 |
|
|
|
SESSION ONE WORKSHOPS Choosing to Label: What's in a Name? (Anderson Hall 208) Bi, lesbian, gay, straight, queer, questioning, choose-not-to-label? How do you decide what words to use to describe yourself? What are the advantages of choosing a label? What are the disadvantages? Why do other people care so much what you call yourself? This will be a participatory workshop, and all are welcome. Robyn Ochs is the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide. She teaches courses on bisexual identity, LGBT histories & cultures, and gender studies at Tufts University’s Experimental College. She also speaks on college campuses around the country. Parenting Options for LGBT People (Anderson Hall 306) This introductory and participatory workshop will discuss information about adoption, surrogacy, alternative insemination with donor sperm from known and sperm bank donors, and some of the various parenting arrangements that the LGBT community is using to create children and families. Liz Coolidge is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and coordinates the Alternative Insemination Program and the LGBT Family and Parenting Services at Fenway Community Health in Boston. She works with lesbians, gay men, and same sex couples considering parenting, consults with women and men on the many variations of family formation in the LGBT community, and facilitates parents' groups. Confronting Heterosexism - Film Screening & Discussion (Nelson Auditorium, Anderson Hall) During this workshop we will view and discuss the 30 minute film Learning to be Straight: The (De)construction of Heterosexuality, which explores questions around heterosexism, like “What does it mean to be straight?” “What privileges are associated with being considered straight?” “ Where and when are we taught what straightness means?” Since its production last year, this film has been used in trainings for Massachusetts teachers, in universities, in social service agencies, and in other non-profit arenas. One of the two filmmakers will be facilitating the workshop. Colby Berger is a former high school teacher who completed her Masters Degree in Anti-homophobia Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she created this film. Colby currently works as the Assistant Director of SpeakOut, the nation's oldest LGBT speakers bureau, and conducts speaking engagements and workshops on heterosexism and homophobia throughout the country. Writing Literary Erotica (Robinson Hall 153) Our sexual desire is a cornerstone to our oppression and discrimination within society. Who we sexually and emotionally desire is a key element of our identities that helps to define who we are to others and ourselves. This workshop will focus on the use of the short story as a literary device to express the complexity of our sexual desire. We will explore techniques designed to allow queer writers to use graphic sexual descriptions, strong plot, character, and themes to create literary erotic stories that do more than just describe sexual acts. Literary erotica's power as a means to promote safe sex practices, explore the complexity of relationships and identity, expose political issues within the queer community, and provide a positive culture image of queer sexuality will be explored. Writing exercises, markets for finished work, and issues surrounding literary erotica will be discussed. This workshop is designed for those 18 or older and is open to all genders. Amie M. Evans is a femme who lives life like a spontaneous, choreographed piece of performance art. She is the founder and editor of Philogyny: Girls Who Kiss and Tell and a member of The Princesses of Porn with The Dukes of Dykedom, a lesbian burlesque troupe. She has stories forthcoming in Best S/M Erotica (Black Books, 2002), Venus in the Mirror (Words Like Kudaz, 2002), Harrington Lesbian Fiction Quarterly, and Jilling Off (2002). Her erotic stories have appeared in Best Lesbian Erotica 2002 (Cleis), Harrington Lesbian Fiction Quarterly, Set in Stone (Alyson, 2001), Lip Service (Alyson, 1999), On Our Backs, Scarlet Letters, Bad Attitude, Three Rivers Literary Review, and Fifth Column. Subversive Worship: Rediscovering the Body Beautiful (Anderson Hall 212) There are images within the Christian tradition that support a positive bodily faith, i.e., a faith not skittish of sex, sexuality, touch or queerness. Through (untraditional) worship, exploration of scripture, and conversation, we will unlearn some of the traditions that suppress and oppress human sexuality. We will reconstruct a healthier relationship with our bodies and our sexualities within a religious context. People of all faith traditions and experiences are welcome to join. Gregory Morisse is a second year student at Harvard Divinity School pursuing ordained ministry in the United Church of Christ. Current projects include: non-traditional and generation X ministries and queer liturgies. Greg works at Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street in downtown Boston. How Campus Organizers Will Beat the Right-Wing in Massachusetts (Anderson Hall 210) Did you know that Massachusetts students make up one of the largest voting blocs in the state? Yes, you do! The student vote will be crucial in the LGBT communities' campaign to defeat a viciously anti-gay ballot question about same-sex marriage. The vote on Nov. 2, 2004 is less than three years away, so don't just sit there. Let's get organized! Sue Hyde has worked for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) since 1986 and is currently the director of the annual national LGBT political conference, Creating Change. The 2002 Creating Change Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon; Nov. 6-10, 2002. Find out more at www.creatingchange.org. "Positive" Stereotypes: Race, Gender, Sexuality and Media Culture (Bromfield-Pearson Hall 05) The successful gay white lawyer. The African-American basketball player. The independent woman. The exemplary Chinese student. The hot Latino man. Who chooses one's identity? Who creates these labels? Why do they become the accepted standard? This workshop will examine the harm and biases that "positive" stereotypes create and how they hold up within the GLBTQ community. Juan Ramos
has been facilitating workshops on race, queer and youth issues for the past
three years. He had been a health educator for a Latino GLBT youth program
for over two years. He is currently an HIV Treatment Specialist at Positive
