Trans Awareness Week

Monday, Nov 12 – Monday Nov 19, 2012

Dedicated to educating about transgender community and pressing issues facing trans people in Massachusetts, this week features events and educational opportunities statewide, hosted by MTPC and other org’s and community groups. It culminates on November 20 with the Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR), a worldwide gathering of trans and allied communities to memorialize victims of anti-trans hatred or prejudice. TDOR honors Rita Hester, whose murder in Boston on Nov. 28, 1998 inspired the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and the first TDOR in San Francisco in 1999. Rita’s murder, like most anti-trans murder cases, remains unsolved.

Event Planning

MTPC encourages community members to suggest and plan events. To add your event or educational opportunity to the printed calendar, please email info@masstpc.org or call (617) 778-0519 by October 1st, 2011.

Social Media

Be sure to tweet about your Trans Awareness Week events using the hashtag #TAW12. And join the Facebook event to show your support.

Examples of events your group or organization could hold:

Transgender Movie Screening
Book Discussion of Trans-Themed Book
Hold a Panel Discussion with Local Trans Speakers
Trans Themed Art Show or Performance
Screening of I AM: Trans People Speak videos/stories [receive a disc of 5 sample stories]
Hold a Book drive for Prisoner Book Project — collect trans related books, soft cover only

Online Calendar: Events will be regularly updated on the Transgender Awareness Week website calendar. If you will be hosting a Transgender Day of Remembrance event, please e-mail or call us with location and event information so we can publicize it on our website. Please check the Transgender Day of Remembrance page for date and location of TDOR events.

Sponsorship

If you’re interested in sponsoring Trans Awareness Week, please contact gscott@massptc.org.

Transgender Awareness Week Events

For more info or to add your event, email info@masstpc.org or call 617-778-0519

Pre-events

Sunday, November 4

Facing Mirrors, a Trans Film Playing at MFA this Weekend
Boston LGBTQ Film Fest Presents Facing Mirrors

At 3:00pm Facing Mirrors (Aynehaye Rooberoo) will be showing at the Museum of Fine Arts.
“Rana, inexperienced, religious and bound by traditions, is forced to drive a cab in order to survive financially. Adineh, wealthy yet rebellious, has escaped from her home. Along the way, Rana begins to understand that her passenger is a transsexual who is planning on having an operation.”

Tuesday, November 6

Election Day!
Polls open from 7am – 8pm

Wednesday, November 7

LIFESKILLS BEAUTY NIGHT FOR TRANSGENDER WOMEN

5:00–8:00 PM FENWAY HEALTH 1340 BOYLSTON ST, 9TH FL BOSTON, MA
Join Project LifeSkills for a fabulous Beauty Night hosted at Fenway Health. Students from Boston’s Empire Beauty School will be doing free hair, nail, and make-up styling. There will also be free dinner and a movie screening. Please wash your hair before you come.

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Contact Nelisa Rash at 617.927.6346 or check out https://www.facebook.com/events/359547487471497/

Sunday, November 11

Stories of Our LGBTQI Ancestors”: Marion Turner of Florence, Massachusetts (1898-1903)
7 p.m. Carroll Room, Smith College Campus Center

“The Sexual Minorities Archives, a national collection of LGBTQI literature, history, and art located in Northampton, will present historical information about Marion Turner, who lived and worked as a nurse in Florence, Massachusetts at the turn of the twentieth century. Turner was black, an open cross-dresser, and lived among the elite Abolitionist community in Florence. Turner’s story is one that reveals much about tolerance and racial dynamics in Northampton in the early 1900s.” Admission is $10 general, $5 seniors and students, and free for ages 18 and under. For more information: sexualminorities.archives@yahoo.com or (413) 584-7616.

Monday, November 12

Veteran’s Day

Let’s us know what you are planning!

Tuesday, November 13

Celebrating Diverse Trans Masculine Sexualities:
A Community Dialogue for Gay/Bisexual/Queer Trans Men and Trans Men Who Have Sex with Men.
At Fenway Health, 9th floor conference center, 1340 Boylston Street, Boston  from 6 to 8 p.m.

EVENT OVERVIEW:
6:00PM-6:30PM Dinner, Mingling, Resource Fair
6:30PM-6:45PM Opening Remarks: Why We Are Here
6:45PM-7:15PM Lived Experiences Panel, Followed By Discussion and Q&A
7:15PM-7:50PM Community Organizing, Dialogue, Needs Assessment by Trans Masculine Health Collaborative
7:50PM-8:00PM Closing Remarks: Where We Are Going

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Contact Sari Reisner at sreisner@fenwayhealth.org

SPONSORED BY: FENWAY HEALTH’S LIVING WELL PROGRAM, AIDS ACTION COMMITTEE OF MASSACHUSETTS, MASSACHUSETTS TRANSGENDER POLITICAL COALITION, TRANS MASCULINE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE

Wednesday, November 14

“I AM: Trans People Speak” Fenway Video Premiere: A Trans Awareness Week Event
6:00pm to 8:30pm at Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston Street, 10^th Floor Auditorium, Boston, MA

We are pleased to premiere Fenway Health’s contribution to the national campaign: “I AM: Trans People Speak” developed by Jesse Begenyi of Anchors Aweigh Media and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. The “I AM” project raises awareness about the diversity within transgender communities. Jesse, Fenway staff, Gabe Hughes of the Theatre Offensive and video participants will discuss the project and its importance to the community in a panel discussion following the video showings. Don’t miss special performances by local artists. Light food and beverages will be provided.

