8th Annual Gender & Sexual Minorities Conference

10AM 

Wednesday, 10/2^nd at 10am: “What’s at Stake with the Election?” Panel Discussion, MSU 218

This panel will bring together faculty who teach in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program to speak about the issues they are particularly invested in during this election cycle.  Topics such as reproductive health and LGBTQ+ rights will be topics of conversation.

 Moderator: Dr. Colleen Clemens, (she/her)

Colleen Lutz Clemens is Professor of English and Director of the WGS Program at Kutztown

 Panel:

Dr. Megan O'Byrne, (she/her) Associate Professor of Communication Studies, is in her 9th year at KU. In that time, she has consistently contributed to the WGS minor in teaching Gender Communication where her students get to explore the various ways, we become who we are (and ask others to do the same) through communication tactics. Her research areas intersect at the margins of social movements & gender/minority issues.

 Dr. Jason Crockett, (he/they) is a Professor of Sociology at Kutztown University. His teaching and research specializations are in the areas of sexualities, gender, and social movements. Previous projects he has worked on include examining factors contributing to development of “conversion therapy” organizations in the US, the influence of participating in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights activism on youth civic engagement, and understandings of race in interracial relationships among gay and bisexual men.

 Dr. Leslie C. Sotomayor II, (she/her/ella) was born in New Jersey with a strong connection to her ancestry through her Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. As a first-generation bilingual Spanish and English McNair scholar, she received her PhDs from The Pennsylvania State University in Art Education and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. She is a writer, artist, curator and scholar centering underrepresented themes in her work. Sotomayor’s studio art process is painting, collage work and installations often with her youngest daughter.

 11AM

Wednesday, 10/2^nd at 11am: “Breaking the Binary: Living Authentically as a Trans Man in College Athletics”, MSU 223

In this workshop, Cameron will share his personal journey of coming out as a trans man while navigating a career in collegiate athletics-- a field not always known for its inclusivity. The session will explore the challenges and triumphs of living authentically in a professional space, particularly within a traditionally masculine and competitive environment. Using his story as a foundation, he will guide participants through the complexities of balancing professional expectations with personal truth, focusing on gender identity, inclusion, and the intersections of identity. The session will also provide actionable strategies for fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment in college athletics and beyond.

 Presented by: Cameron Wein, (he/him) KU Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance

Cameron Wein has over five years of experience in collegiate athletics, specializing in academic advising, support, and compliance. He is a speaker and advocate on topics including queer identity, trans issues, women in sports, and emotional intelligence. Cameron is passionate about fostering authentic, inclusive environments where all individuals can thrive both personally and professionally.

 12PM

Wednesday, 10/2^nd at 12pm: “Safe Space Training”, MSU 218

The mission of the Kutztown University Safe Space Program is to provide education and resources to KU community members to create a safe and nurturing environment, free of discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity, or gender identity. This workshop aims to increase one's cultural competence and reduce unwelcoming and even unsafe environments in which LGBTQ+ people navigate in their daily lives.

 Presented by: Maddison Stanley, (any pronouns) is the Graduate Assistant at Kutztown's LGBTQ+ Resource Center. Maddison is a proud graduate of Bloomsburg University’s Psychology program and is now a second-year graduate student in the KU School Counseling program. Through their work at the Center, Maddison is able to combine their identity as a pan, nonbinary individual with their passion for education and advocacy. When not on campus, Maddison can be found enjoying the outdoors with their partner and dog through hiking, rock climbing, and whitewater kayaking.

 4PM

Wednesday, 10/2^nd at 4pm: “Power Flow Yoga”, MSU 223

Virtual LGBTQ-affirming yoga, provided by: Diona Akens, (she/her) KU Alum & Owner & Wellness Consultant, Divinity & Balance Co. Please bring your own mat or towel for this session or join via this ZOOM LINK.

 “I share my practice with the goal of providing safe and inclusive spaces for folx to explore mind, body, and spiritual healing through trauma-informed movement, meditation, self-inquiry, and connection to community. I am dedicated to providing accessible yoga, meditation, & spiritual wellness services, particularly to those in the LGBTQ+ & BIPOC communities to share self-healing and mindfulness with those who have historically experienced marginalization and erasure.”

