2008 GLBTIQQ Symposium Schedule & Assessments

Authors

Joseph A. Santiago, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Andrew Winters, University of Rhode Island

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

3-13-2008

Abstract

These papers deal with the 2008 GLBTIQQ Symposium and assessment materials. The symposium ran in concurrence with the US Holocaust Museum’s traveling exhibit, Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945, from February 14 – March 29, 2008 at the Fine Arts Gallery on URI’s Kingston campus. 2008 Glbtiqq Symposium Schedule & Assessments; Joe Santiago; Joseph A Santiago; Andrew Winters; WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH 7:30pm: Opening Ceremony Featured Speaker: Jason Knight, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Personal Impact, Military Consequences, Public Reactions and Repeal Efforts” (Hardge Forum Rood, Multicultural Center); THURSDAY, MARCH 27TH 11:00am: - 11:50am: Y. Gavriel Ansara, “Becoming Transfabulous: New Realities Beyond the Sexuality Alphabet Soup” 12:00pm – 12:50pm: Theresa DeFrancis, “Lesbian Studies, Legitimate Studies: An Argument for Privileging” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 1:00pm – 1:50pm: Pamela Hayes-Bohanan, “Deliver Us: How Censors Target GLBT Materials” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 2:00pm – 2:50pm: Sabrina Gentlewarrior, “Ending Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, and Other Oppressions: Creating World Justice by Listening to Our Communities” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 3:00pm – 3:50pm: Lisa Forest and David O’Malley, “From Monologue to Dialogue- Stories of Personal and Institutional Change at the Intersection of Faith, Sexuality and Policy” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 4:00pm – 4:50pm: TBD 7:30pm –Chorus Performances and Viewing of PFLAG Documentary, Anyone and Everyone (Hardge Forum Room, Multicultural Center); FRIDAY, MARCH 28TH 11:00am – 11:50am: Melany Tromba, “The Complexities of Complacency: HIV/AIDS in its Third Decade” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 12:00pm-12:50pm: "HIV: A Personal Perspective" (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 1:00pm – 1:50pm: Kade Langston Aris, “The Genderqueer Phenomenon” (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 2:00pm – 2:50pm: Ron Suresha, "Kinsey Zero through Sixty: Bisexual Perspectives on the 1948 Publication of Sexual Behavior in the Human Male by Alfred C. Kinsey, et al." (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library) 3:00pm – 3:50pm: Jan LightfootLane (waiting on title and synopsis) 4:00pm – 4:50pm: Mike Miele, The Closet (Gallanti Lounge, URI Library); COMPLETE SCHEDULE AND PROGRAM SYNOPSES Wednesday, March 26th 7:30pm:“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Personal Impact, Military Consequences, Public Reactions and Repeal Efforts” Location: Hardge Forum Room, Multicultural Center; Presenter: Jason Knight, Communications Associate for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), Washington, DC In 2005, Jason Knight, former Petty Officer 2nd Class, came out to the United States Navy as a gay man. After serving for four years as a Military Linguist and despite having superior job reviews, the support of the other sailors in his unit, and a commander who spoke in his favor, Knight was told he could no longer continue to serve his country due to his sexual orientation. Now associated with SLDN, a national non-profit legal services organization dedicated to ending discrimination against military personnel affected by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), Knight speaks in order to lift the ban preventing gays, lesbians, and bisexuals from serving openly and honestly. The discussion will touch upon the many facets of DADT, including Knight’s own personal experience as well as the current status of efforts to repeal this discriminatory law. Thursday, March; Thursday, March 27th 11:00am: - 11:50am: “Becoming Transfabulous: New Realities Beyond the Sexuality Alphabet Soup” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Y. Gavriel Ansara, founding Executive Director of Lifelines Rhode Island Beyond GLB"T" dwell transformative new realities; these new ways of knowing redefine gender, embodiment, history, memory, and time—and the interplay between these elements, questioning basic assumptions about reality itself. Explore the real life narratives of people of trans experience and discover the liberating potential of a transfabulous world view. 12:00pm – 12:50pm: “Lesbian Studies, Legitimate Studies: An Argument for Privileging” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Theresa DeFrancis, Assistant Professor, Salem State College Feminism, gender studies and queer theory all claim they adequately make room for lesbian identity. This paper insists that the lesbian is, in fact, absent or invisible in each of the previous rubrics and makes a case for the existence of lesbian studies, arguing that present in lesbian studies and absent from the others is an understanding of what lesbian signifies, specifically the articulation of the lesbian body, the lesbian subject in a framework that positions it as a sexed or eroticized body. 1:00pm – 1:50pm: “Deliver Us: How Censors Target GLBT; Presenter: Pamela Hayes-Bohanan, Associate Librarian, Bridgewater State College Of the American Library Association’s “Ten Most Challenged Books” for 2006, four, including the top two, were cited for homosexuality. This session will explore books that have been banned or challenged in schools and libraries since the 1960s for their themes of homosexuality. 