Directions. Getting Equal (Anderson Hall 312) Gays and lesbians are treated as second-class citizens in Massachusetts. Earning equal marriage for same-sex couples will be a major step in eradicating that sad fact. Here is what you can do to organize your campus and be a part of this vital civil rights struggle. You can be a part of history today! The presenters today are members of the Freedom to Marry Foundation -- a Boston-based organization working to educate society as to the importance of equal marriage in Massachusetts. Body Image and Gay Men (Anderson Hall 211) This workshop is a facilitated discussion… if you like to talk (or just listen), this workshop is for you. Come share your thoughts and strategies about body image and its impact on the gay male community. If you’re not a gay man, and want to share your thoughts on the topic, please join us too. We will explore topics relating to the media, club culture, eating, exercise habits, and more. Andy Garcia is the Program Manager at BAGLY, the Boston Alliance of GLBT Youth. He has also worked for the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, coordinating national health education programs for GLBT youth, as well as for the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. Andy has degrees in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Cornell University. Trans 101: Ask the Transsexuals (Anderson Hall 206) Did you ever wonder about the “T” in LGBT? Or are you through wondering and you want to do something positive on your campus for transpeople and genderqueers? Join a lively discussion as we cover the basics and answer all the questions you've been too polite to ask.
Thomas Lewis
is a queer Christian transman (female to male transsexual). He is a
presenter and consultant on transgender inclusion, safer sex, and queer
issues in the Church, and he coordinates TranSIG, the transgender,
transsexual and allies group at Harvard University. Race and Sexuality 101: A Lesson for College Students (Burden Lounge, Anderson Hall) Keynote speaker Keith Boykin offers a workshop to consider the intersections of race and sexuality on college campuses. Keith O. Boykin, author of Respecting the Soul: Daily Reflections for Black Lesbians and Gays and One More River to Cross: Black & Gay in America is one of the nation's leading commentators on issues of race and sexual orientation. A frequent presence on television, he is also an award-winning adjunct professor of government at American University, former special assistant to President Clinton, Harvard Law School graduate, popular lecturer, and online columnist. Queers Living in Campus Dormitories: What’s the Problem? (Anderson Hall 313) Universities often require that roommates be of the same gender. What problems might this restriction pose to LGBT students? Should LGBT students fight for the right to live with a student of their choice, including someone of the opposite sex? Also, what are the pros and cons of creating LGBT culture/theme houses on our campuses? Lastly, how can colleges be sensitive to issues facing transgender students in the dormitory environment? We will work through potentially controversial solutions, and come up with a workable plan for your campus. Carl Sciortino, a recent Tufts graduate, worked to improve LGBT student life on campus. He helped found the Rainbow House and challenged the same-sex-only roommate policy at Tufts. Carl currently works on HIV Vaccine Trials at the Fenway Community Health Center. The Still-Persistent Desire: Butch and Femme Today (Robinson Hall 152) Stone femmes and bulldaggers, high femmes and stone butches, power femmes and soft butches. Butch and Femme as lesbian and transgender identities have a rich history and promising future. This workshop will explore where we have been and continue the process of looking to see where we are going. Come to this interactive workshop to learn from others and share your own experiences. Hanna Bordas
works for a book publisher and lives in the fabulous 'hood known as Jamaica
Plain, where she sometimes looks around and wonders where all the butches
went. She is also an associate editor at the Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide,
and in her spare time, she likes to pretend she's a writer and that George
Bush is not the president. Turning Anti-Racist Thinking into Action (Anderson Hall 309) Many of us struggle with what it means to be anti-racist in America today. Our environment is changing. We are becoming more of a global village each day. How can we maintain a lifetime commitment to end racism? This workshop will be introspective beginning with understanding who we are, what we know, and what we do not know about a community, culture, group or individual. We will explore our values and belief system and how they guide our behaviors. We will re-commit to honor equity, integrity and social justice. Lastly, we will take this information and create a community-centered approach to how we will contribute to the world and maintain our anti-racist ethic. Ramini Sripada-Vaz, Director of Programs, Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project will present this workshop. Violence within LGBT Relationships: Campus Action to End the Silence (Bromfield-Pearson Hall 06) Many colleges have come a long way in raising awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence within heterosexual relationships, but much work remains to be done to end the silence of LGBT partner abuse. In this interactive workshop, participants will gain an overview of the prevalence of violence among LGBT intimate partners, discuss the dynamics of abuse in these relationships, and explore concrete ways to build awareness/activism on your campus and advocate for LGBT inclusive and specific resources for support and social change. Come prepared to learn, discuss, and exchange ideas! Susan Marine is the Violence Prevention Coordinator for the City of Cambridge and previously worked for eight years as a campus violence prevention educator and victim advocate. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Network/La Red for Battered Lesbians, Bisexual Women, and Transgendered folks and is a medical advocacy peer supervisor at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. She has served as a consultant to numerous colleges and universities across the nation on developing inclusive and diverse victim-centered services for survivors of abuse.