 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD,2024

11AM

Thursday, 10/3^rd at 11am: “Attraction x Attachment: Demystifying the Toxic Ex, the Problematic Crush, and Other Relational Conundrums”, MSU 223

We will explore the fascinating complexity of attraction and its intersection with attachment style through a liberatory lens, illuminating a deeper understanding of our own relational needs, challenges, and offer compassionate perspective to the relational heights, harm, and confusion we all experience.

 Presented by: Letecia Garcia, MA, LPC, CISTT (she/her) is a liberation and embodiment centered professional healing companion, specializing in alchemizing trauma and empowering ways of living and understanding that foster connection, discernment, and fulfillment, for self and collective. To connect with her, please write to lgarcia@therapysecure.com.

 12PM

Thursday, 10/3^rd at 12pm: Madres Radicales: Queering Art & Motherhood, MSU 218

Madres Radicales, curated by artivists (Deepwell, 2018) Sotomayor, Villalobos, and Ballard in the summer of 2024 in Texas, facilitated conversations about nurturing community through creative acts. Queering (Marcus 2005) the theme for this art exhibition by expanding terminology of motherhood as it connects to LGBTQIA+ communities, racial identities, gender expressions, surviving oppressions, straddling socio-economic statuses, citizenship, & cultural memory, we asked; Who is a madre/mother? What do madres do? What is their role in our communities? Societies? How is a mother/madre radical? What does a madre radical look like? Through the art exhibition, Madres Radicales, we sought to expand traditional narratives about madres/mothering as an action, an embodied experience that transcends private domestic spaces & re-frames under-valued ideas by imagining & creating new stories. Over twenty artists were accepted to participate in this art exhibition including visual artists, makers, protest organizers, interactive art, musicians, poets, & drag performers. As artivists we grappled with overcoming issues of censorship, working with artists and navigating these spaces while also maintaining agency and ethical positionalities. This talk speaks to challenging larger social issues affecting inclusivity and diversity within the arts as we unpack how allyship and the arts can be places for resistance and artist agency. We situated ourselves in this art exhibition as agents of self-knowledge production to create self-empowering learning environments & a sense of belonging by queering creative acts through artivism to sustain community building efforts (Deepwell, 2018).

 Presented by: Dr. Leslie C. Sotomayor II, (she/her/ella) Assistant Professor of Art Education & FDI Scholar, was born in New Jersey with a strong connection to her ancestry through her Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. As a first-generation bilingual Spanish and English McNair scholar, she received her PhDs from The Pennsylvania State University in Art Education and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. She is a writer, artist, curator and scholar centering underrepresented themes in her work. Sotomayor’s studio art process is painting, collage work and installations often with her youngest daughter.

 1PM

Thursday, 10/3^rd at 1pm: “Voices at the Margins: Navigating LGBT & Women's Issues in Media”, MSU 223

In an era where media representation is more crucial than ever, this workshop will delve into the complexities of LGBT & women's issues in the media, exploring the pervasive discrimination that these groups face. This workshop offers a comprehensive analysis of the complexities & challenges surrounding these topics, with a focus on identifying & addressing systemic discrimination in media coverage. Tailored for both students and professors, this workshop will delve into the intersection of media, gender, & sexuality, providing participants with an opportunity to critically engage with case studies & contemporary examples. Attendees will explore practical strategies for enhancing inclusivity & promoting diverse, authentic voices within media content. This workshop aims to equip educators & emerging professionals with the tools needed to foster a more equitable media environment in both academic settings & the industry at large. This workshop is designed for journalists, media professionals, students, and academics interested in gender, sexuality, and media studies. 

Presented by: Katelynn Humbles, (she/her) a freshman at Kutztown University majoring in Professional Writing, is an emerging voice in media journalism with a keen focus on LGBT and women's issues. Hailing from Reading, Pennsylvania, she brings her experience as a freelance writer and her contributions to disability-related topics for Cabin Fever to critically examine the representation of marginalized groups in the media. Katelynn is committed to fostering more inclusive media practices that elevate diverse voices and challenge systemic discrimination.

 3PM

Thursday, 10/3^rd at 3pm: “WTF is a Healthy Relationship?”, MSU 223

An important discussion on Healthy versus Unhealthy Relationships. We’ll explore signs of Intimate Partner Violence, Red and Green Flags, and the Realities of Sexual Assault. Learn how to support friends, practice bystander intervention, and navigate reporting processes on campus. We’ll also highlight resources available at our Women’s Center. This session will empower you to foster respectful and supportive relationships!