2:00pm – 2:50pm: “Ending Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, and Other Oppressions: Creating World Justice by Listening to Our Communities” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenters: Sabrina Gentlewarrior, Assistant Professor, Bridgewater State College; Anna Martin-Jearld, Professor, Bridgewater State College; Marci Langevin, MSW Research Assistant, Bridgewater State College; Nancy Granshaw, MSW Research Assistant, Bridgewater State College This workshop shares results of 75 qualitative interviews with members from a range of disenfranchised groups regarding their experiences of discrimination and its impact, their vision of a just world, and strategies to create it. Emphasis will be placed on the application of these ideas to our social justice work. 3:00pm – 3:50pm: “From Monologue to Dialogue- Stories of Personal and Institutional Change at the Intersection of Faith, Sexuality and Policy” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenters: Lisa Forest, Coordinator of the GLBTA Pride Center, Bridgewater State College and David O’Malley, Professor of Social Work, Bridgewater State College; This interactive program will present theoretical concepts and models, along with data and case studies in considering the unique role of individuals and organizations involved with interfaith work in the United States and from other countries. Such interfaith work takes the form of conversations and collaborative activity that seek to promote understanding among persons of differing beliefs and traditions of faith or conscience. Religion, spirituality and philosophy have factored and continue to factor significantly in how Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons are understood and treated in the communities where they live, learn and work. 7:30pm: Chorus Performances and Viewing of PFLAG Documentary, Anyone and Everyone Location: Hardge Forum Room, Multicultural Center Presenters: WomanSpiritRising, Raging Grannies and Ed and Ann Bonetti, PFLAG Ed and Ann Bonetti will present and discuss the documentary Anyone and Everyone, which portrays parents from across the United States discussing their reactions to having a son or daughter reveal that he/she is gay. Despite the diversity of families' ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, geographic, religious backgrounds, there is a thread these heartfelt stories. Ed and Ann Bonetti, officers with PFLAG South Central Rhode Island, also appear in the documentary.; Friday, March 28th 11:00am – 11:50am: “The Complexities of Complacency: HIV/AIDS in its Third Decade” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Melany C. Tromba, Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Rhode Island Counseling Center HIV/AIDS is a pandemic that transcends impacting isolated communities. This informative presentation aimed at consciousness-raising will examine the sociocultural context with attention to advancements and difficulties related to HIV/AIDS research, treatment, and outreach programs. It serves to explore some of the reasons for and consequences of community complacency. This program will also provide information on risk categories and risk factors. Lastly, this program will provide recommendations to assist with complacency reduction. 12:00pm-12:50pm: "HIV: A Personal Perspective." Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Darren Wells, Speakers Bureau Coordinator, AIDS Project Rhode Island A decade since Dr. David Ho came up with the concept of combination therapy, the concept of HIV changed overnight from "terminal illness" to "manageable condition." Because the death rate from AIDS in the US dropped significantly after that point, it's easy to forget that HIV is still deadly; especially with improved medications and resources. The fact that AIDS/HIV doesn't immediately kill overshadows the fact that it significantly impairs one's quality of life. This presentation will offer a first hand perspective on the challenges of living with HIV, as well as the costs: financial, social, physical and emotional. It will also explore how misperceptions about AIDS continue to drive new infections. 1:00pm – 1:50pm: “The Genderqueer Phenomenon” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Kade Langston Aris, Undergraduate Upperclassman, University of Rhode Island This session will be divided into activity, discussion, and presentation regarding the phenomena of the genderqueer population. The workshop will explore the intersection, but primarily the difference, between gay, trans, and genderqueer identifications. The intention is to inform and engage participation via questions, comments, stories, and a fun interactive activity. 2:00pm – 2:50pm: "Kinsey Zero through Sixty: Bisexual Perspectives on the 1948 Publication of Sexual Behavior in the Human Male by Alfred C. Kinsey, et al." Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Ron Suresha, Independent Masculinities Scholar, Connecticut The 1948 publication of Alfred C. Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Male sent shockwaves through the nation, dominated the news, and became an unexpected bestseller. More importantly, it changed the way Americans looked at sexual minorities. This session will examine the significance and impact of Kinsey’s Male Report. 3:00pm – 3:50pm: “Ending Homosexual Poverty” Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Jan LightfootLane, Maine This workshop will analyze the myth of affluence associated with homosexuality and the reality that many homosexuals work minimum wage jobs and require state assistance. Groups and institutions set up to inform, educate and protect sexual minorities in poverty are often not equipped to do so. As a result, the 3 elements to overcoming poverty, endorsed by the United Nations as means of curing third world poverty, will be discussed in terms of resolving poverty among sexual minorities in America. 4:00pm – 4:50pm: The Closet Location: Gallanti Lounge, 3rd Floor, URI Library Presenter: Michael Miele, Undergraduate Student, University of Rhode Island The Closet is a play featuring monologues regarding the process of coming out. Scheduled to be performed at Providence Pride in June, The Closet is currently a play-in-progress. This workshop will feature the performance of several monologues and a discussion with the director, Mike Miele.; The 14th Annual University of Rhode Island Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues Connecting Communities: Looking Back, Moving Forward Wednesday, March 26th – Saturday, March 29th; University of Rhode Island’s Gay. Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Center is proud to announce its 14th Annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Issues entitled, Connecting Communities: Looking Back, Moving Forward, from March 26th – March 29th. The symposium is comprised of several programs and workshops that affect the lives of GLBT communities and individuals nationwide. All symposium events are open and free to the public. Additional information for the symposium as well as schedule of programs and other GLBT Center events can be found at www.uri.edu/glbt. The symposium is running in concurrence with the US Holocaust Museum’s traveling exhibit, Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945, from February 14 – March 29, 2008 at the Fine Arts Gallery on URI’s Kingston campus. Information on the exhibit and Art Gallery Schedule can be viewed at http://www.uri.edu/artgalleries/pages/Schedule.htm For further information about the symposium or the exhibit, please contact Andrew Winters, Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Programs and Services