Everyone who is anyone in Connecticut knows what conference I’m talking about this time of year, it is the True Colors conference.
Stana stopped by my house at a little after nine and we car pooled up to the University of Connecticut in Storrs arriving a little after 10. We had to walk to from the south parking lot to the Student Union and it was COLD! The wind was whipping down Hillside Road, I was carrying my workshop handouts and a coffee and my hands were freezing, my ears were freezing and my nose was freezing. I was trying to carry everything in one hand so I could keep switching hands so I could keep one in my pocket.
The first workshop that I went to was Global LGBT Rights and I thought it was good, but. The description in the program guide didn’t quite match the workshop. It was more about how to research global LGBT issues than actually what is happening around the world.
For lunch I went to one of the cafeterias to meet a former classmate from the School of Social Work, she is now a school counselor and one of the co-leaders for the school GSA (Gay Straight Alliance). She and a teacher brought 20 GSA students to the conference and I answered any of the questions the student had about trans-issues.
After lunch I went to the History of LGBT Activism in CT workshop, it was a small workshop of just three of us and the presenter that I have known from my activism. I learned the early gay history here in Connecticut; I know the presenter and have worked with her when I was on the Anti-Discrimination Coalition when we were trying to pass the gender inclusive non-discrimination law.
Then it was time for my workshop; I had about 10 attendees and my evaluations were all “excellent” or “very good” with one rating me “poor” because she wanted me to go over an actual school non-discrimination policy instead of a general discussion about what a policy should include.
After the conference I went to dinner with Stana at a restaurant in Manchester and we made it back to my house by 6:30, it was a long day.
This morning I left also around nine and got up there in time to stop by the Connecticut Outreach Societies table and then head for the first workshop which was on the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. One of the topics that the presenter covered was the difference between hate speech and a hate crime. After the workshop I went to lunch with presenter, who is from the US Department of Justice and I know him from the Safe Schools Coalition. We are on the committee and he also did a workshop at the Trans Health and Law conference last year.
The workshop after lunch was another excellent workshop, it was called “Working with the Families of Gender Non-Conforming Children,” I attended it with a friend who is a LCSW and a friend from the health collective. The workshop answered some of the questions that I had and what can be done when the parents are non-supportive of a child’s transition, the courts have become more proactive in labeling it as a form of child abuses because if you do not allow a child to transitions it can lead to negative outcome such as suicide.
The last workshop of the conference was supposed to be on the future of activism, however, I was the only one there, and I had a great discussion with the presenter. It was kind of like fate brought us together.
I was then asked to stick around and watch the table of CDs for Namoli Brennet while she performed in the closing ceremonies. So I had two long days in a row and now I am heading off to a party in Sharon Connecticut.
Stana stopped by my house at a little after nine and we car pooled up to the University of Connecticut in Storrs arriving a little after 10. We had to walk to from the south parking lot to the Student Union and it was COLD! The wind was whipping down Hillside Road, I was carrying my workshop handouts and a coffee and my hands were freezing, my ears were freezing and my nose was freezing. I was trying to carry everything in one hand so I could keep switching hands so I could keep one in my pocket.
The first workshop that I went to was Global LGBT Rights and I thought it was good, but. The description in the program guide didn’t quite match the workshop. It was more about how to research global LGBT issues than actually what is happening around the world.
For lunch I went to one of the cafeterias to meet a former classmate from the School of Social Work, she is now a school counselor and one of the co-leaders for the school GSA (Gay Straight Alliance). She and a teacher brought 20 GSA students to the conference and I answered any of the questions the student had about trans-issues.
After lunch I went to the History of LGBT Activism in CT workshop, it was a small workshop of just three of us and the presenter that I have known from my activism. I learned the early gay history here in Connecticut; I know the presenter and have worked with her when I was on the Anti-Discrimination Coalition when we were trying to pass the gender inclusive non-discrimination law.
Then it was time for my workshop; I had about 10 attendees and my evaluations were all “excellent” or “very good” with one rating me “poor” because she wanted me to go over an actual school non-discrimination policy instead of a general discussion about what a policy should include.
After the conference I went to dinner with Stana at a restaurant in Manchester and we made it back to my house by 6:30, it was a long day.
This morning I left also around nine and got up there in time to stop by the Connecticut Outreach Societies table and then head for the first workshop which was on the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. One of the topics that the presenter covered was the difference between hate speech and a hate crime. After the workshop I went to lunch with presenter, who is from the US Department of Justice and I know him from the Safe Schools Coalition. We are on the committee and he also did a workshop at the Trans Health and Law conference last year.
The workshop after lunch was another excellent workshop, it was called “Working with the Families of Gender Non-Conforming Children,” I attended it with a friend who is a LCSW and a friend from the health collective. The workshop answered some of the questions that I had and what can be done when the parents are non-supportive of a child’s transition, the courts have become more proactive in labeling it as a form of child abuses because if you do not allow a child to transitions it can lead to negative outcome such as suicide.
The last workshop of the conference was supposed to be on the future of activism, however, I was the only one there, and I had a great discussion with the presenter. It was kind of like fate brought us together.
I was then asked to stick around and watch the table of CDs for Namoli Brennet while she performed in the closing ceremonies. So I had two long days in a row and now I am heading off to a party in Sharon Connecticut.
Sorry I missed you. I did my session on Friday. Had 11 people. Room was ice cold. lots of social workers in group. Bumped into Kevin Lembo - what a nice guy. Always remembers my name. loved the exhibitors - cool stuff.
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