Blog # 65: Why I Didn't Attend the Translating Identity Conference
~ by transmeditations on October 23, 2011
http://transmeditations.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/why-i-didn%E2%80%99t-attend-the-translating-identity-conference/ (http://transmeditations.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/why-i-didn%E2%80%99t-attend-the-translating-identity-conference/)
I have attended the Translating Identity Conference (TIC) in Vermont at least four times in the past. The Conference has now been held ten times and is held each October at the University of Vermont in Burlington. I have presented numerous workshops there on a variety of topics. I really want to continue to support it, but I can't. The reason? While TIC purports to be for all trans/genderqueer people and allies, in actuality it almost completely caters to trans men, trans-masculine people, and allies of trans males.
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As a trans woman and especially as a trans feminist, I remember multiple times of feeling marginalized and ignored. There is a lot of trans-misogyny towards trans women that is constantly perpetuated and displayed by trans men (and FAAB genderqueers) and their cis female allies. When I saw the workshop programming this year, I was disturbed that far from getting better, this situation had gotten even worse. How many trans-feminine specific workshops were there? How many trans women presenters were there? Where on earth was trans feminism in the mix of workshop presentations?