Local
Gender Conference East slated for November
Aimed at supporting trans youth
(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The second annual Gender Conference East, a gathering aimed at supporting children and youth across the gender spectrum as well as their families and the professionals working with them, is scheduled to take place Nov. 13-14 at the Radisson North Baltimore Hotel, 2004 Greenspring Dr. in Lutherville-Timonium.
The conference is co-sponsored by Gender Spectrum, PFLAG-Howard County, the Ackerman Institute’s Gender and Family Project, and is joined this year by FreeState Legal Project and Chase Brexton’s LGBT Health Resource Center (LHRC). It will be divided into two segments: a Professional Day on Friday, Nov. 13 and a Family Day on Saturday, Nov. 14.
The Professional Day activities will include workshops, discussions and networking for education, legal, medical, mental health, and social service professionals to better understand serving transgender youth. The workshops will include: “Schools in Transition” and “Family Acceptance and Rejection Panel.”
In addition, there will be a networking happy hour for professionals who want to linger and discuss their learning and cement new contacts and a meet and greet for families travelling from out of town. In 2014, 150 professionals participated and 250 are expected this year.
The Family and Youth day offers tracks for the kids and workshops for the parents. Workshops include: “Teen-2-Parent/Parent-2-Teen: Opening the Door for Dialogue” and “Bringing Our Whole Selves to the Table: A Panel of Parents and Young Adults.” Last year, 300 participated while this year organizers are anticipating over 400.
“Gender Conference East is the culmination of my dream, seven years ago, when my family finally understood our child to be trans and had to travel to the West Coast for a family-focused conference about gender in our children,” Catherine Hyde, Mid-Atlantic regional director of PFLAG, told the Blade. “Our professional day is aimed at helping increase the number of trained professionals supporting our children and their families. The family day is for the children and their parents and caregivers to find a safe space to learn more and meet other people on a similar journey of raising trans and gender creative children.”
The conference was motivated by studies that indicate transgender children are at high risk of bullying in school, suicide attempts and homelessness. More than 40 percent of trans children will attempt suicide before they are 18.
The deadline for online registration is Nov. 1. To register, visit genderconferenceeast.org/join-us22.html.
For more information, visit GenderConferenceEast.org or email [email protected].
District of Columbia
Blade welcomes fall intern
Alexis McLean is student at University of North Florida
The Washington Blade this week welcomed Alexis McLean as its fall intern.
Alexis is studying political science at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. She is interning with the Blade as part of a continued partnership with the Washington Center.
“I am looking forward to spending my time in the fall with the Washington Blade, as this is a new experience for me,” said Alexis. “I have not experienced any journalist jobs in the past so this would be my first time, and I am excited to better my writing and communications skills with this internship.”
Alexis’s internship with the Blade ends in early December.
Rehoboth Beach
SUNFESTIVAL takes center stage as Rehoboth Beach closes out summer
Labor Day Weekend bustling with events, including David Archuleta performance
Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end of summer in Rehoboth Beach, but there will be no shortage of LGBTQ events, with CAMP Rehoboth’s annual SUNFESTIVAL taking over town this weekend.
Thursday (9/3)
Get your Labor Day Weekend started early Thursday night with happy hour from 5-7 p.m. at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub, followed by Naughtee Bingo hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 8:30 p.m.
After bingo, the party continues with Dancing at Diego’s from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Aqua Bar & Grill will also kick off its Labor Day Weekend festivities Thursday with a DJ spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Friday (9/4)
The weekend ramps up Friday night at Aqua, where DJ Matt Bailer will keep the dance floor moving from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Over at Diego’s, DJ Steve Sidewalk will then take over Diego’s for Freedom Friday from 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Saturday (9/5)
The main event of the weekend arrives Saturday with the opening night of CAMP Rehoboth’s SUNFESTIVAL.
Billed as the ultimate party to close out the summer, SUNFESTIVAL has become one of Rehoboth’s signature Labor Day Weekend events. The annual celebration sells out each year, with proceeds benefiting CAMP Rehoboth.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments available at the cash bar while attendees are invited to socialize and find their seats.
Saturday night will feature local singer Ashley Williams as the opening performer, followed by headliner David Archuleta. The event will also feature a live auction.
Back across town Saturday, Aqua will continue its Labor Day Weekend DJ lineup from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Diego’s will also have plenty happening, with ‘Splash Party’ hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 5 p.m., followed by a Saturday Dance Party with Brett Oosterhaus from 9 p.m.- 1:30 a.m.
The Blue Moon hosts its popular Legends Show at 9 p.m. It’s an all-live singing show by the Blue Moon cast of celebrity impersonators.
Etienne Pilon has taken Rehoboth by storm this summer. Check out the talented singer/pianist at The Pines from 7-10 p.m.
Sunday (9/6)
Sunday’s SUNFESTIVAL event will shift the focus to the dance floor, with globally renowned DJs Robbie Leslie and James Anthony scheduled to perform. Doors open at 7 p.m., with dancing continuing until 1 a.m.
On Sunday, Aqua will throw its annual White Party, with DJs spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in white for the holiday weekend celebration.
Diego’s will host its Sunday High T-Dance with Pamala Stanley at 5 p.m. Later that evening, DJ Tannr will be spinning at 9 p.m.
John Flynn is on the piano from 6-8 p.m. at the Blue Moon.
Monday (9/7)
The final day of Labor Day Weekend brings one last chance to hit the dance floor before summer officially winds down.
Aqua will close out its five-day Labor Day Weekend celebration with DJ Biff from 3-7 p.m.
Maryland
Anne Arundel schools now need parent permission to call trans students by preferred names
Conservative groups challenged system’s policy
By JESSICA CALEFATI | Anne Arundel County Public Schools staff cannot use transgender students’ preferred names if their parents oppose it, according to an internal document reviewed by the Banner, a change that comes after conservative groups challenged the school system’s approach to gender identity.
Teachers union president Kristina Korona told members in an Aug. 20 email that the new guidance undermines district policy on acceptance and inclusivity and “will begin harming affected students immediately.”
Previously, the district didn’t require parental permission to use a high school student’s chosen name and pronouns corresponding to their gender identity, the internal document says. Now it does. The change comes as parents challenge the suburban school system’s gender identity policy and regulation in court and the Trump-Vance administration threatens the district’s funding.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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