 "BANDING TOGETHER TO BREAK BARRIERS"
Are you willing to help jump-start a
northwest transgender tradition?
We need you to help create the Northwest Transgender Conference. The idea is this: To come together to network and brainstorm and commence the implementation of a comprehensive program to further the support, education and rights of transgender persons throughout the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska). Who is involved? You and me, and whomever else wishes to lend a hand in this important project. Hopefully, we will attract transgender group leaders, advocates and other interested and motivated parties from across the region. We will get to know each other, forge relationships and alliances, have some fun, and get some work done on behalf of ourselves and all Northwest transgendered folk.
What kind of work? We will assess the "transgender state of the region", determine what has gone right and what has gone wrong, consider where we have scored victories and where there are still problems, and determine how we can cooperatively improve and enhance the quality of life and societal acceptance of all transgendered folk in our own big backyard. We will examine how Northwest TGs remain challenged in the fields of employment, education, health care, legal, financial, housing, and law enforcement. We will consider how we can help to standardize policies for transgendered individuals, utilizing programs and methods that are already working for some Northwest communities, businesses and organizations, but are sadly lacking in many parts of our region. For instance, many businesses and organizations have very progressive policies for transgendered employees, students and patients, but these programs are generally internalized and largely hidden from wider appreciation. Can we encourage other entities throughout the Northwest to emulate these models? Companies such as Boeing and Microsoft have implemented policies for helping their employees deal with transgender transition issues. How can we promote these positive examples to other employers in our region? The King County (WA) Sheriff's Department has developed a progressive and fair policy for the treatment of transgendered individuals in custody. Can we promote this policy as a model for all other law enforcement agencies in the Northwest? The State of Washington recently enacted its Employment Non-Discrimation Act that protects transgendered individuals. What does this really do for us, what should be the next step, and where do our sister states stand on this issue? What other success stories are out there... that most of us don't even know about? Putting our heads and hands together, we can hasten social acceptance of the transgender phenomenon! When and Where? Soon
and somewhere... at least to get the first proto-conference off the ground. What
are your ideas? Our idea is to have the conference every year, perhaps
in the fall when vacations are over, college students are back in school,
energy levels are high, before the winter chill, but after hotel rates
go off-season... and rotate the
conference
among the Northwest's primary cities: Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., Portland,
Tacoma, Spokane, Boise, etc. Taking our show on the road, we enable more
transgender advocates to participate overall, and we also stir publicity
and awareness in each of our venues. This can only help us further
our objectives. The Gender Alliance of the South Sound in Tacoma stands
ready and willing to assist with any and all planning and implementation
of the conference. How about your group? How about you?
Why Now? The time is right. The Northwest transgender community has reached the critical mass necessary to firmly establish its existence and now begin the process of insisting upon basic rights. The Pacific Northwest is home to many solid and successful trans-organizations, yet these have never properly joined together to generate the strength in numbers and multi-dimensioned assets that we could bring to such an effort. There is no telling what we might accomplish in solidarity. Let's give it a try! Doesn't
this just duplicate the efforts of other conferences and groups? The
NWTC is a wholly different animal from other Northwest trans groups and
events. Ours is a social action networking and implementation ensemble
that we hope will serve as a partner and ally, not a competitor, to the
other
events.
We
very much
welcome and encourage the participation of the organizers and participants
of other
events to join with us in helping the entire Northwest trans community.
Indeed, we are eager to help them promote their events. It can only help
all of us, and all of our projects if we band together and share our good
works and ideas more broadly. There
will be no makeup classes at the NWTC. No sex change 101 seminars. The
NWTC is all about how the transgender community intersects with culture-at-large.
Those who attend the NWTC don't need to be taught how to be transgender.
We are not gathering to remake ourselves, but to remake society!
What's Next? Get involved. Right now. Let's do it! E-mail us back right now and let us know you want to be an NWTC Charter Leader, and help make this happen. Then start putting your ideas together. Initial planning meetings are already happening. ..where it will all begin to come together. You can be there... at the very start of something very special. We need you. The trans community needs you. Don't miss it! Join the NWTC Yahoo Group Forum: Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthwestTransgenderConference/ We truly hope to hear from you. We look forward to meeting and working with you. And please... forward this link to others you know who might also be interested in becoming an NWTC Charter Leader. See you soon at the Northwest Transgender
Conference! Misha Balch, Vicky Quaintance, Annie Russell Notes From Pilot Planning Meeting No. 1 - May 15, 2008 Seattle, WA
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