2022 Gender Spectrum Professionals' Symposium

We're sorry to let you know that this session will not be available as planned.

As we are amassing more data examining how to meet the varied needs of gender diverse youth, we are only beginning to understand the unique needs of gender diverse youth who are also ethnic/racial minorities. We aim to highlight some of the medical, mental health and legal considerations when working with Asian American and Pacific Islander families (AAPI). We will report on preliminary data collected in our clinic as well as provide resources and recommendations specifically tailored to meet the needs of AAPI gender diverse youth.
(Advanced)

LGBTQ students, especially Trans and Gender Non-Binary students of color, continue to lead the charge in amplifying the need for safer, braver, and affirming spaces. However, most students and adult allies are not provided the support needed to promote policies that protect Trans and GNB students. Through the lens of a newly developed curriculum centering on how to promote trans affirming schools, this interactive workshop will share how using a youth-adult partnership model as a framework can ensure that young people are intentionally involved in the design, creation, and implementation of school policies.

In this workshop, we will discuss the work The Trans Advocacy and Care Team (TACT) is doing to build a Peer Counseling model for trans wellness. Peer Counseling is effective because it is led by trans and gender diverse individuals helping other trans and gender diverse individuals thrive. After introducing our Peer Counseling model, we will learn about the ways marginalized communities have historically organized around collective needs. We will present three key elements of mutual aid and learn a few examples of collective action, such as the Survival Programs established by the Black Panther Party. Finally, we will present the impact of our Peer Counseling model to date. We believe that by implementing a trans-led peer support system, trans and nonbinary folks will have access to the mentorship, understanding, and resources they need to thrive and achieve a sense of gender congruence.

TherActivist: They/ Them/ Theirs documentary screening & community conversation workshop will embrace the core values of Identity, Intersectionality, and Inclusion. TherActivist: They/ Them/ Theirs book and documentary project shines light on the intersections of identity, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; gender expression and social justice activism against the backdrop of anti-Black racism, anti-LGBTQIA violence, and social exclusion. A combination of Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+ rights, equity and more! The TherActivist embodies a “therapeutic activism” approach, while servicing and empowering people of color, LGBTQIA+ communities, and marginalized populations.

In the last few years a lot has been happening socially that has impacted the way we live, the way we work, and the way we interact. Our job as sexual health educators has not been the exception. As we move forward, we’ve had to reflect not only on our successes, but also on the things in need of work. That includes:

1. How we incorporate an intersectional and inclusive approach into the classroom, especially when addressing LGBTQ+ youth populations
2. How we make sure that we are using a trauma-informed lens
3. How we are building and sustaining our team
4. How we build partnerships with our community (LGBTQ+ orgs; parents of children with disability; Faith Communities; Black, Latinx, and people of color; Spanish speaking communities; etc.)

(Advanced)