Transgender Diversity Dialouge

Transgender Commission member J.B. Mayo forwards us the following
information about the upcoming Department of Curriculum & Instruction's
"Diversity Dialogue" featuring David Valentine (who was a guest at our
most recent Trans Commission General Meeting):

Transgender and the Trouble with "Diversity":
A Dialogue with David Valentine
Tuesday, February 17
Noon - 1:00 PM
Peik Hall, Room 40
http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/PeikH

In his ethnographic fieldwork in NYC's transgender communities, David
Valentine discovered quickly that many of the people identified by
others as being transgender did not accept, or did not even know about,
this category of identification. Moreover, many of those same people
took on other names for themselves, most significantly, the term "gay."
However, since the early 1990s, a good deal of work has been done -- in
activist, social service, and scholarly settings -- to insist on the
differences between homosexual and transgender identification. As such,
Valentine's data raise a range of questions about the nature of this
difference, and how the claims to this distinction is complicated by
the complexity of gendered and sexual identity as it is refracted
through class, racial, and cultural differences. In this presentation,
Valentine will map out the complexities and politics of these
identifications, and explore the questions raised by them about the very
concept of "diversity" (and its sibling, "inclusion") in contemporary
activism and social service provision.

david valentine
assistant professor, department of anthropology
university of minnesota
http://www.geocities.com/davidvalentine2002

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction's Diversity Dialogues last
about an hour (noon-1pm). Invited guest presents for 20-30 minutes; the
presentation is followed by a lively conversation between the guest and
audience.

---
Ross Neely
Co-Coordinator, Transgender Commission
GLBTA Programs Office
612-626-3064
TransCom@umn.edu
http://www.glbta.umn.edu/trans

Come to Minnesota's Freedom to Marry Day Rally

Come to Minnesota's Freedom to Marry Day Rally
Thursday, February 12th
2:30-3:30pm
Location: Rotunda of the State Capitol 75 Constitution Avenue Saint Paul, Minnesota

Come to the Capitol to show your support for ending discrimination against same-sex couples and their children.

Freedom to Marry Day celebrations began over a decade ago in Minnesota and across the country to encourage people to be vocal about their support for marriage equality. This year's celebration in Minnesota is a rally at the Capitol in support of the "Marriage and Family Protection Act", which would render all Minnesota statutes dealing with marriage gender neutral, allowing equal rights for same sex and same gender couples to marry in Minnesota.

As part of this week, OutFront Minnesota is encouraging Minnesotans to be vocal about their support for legal protections that bring stability to all families. Join us at the Capitol, write your legislators and talk with co-workers or family about why you support marriage equality.

Ideas for signs

Sponsors of this event include Join The Impact - Twin Cities, Marriage Equality Minnesota, OutFront Minnesota, Rainbow Families, MN Lavender Greens, Stonewall DFL, Green Party of Minnesota, and more on the way!

And don't forget to attend OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day on Thursday, April 23rd.