower queer and trans people of color and allies.

In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference will feature presentations that highlight the experiences of transgender people of color, including a panel on queer and trans* people of color, legal resources for immigration and asylum, and sessions for educators and professors on inclusive teaching practices. Session presenters will also address topics such as transfeminism, being an ally to transgender people, and ways providers can be more trans- and intersex-inclusive.