The Gender Spectrum Conference occurred July 12-14, 2013 in Berkley, Calif. Gender Spectrum’s mission is “provides education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for all children and teens.” Lori Duron, author of the blog, Raising My Rainbow was in attendance. Here’s some of what she highlighted from the conference:
What do siblings [of gender nonconforming kids] need
◾Empathy about their own anxieties, confusions and vulnerabilities.
◾A place where they can air their own feelings out independently. They need their own space and often don’t get it.
◾A dialogue between only the siblings (with an adult as a listener). The siblings talk honestly. How does it feel to be gender diverse? How does it feel to have a gender diverse sibling?
◾A toolkit. What will they say and/or do when they get various questions and reactions from other kids?
Some facts that Lori learned from the Human Rights Campaign survey “Growing Up LGBT in America.”
Of those 925, 89% reported that they are living with members of their family. Where are the other 11% of these 13 to 17 year olds living? As a mom, that worries me.
From those 925 “transgender or gender other” youth, 18 gender categories emerged as the youth self-defined their gender. Here are the categories:
◾Gender queer (37% of participants)
◾Androgynous (16% of participants)
◾Gender fluid (9% of participants)
◾Bigender
◾General non-binary
◾Both
◾Other female
◾Other male
◾Gender as object
◾Third gender
◾Middle
◾Questioning
◾Genderless
◾General person
◾Neutral
◾None
◾Neither
◾Unknown
See more from Lori’s Gender Spectrum Conference blog post
Lean more about the organization Gender Spectrum Organization
