The Gender Odyssey Conference was held at the Washington State Convention Center Aug. 20-23 and, in its 14th year, surpassed all attendance goals.
According to conference founder and Gender Specialist Aidan Key, there were 105 kids under the age of 12 in attendance ( double the amount from 2014 ); 95 teens ( double the amount from 2014 ); and the general family conference increased by twice the amount as well. Overall, professional participation increased by 75 percent with a total of over 1,000 registered.
Additionally, community support in 2015 increased by 30 percent with a 40 percent increase in scholarships. Attendees from out of state were in abundance, with global attendance at an all-time high. The Gender Odyssey Conference played home base to participants from the far reaches of Brazil, Hong Kong, Israel, The Netherlands, Jamaica, and nearby Canada.
"What I have seen in the last three years, and especially this year, is a strengthening of community," Key said. "A greater willingness for the subsets of our community to sit with discomfort when experiences, language choices and identity definitions differ from each other. We are gaining greater respect for each other within community."
The first keynote address on Friday night was from award-winning poet and writer Andrea Jenkins. Most recently, Jenkins was awarded a fellowship in the Cultural Community Leadership Institute at Intermedia Arts, sponsored by the Bush Foundation. The trans woman of color currently works as a senior policy aide to City Councilmember Elizabeth Glidden, serves as board chair at Intermedia Arts, and lives in Minneapolis.
Jenkins reminded the crowd that even though marriage has been won, equality has not.
"You all can get married now, but I can't even vote because the person on my ID doesn't match the one in the ballot box," she told the crowd.
The second keynote was powerhouse Kate Bornstein. The author's accomplishments include the life-saving tomes Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us and My Gender Workbook. Her 2006 book, Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws has become an anthem in the LGBTQ youth community. Her latest memoir from Beacon Press ( 2012 ) is titled A Queer and Pleasant Danger: The true story of a nice Jewish boy who joins the Church of Scientology and leaves twelve years later to become the lovely lady she is today.
Telling the audience, "I'm alive because of you," Bornstein thanked the global trans community for their support while she recently underwent cancer treatment. There was not a dry eye in the house.
On the subject of Orange is the New Black icon Laverne Cox, Bornstein said: "We have the face of the trans community, and she's a trans woman of color."
Then came a call to action for the trans community.
"We are using the same tools of misgendering," she cautioned. "You're not 'real' trans. Stop it. There is no right or wrong way to be trans. Zen teaches how to deal with paradox. To most people, I'm a paradox: not a man, not a woman."
Bornstein capped off her speech with a light-hearted endeavor.
"If I'm embarrassing to you, please understand, you're most likely embarrassing to me," she explained.
"The factors that Kate mentioned - love, family and respect - have always been the intrinsic components upon which Gender Odyssey's program is built," Key said. "Sharing our differences, identifying our commonalities. Discussing our challenges and barriers, finding ways to empower ourselves in a world where many would rather we simply just disappear."
A special dedication was made during the conference—three times over—to remember the 18 trans victims of violence in 2015. Addition names were mentioned that were based on unconfirmed gender reports. The names called included Keyshia Blige, Jasmine Collins, Tamara Dominguez, Elisha Walker, Kandis Capri, Ashton O'Hara, Shade Schuler, Amber Monroe, K.C. Haggard, India Clarke, Mercedes Williamson, London Chanel, Kristina Gomez Reinwald, Penny Proud, Taja Gabrielle DeJesus, Yazmin Vash Payne, Ty Underwood, Lamia Beard, Lamar "Papi" Edwards and Bri Golec.
The Kids Camp was a sight to be seen, according to Micah at neutrois.me.
"Do you know what 100 rowdy kids sound like?" Micah asked. "The decibel level of the Kid's Camp room was noticeably louder than the hallways, where impromptu conversations—exchanging quick hello's or sharing deeply personal stories—are the norm."
Micah added, "Most children were oblivious to outside emotions, instead engrossed in trying on costumes, crafting clay figurines, putting on a puppet show, or launching rockets. For many, it was the first time they were allowed to be themselves, or meet other kids like them."
The overall tone of the conference was gender-based versus transgender-based, with an emphasis on inclusion and next steps for the gender equality movement. Workshops included the topics "ID Discussion: Helping Yourself and Others Get the ID They Need," "Advocating for Your Health," "Hormones 101," "Trans Parenting," "The Lighter Side of Race," and "Not Your Basic Sex Ed."
Visit www.genderodyssey.org .