 Presented by: Taiya Miller, (she/her) is a graduate student in School Counseling at Kutztown University and a proud alumnus of its Psychology program. She presents on healthy and unhealthy relationships, sexual assault, and empowerment within diverse populations. Taiya has actively collaborated with the student organization It’s On Us to raise awareness about sexual assault on campus and currently serves as the Co-advisor for the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA), which promotes feminism, gender equity, and intersectionality.

 

Friday, October 4^th, 2024

 11AM

Friday, 10/4^th at 11am: Keynote address, “Authentically Who? Finding the me inside of me”, MSU 218

 

Presented by: Dr. Ashleigh Strange, H.C. (they/them) is the Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Affairs effective March 2024. In this position, Ashleigh engages with federal, state, and local agencies to promote effective utilization of government programs impacting LGBTQ Pennsylvanians and works with the Commission to educate the community on existing resources. They previously worked as Communications Director for Pennsylvania Stands Up and Make the Road Pennsylvania.

 

They graduated in 2016 from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. They serve as Board Chair on the PA Stands Up Institute board and Vice-Chair of the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates Board. Ashleigh is from Fairbanks, Alaska. They currently reside in Allentown, Pennsylvania with their partner, Chloe, cat, Nike, and several failing plants.

 12PM

Friday, 10/4^th at 12pm: “Taylor Swift & Feminism”, MSU 223

 Our society is rooted in a male-dominated patriarchal system that works to keep women below men. It shows itself in the lawmakers we elect and the policies they wish to demolish, like the recent repeal of the longstanding constitutional right to abortion for instance. Feminist movements have paved the way for change within this system, not only in our policymaking and thinking but also in the media that we consume as well. It is not uncommon for celebrities and public figures to display allyship to these movements, and Taylor Swift is a prime example of how modern feminism is portrayed in today’s mainstream media. On the surface, a public figure influencing girls nationally to follow her feminist messages and influence should be a good thing. But what if these messages are catered only to those who are privileged enough to connect to them?

 Presented by: Katie Griffin, (she/they) is a Junior at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. For the past two years, they have been employed as a Peer Educator for the Center for Trans and Queer Advocacy. In their role, Katie has facilitated training sessions to educate West Chester University students, staff, and faculty about the LGBTQIA+ community, while advocating for students' success and validation.

 1PM

Friday, 10/4^th at 1pm: “How Feminism Alienates Transgender People Through Gender Essentialist Rhetoric”, MSU 223

TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) are often assumed to be the sole cause of transphobia in feminist circles, specifically focusing on trans-feminine people and trans women. However, gender essentialism rhetoric that results from ironic (and non-ironic) misandry reinforces implicit biases against all transgender people. Continuing to ignore the prevalence of gender essentialism not only perpetuates the harm that TERFs encourage but also alienates trans-masculine people and trans men.

 Presented by: August Harlow, (he/it) is a senior at West Chester University majoring in psychology and minoring in biology and chemistry. He is the Research and Development Lead for West Chester's Center for Trans and Queer Advocacy and a Cell Biology tutor.

2 PM

 Friday, 10/4^th at 2pm: Queer Asexual Sexual Relationships, MSU 223

This session will discuss the inherent queerness of relationships that fall into the asexual aromantic spectrum have. Those who lie within the aroace umbrellas tend to feel not included in both queer and heterosexual spaces, despite not falling into the framework of a heteronormative society. My perspective is largely informed through my experience as a former sex worker who is also on the aroace spectrum.

 Presented by: Gabrielle Nguyen, (they/them) is pursuing a B.S. in Marketing at West Chester University. They work at the Center for Trans and Queer Advocacy as a peer educator on my campus. Their connection to queerness is based in their understanding of self as a former sex worker, aroace lesbian, and agender Vietnamese American.

 2PM

Friday, 10/4^th at 2pm: “Meditative Slow Flow Yoga”, Multicultural Center Room #206

Virtual LGBTQ-affirming yoga, provided by: Diona Akens, (she/her) KU Alum & Owner & Wellness Consultant, Divinity & Balance Co. Please bring your own mat or towel for this session or join via this ZOOM LINK.

 “I share my practice with the goal of providing safe and inclusive spaces for folx to explore mind, body, and spiritual healing through trauma-informed movement, meditation, self-inquiry, and connection to community. I am dedicated to providing accessible yoga, meditation, & spiritual wellness services, particularly to those in the LGBTQ+ & BIPOC communities to share self-healing and mindfulness with those who have historically experienced marginalization and erasure.”