From February 24th-26th, UVM played host to hundreds of transgenders, queers and allies from all over the country at the 4th Annual Translating Identity Conference (TIC).
The three-day event was focused on transgender issues facing today’s society. There were workshops, discussions, a poetry slam and a keynote address made by Emi Koyama.
The idea for TIC was born in the fall of 2002 from the brains of members of Free to Be, UVM’s LGBTQIA club. The students wanted to put on a conference devoted to trans issues in order to educate the surrounding community.
The first conference was in April 2003 and there has been one every spring semester since. TIC is an entirely student run conference and is funded solely on donations and grants. Last year the Conference set a University record by being the biggest student run conference in UVM’s history.
Upon reading this article, some of you may be asking yourself what exactly the word “transgender” means. The term transgender includes Transsexuals, Transvestites and Cross dressers.
It refers to a person who lives in their gender role of choice, with or without the help of hormones or Sexual-Reassignment Surgery. Many people are born to the wrong sex and have a specific gender placed on them that does not correspond to who they really are. They often transition into the opposite sex that is their correct gender.
As a volunteer for TIC, I received first hand experience on not only what it is like to attend the conference, but also what it is like to be behind the scenes. Months of planning went into it, with the committee and the committee chair, Sophomore Ashley Gallo, working tirelessly to fill out grant proposals, fundraise, order food and buy plane tickets for attendees from across the country.
I have never seen people work so hard and so passionately for something before. Those involved in the planning of the conference and who worked for it, did so because it meant something to them; this conference was their baby.
It was an incredible environment to be in because everyone was so excited about what they were doing-we knew TIC was something big. People love coming to TIC and being in an atmosphere so devoted to change and understanding.
Every year, the attendance numbers grow, word of mouth being the conference’s largest supporter.
The necessity for events such as TIC is often overlooked. Many people do not have a lot of understanding of what it is to be transgender or the issues faced every day. Sessions such as “The Bathroom Issue” look at the daily dilemmas trans people confront, like which bathroom to use.
Many of us do not take the time to stop and think about the limitations that our culture and society have put on gender. There are very strict labels that have been formed for gender and sexuality. Our society labels you either man or woman, gay or straight.
There is no understanding of a spectrum or continuum. Many aspects of our lives have been categorized into black and white; in reality, there are a multitude of shades of grey.