Event Overview:
6:00pm-6:30pm –Appetizers, Socializing, Resource Fair
6:30pm-6:50pm – Opening Remarks: project’s importance and programs at Fenway
6:50pm-7:05pm – Video showings
7:05pm-7:50pm –I AM panel discussion featuring I AM filmmaker Jesse Begenyi and other contributors to the project
7:50pm-8:00pm – Special Performance
8:00pm-8:30pm – Closing remarks, community toast and dessert

Being Real, Kicking Ass, and Changing the World: How Trans People Are Getting It Done

At 7p at UMass Amherst:101 Campus Center, UMass Amherst

Featuring Mara Kiesling (Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality) “Being Real, Kicking Ass, and Changing the World: How Trans People Are Getting It Done”

101 Campus Center, UMass Amherst

Thursday, November 15

Lowell: Trans Day of Remembrance Observance

6:30p - Lowell Trans Day of Remembrance Observance to be held on Thursday, November 15th from 6:30pm-9:00pm. Vigil will start at the Kerouac Commemorative in Lowell and proceed down East Merrimack Street ending at the Christ Church United where there will be speakers, reception, and open discussion.

Boston: Queeraoke Thursday & get your Trans Awareness Week On!
Come on over to Queeraoke Thursday & get your Trans Awareness Week celebration on with some of Boston’s hottest queers!

At the Midway Way Cafe, 3496 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130 from 9:00 pm – 2:00 am

21+ with proper ID

Named Boston’s Best Lesbian Scene & Boston’s Best Karaoke for 2012, this Thursday we’ll be coming together with our trans peeps for a night of fun & queer cheer with our Supa Dupa Fly karaoke collection & our kick-ass dance sets with bursts of pop, punk, elctronica,
soul, hip-hop, dancehall & so much more..with dance videos & karaoke lyrics on 4 screens!

Contests, prizes and donations to benefit the MA Transgender Political Coalition.

This staple Boston night welcomes queer, trans, friendlies, and area hipsters. Always a fantastic time!! - Check out our Facebook page for more info

Friday, November 16

Athens Boys Choir and Katastrophe, “F To eMbody”
7 p.m. at the Unitarian Society Meeting House, 220 Main Street, Northampton
“F To eMbody” is a free, multi-media spoken word and hip-hop performance featuring two of the country’s most recognized trans-masculine artists. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 17

Greenfield: GCC Alumni Association Speaker Series with Jennifer Madden, M.D. ‘78

Gender Diversity Presentation and Panel Discussion

2:00-4:00 GCC Dining Commons on the Main Campus, One College Drive, Greenfield MA

As part of National Transgender Awareness Week, Jennifer will return to campus to share the story of her journey when she transitioned to become a woman. She will also tell us about her new book Confessions of a Transsexual Physician, written under the pen name Jessica Angelina Birch. Jennifer will be joined by other members of the gender identity community for a panel presentation, followed by a roundtable workshop for those who wish to stay for a smaller venue discussion.

Sunday, November 18

Boston’s Transgender Day of Remembrance

4p at St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, 138 Tremont Street, Boston near Park St and Downtown Crossing subway lines.

Community Speak-Out, Candlelight Vigil, Hosted Reception.

Worcester Trans Day of Remembrance

7 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church, 10 Irving Street, Worcester MA. Call (508) 752-3766 for info. Please join local trans community members and allies at this memorial event.

Monday, November 19

Lorelei Erisis, local celebrity and activist, will present a lecture on transgender lives at Western New England University
7:00pm in Sleith 100 (Western New England University campus in Springfield, MA)
Lorelei Erisis is a writer, performer, speaker, activist, adventurer and expert on transgender issues. Lorelei studied improvisation and sketch comedy for many years at The Second City in Chicago and Los Angeles and has performed nation-wide as a solo act and member of various ensembles. For the past several years, Lorelei has written a popular column for The Rainbow Times called, “Ask A Transwoman” in which she answers questions about transgender people and concerns. And yes, as if all that weren’t enough, she was the very first Miss Trans New England in 2009! Join us for an evening of big laughs and heavy ideas as Lorelei offers a crash-course on transgender issues. Hosted by the Gay/Straight Alliance of WNE University.

Tuesday, November 20

National Transgender Day of Remembrance

Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Trans Day of Remembrance Memorial Event

The Veterans’ Hospital will be holding their first Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20th at 12:15pm. It is open to all, not only Veterans. It will be a 45 minute service and we are allocating some time for speakers.

12:15-1p at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, 200 Springs Rd., Bedford, MA

Hampshire County Transgender Day of Remembrance
5:30 p.m. at Unitarian Society Meeting House, 220 Main Street, Northampton
A candlelight march will proceed to First Churches (129 Main St.) for a speak-out and reception. Sponsored by the UMass Stonewall Center, the LGBT Coalition of Western Mass, the Big Ol’ Gay Committee of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, and the Hampshire County Transgender Day of Remembrance Planning Committee.