The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) will host its inaugural Genderfest conference September 8-10 in its downtown location (401 S. Maryland Pkwy.), to educate and empower the transgender and gender non-conforming communities and allies through a series of workshops and keynote speakers.
Blue Montana, transgender program manager at The Center, began developing Genderfest immediately upon moving to Las Vegas earlier this year from San Diego, where he had been a tr...
The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) will host its inaugural Genderfest conference September 8-10 in its downtown location (401 S. Maryland Pkwy.), to educate and empower the transgender and gender non-conforming communities and allies through a series of workshops and keynote speakers.
Blue Montana, transgender program manager at The Center, began developing Genderfest immediately upon moving to Las Vegas earlier this year from San Diego, where he had been a transgender rights activist and board member of San Diego Pride.
“Genderfest is not only a conference about the intersectionality of gender, it’s about growth, learning about the different ways gender is explored and expressed, and navigating through the gender journey,” Montana says. “Having gone to various other conferences and realizing the cost of travel and lodging can be prohibitive, I wanted to give the transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) community in Las Vegas the opportunity to attend a local conference while also showcasing trans and GNC-identified folks from other places, who will bring some outside culture and influence to us here in Las Vegas. It’s inspired by my passion and love for my local community!”
Genderfest opens on Thursday, September 8 with keynote speaker Jon Ralston, the longtime Vegas-based journalist and political commentator whose heartfelt blog post about his transgender son was well-received this past May. Also offering keynote speeches throughout Genderfest are airline pilot Jessica Taylor, teenage activist Lily Rubenstein, poet and author Max Wolf Valerio, and Michelle Honda-Phillips, daughter of Congressman Mike Honda and mother to young trans daughter Malisa.
Workshops at The Center throughout Friday and Saturday include:
· Top Surgery by Dr. Scott Mosser
· Health Insurance by Dr. Scott Mosser
· Transgender Legal Issues by ACLU
· Name and Gender Marker Changes in Nevada by Steven Kothar
· Trans History by Missy Parker
· To T or Not To T by Carson Rader
· Parenting a Trans Teen by Michelle Honda-Phillips and Alexis Pasqua
· STUD: Evolution of a Gentlewoman by King Powell
· Working as a Social Worker for Trans Rights in Brazil by Ana Livia Cunha
· The Massacre of Trans Women in Brazil by Ana Livia Cunha
· What is Genderqueer? by Grey Ros
· The Future of Our Community by Missy Parker
· Police and Gender by Maree Slater
Genderfest is generously sponsored by Caesars Entertainment and State Farm insurance agent Gregory Moore. Special group rates are available for rooms at host hotel Alexis Park All Suite Resort.
Tickets to attend Genderfest are $75 per person and may be purchased online at www.thecenterlv.org/genderfest. Buffet lunch is included on Friday and Saturday. For additional information and to learn about sponsorship and vendor opportunities, call 702-733-9800 or email bmontana@thecenterlv.org.
