Understanding Gender and Sexuality Today

Description

This workshop aims to present basic terminology that will clarify participants' understanding of gender and sexual identities, the different perceptions, and origins of these identities, and will begin to explore and discuss sources and impacts of discrimination against gender non-conforming people, and how to understand and improve one's role as an ally of those within the LGBTQ+ community.
This workshop is a learning opportunity for those who want to better understand what their children or grandchildren are discussing at the lunch table or for those who want to better equip themselves when working with or talking to gender non-conforming individuals. It is not an opportunity for political discourse.
Christine Caulfield (she/her) is currently a volunteer at MaineTrans.Net, a statewide non-profit that supports transgender people in many capacities. She is the co-chair of the 35+/Elder Caucus, facilitating programming, support, and events for transgender people over the age of 35. She is a former public high school teacher, teaching history, civics and government, several electives, AP courses and a team-taught course that explored the origins of power and privilege in US history. She has a great deal of experience teaching workshops on various topics, as well as participating in discussion and training panels as a representative of the transgender community. This past summer, her testimony was key in the passing of the name change bill by the Maine State Legislature, which ended the requirement for the public notice of name changes in whatever contexts, which protects people who change their names from harassment, discrimination, and violence. She is a parent of two adult daughters, and a very proud grandparent of three.