SESSION TWO WORKSHOPS Understanding Bisexuality (Anderson Hall 208) What is bisexuality? Is there no such thing as bisexuality, or is everyone really bisexual? Or is reality more complicated than that? In this workshop, we will examine these questions, as well as biphobia, in both lesbigay and heterosexual communities with the goal of better understanding bisexuality and bisexual identities. People of all sexual orientations are welcome to attend. Robyn Ochs is the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide. She teaches courses on bisexual identity, LGBT histories & cultures, and gender studies at Tufts University’s Experimental College. She also speaks on college campuses around the country. How to Bring in New Members and Keep Them Coming Back (Robinson Hall 152) Want more people to come to your events? Want them to keep coming back? Want to energize them to become leaders in their organizations? We'll teach you how! The New England Queer College Organization (NEQCO) will provide you with practical methods of addressing these issues and energizing your campus queer group. NEQCO is working to support queer college groups all over New England. We have presented workshops at several conferences as well as organized our own annual queer leadership conference. Queer the Poem (Burden Lounge, Anderson Hall) This workshop is for the poet/writer who is ready to dive into one's own life experiences. We will explore topics relevant to our queer identities. Through both freewrites and rewrites, participants will learn to intensify their work with detail, imagery, diction and rhythm. Letta Neely is a Black Dyke. Her work has been included in various anthologies such as Does Your Mama Know, The World in Us, A Woman Like That, Step into a World, Bum Rush the Page, and Roll Call. She was recently voted “Best Local Author” by Boston Phoenix Readers and her newest book, HERE, is a poetry finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. Debunking the Notion of a Hierarchy of Oppressions (Anderson Hall 210) This workshop works toward the goal of a participatory and multicultural queer community by looking at the intersections of race, gender and sexuality and how they impact identity, identification and community building. Harvard theologian Irene Monroe is a frequent public speaker and writer. Her award-winning essays and articles appear in publications nationwide and she has been profiled in Oprah Winfrey's magazine, O. Self-Defense for Peaceful Warriors (Anderson Hall 206)What is this oxymoron “peaceful warriorship”? This workshop offers the chance to reflect on the ways we move through the world and to explore a set of practical self-defense skills for encounters at the visual, verbal, and physical levels. How can we approach our ordinary and extraordinary interactions with increasing self-confidence, awareness, centeredness, and peace? Gina Siesing practices peaceful warriorship in the dojo and in everyday life. She holds a black belt in kyokushin karate and enjoys the ongoing journey of learning and playing in the martial arts. Second Class Families: Same-sex Couples and Civil Marriage (Anderson Hall 306) This is Civil Marriage 101. We will give you an historical perspective on the same-sex marriage issue, explain what is happening here in Massachusetts, and then show you ways that you can make a difference. The presenters today are members of the Freedom to Marry Foundation -- a Boston-based organization working to educate society as to the importance of equal marriage in Massachusetts. It's Good to be King: A Drag King Workshop (Anderson Hall 309) Do you want to be a Rock Star? Want to strut your stuff on stage while women shriek and throw you money? Then, perhaps, you should be a drag king. In this workshop, you'll learn what it means to be a drag king, both politically and personally. You'll discover how to find your very own king inside, where to perform and what steps you need to take to physically transform yourself. Participants who are interested in physically becoming kings during the workshop are encouraged to bring “men's clothes”. Renée C. Farster has been performing drag for two years. Individually, she has appeared at many venues in and around Boston including Kristen Porter's Dyke Night, Fran's and Jacques. Renée is also a Duke in the Princesses of Porn with the Dukes of Dykedome. The troupe has appeared throughout New England, including the Lizard Lounge, the NELA Fetish Flea and at Meow Mix in NYC. In addition to dragging, Renée is an actor and director. Credits include It Came From Brian and Mal, The Big Dish and Interview with the 50ft. Woman. She is the former Managing Director of The Theater Offensive and currently works for the American Repertory Theatre. Building and Sustaining Queer Community in Rural New England (Anderson Hall 312) Healthy and active queer communities aren't only to be found in urban settings! LGBTQ community organizing in small towns carries with it its own unique challenges and rewards. Come and share your stories: your successes and struggles, your ideas and questions! This “workshop" is designed to be collaborative roundtable discussion; no easy answers or quick fixes; rather a sharing of knowledge, experiences and insight. Bob Coffey is the LGBT Program Coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs [OMSA] at the University of New Hampshire. This is his first year in this position and his fifth as a student affairs practitioner. Bob earned his B.A. in Canadian Studies from the University of Vermont and an M.A. in History from the University of Maine. Body Image and Gay Men (Anderson Hall 211) This workshop is a facilitated discussion… if you like to talk (or just listen), this workshop is for you. Come share your thoughts and strategies about body image and its impact on the gay male community. If you’re not a gay man, and want to share your thoughts on the topic, please join us too. We will explore topics relating to the media, club culture, eating, exercise habits, and more. Andy Garcia is the Program Manager at BAGLY, the Boston Alliance of GLBT Youth. He has also worked for the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, coordinating national health education programs for GLBT youth, as well as for the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. Andy has degrees in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Cornell University. Not “Either...Or” but “Both...And” - Queer Students in Student Government (Anderson Hall 313) Is your student government accessible to and representative of 100% of the students at your school? Are communities of difference being overlooked in student leaders' drive to speak for the “average student"? How can queer students and queer student groups work with student government leaders to make sure their voices get heard and their needs get met? Caroline Leyva is a Senior Women's Studies Major and Political Science Minor at the University of New Hampshire. As an activist in the Queer community, Caroline has been involved in UNH's Diversity Support Coalition, the Safe Zones program, and the UNH Alliance for GLBTQQA persons. She has also been involved in leadership initiatives, participating in the Leadershape program in the summer of 2000. Caroline has recently has become a volunteer facilitator for Seacoast Outright, a support organization for GLBT youth in the Seacoast region of NH. Queer Sexuality as Western Vice? (Nelson Auditorium, Anderson Hall) In her 22-minute documentary, For Straights Only, Atlanta based filmmaker Vismita Gupta-Smith tells the story of an almost invisible minority, South Asian gays and lesbians. Told from the perspective of a straight sister about her gay brother, this film explores the prejudices faced by the gay South Asian community (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal). Interviews with other gay and lesbian South Asians expose the deep-seated denial of homosexuality within this community and the dismissal of the gay sexual preference as a "western vice". Through the film, Vismita points out the irony of such dismissal, as she explains that one of this culture's most treasured ancient texts, the Kamasutra, actually celebrates homosexuality. Carol Gomez has worked on women’s reproductive health, racial identity, violence against women, and victim services over the last ten years, both here in the US and in her home country of Malaysia. She currrently divides her time between Tufts University’s Women’s Center designing violence prevention curriculum and education materials for the Asian, Asian American, and Pacfic Islander student community, and the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Victims of Violence Program and the South Asian Clinic, where she provides crisis counseling and advocacy to victims of domestic violence, political trauma, and violent crime. Transfeminism: Where Trans and Feminism Meet (Anderson Hall 212) Can trans-folx be feminists? Can feminists be transgender? Are transguys “selling out” by becoming men? Are feminists reinforcing the binary gender system? How do genderqueer identities influence this important dialogue? Can Transfeminism be included within feminism? Come participate in an open discussion around the complexities of these two communities who are often either at one or at war. Learn and teach others about how to bring the ideas of "feminism" and "transgenderism" together in our lives and our work. Role plays and small group discussions will lead to specific action plans that attendees can bring back home to break down these walls that divide communities. Taryn Levitt
is a 24 year old Jewish genderqueer activist who recently moved to Boston
from Berkeley, CA.; attends Simmons College, and works with the
International Action Center. Taryn organizes/leads workshops and trainings
on queer activism, dismantling oppressions, youth empowerment and
leadership, transgender/genderqueer identities, and working towards social
change. Taryn enjoys writing, playing the drums, bending gender, stomping
out oppression, speaking out against injustice, and changing the world. Healthy Choices: It’s not just in the freezer aisle (Bromfield-Pearson Hall 06) Come join us for a health lesson that you won’t find at your old high school! We’ll be engaging in an interactive discussion focusing on a holistic and comprehensive view of health and what it means to LGBT persons. From the mind/body/spirit connection to issues of systemic/internalized barriers to accessing care, participants will guide each other to creating constructive next steps for themselves on their journey to healthy living. Carolyn Shin, Youth Health Coordinator, Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project will present this workshop. College Trannies: Issues and Ideas (Bromfield-Pearson Hall 05) This workshop covers different issues that come up specific to the trans community on campus including housing, protection, and tokenization and also features how to start organizing for trans liberation on campuses. Matt Goldenberg is a junior at Lesley University who is majoring in counseling. He has been speaking on queer youth issues for five years and is most recently working with TEGLY, a tobacco prevention program for queer youth. |
||