TRANSACTIVE EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
NEWSFLASH
Supporting Youth Of All Genders

TransActive Leads The Way With New Gender Expression Initiative
- Ending The Homophobia Shell Game –

In upcoming apprearances Jenn Burleton, Executive Director of TransActive and Hayley Klug, Associate Advocate will share their research and observations regarding the primary role gender expression plays in LGBT discrimination, abuse and violence ...a role most commonly attributed to homophobia.

In upcoming outreach efforts TransActive Executive Director Jenn Burleton, Associate Advocate Hayley Klug and other volunteer staff will share TransActive's initiative that expands existing perceptions of homophobia by emphasizing the most common factor in LGBTQ and heterosexual discrimination - non-conforming gender expression.

Their presentation includes the acclaimed short film on transgender children & youth, "Out of The Shadows". Conceived and edited by Jenn Burleton, the film has provided inspiration, information and hope not only to the children themselves but to their families, friends, educators, communities and allies.

While there is certainly a segment of the population that is homophobic, the majority of homophobia has nothing to do with someone's romantic partners; instead, it is triggered by - and directed at, people who are perceived by others to be gender non-conforming.

Gender non-conformity is the only common-denominator in why "straight acting" (or should that be "straight looking"?) LGBT people are on the receiving end of less harassment, discrimination and physical abuse than their gender non-conforming counterparts.

Everyone knows that if one can either "pass" for straight or "pass" for the gender with which they identify they will be subjected to less social marginalization and prejudice. This gender expression oppression begins (in many cases) more than a decade before someone might self-identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Five-year old children, gay, straight and transgender, are harassed for being gender different.

Why do we spend so much time talking about sexual orientation and so little time talking about non-conforming gender expression? This is certainly not an LGBTQ-centric issue. Heterosexuals are the most likely to be harassed, discriminated against and physically abused for real or perceived gender non-conformity based solely upon the percentage of the population that is straight.

These are the questions and perceptions that TransActive will be addressing as part of a new programming paradigm designed to further enhance our educational outreach on behalf of transgender and gender non-conforming children, youth and their families.

Appearance Details:

Portland, Oregon
April 19, 2008
Family Fun Fair
Portland Community College - Sylvania Campus
Health Technologies (HT) Building Gymnasium
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Speakers: TransActive Staff & Volunteers
Campus map: http://www.pcc.edu/about/locations/sylvania/

Portland, Oregon
April 25, 2008
Suburban Portland Schools - Day of Silence/Night of Noise
5:30 - 8:30 PM (This is an invitation only event)
Speaker: Hayley Klug

Chico, California
April 25, 2008
"Conversations On Diversity"
California State University-Chico
Bell Memorial Union - Rm. 209
12:00 - 1:45 PM
Speaker: Jenn Burleton
Campus Map: http://www.csuchico.edu/community/map/westcentral.html

Chico, California
April 25, 2008
Day Of Silence/Night Of Noise
California State University-Chico
Tehama Hall (Meet in the front)
5:00 PM - ?
Speaker: Jenn Burleton
Campus Map: http://www.csuchico.edu/community/map/northcentral.html

Portland, Oregon
April 30 & May 1, 2008
Senior Capstone Classes
Portland State University
5:30 - 7:20 PM (4/30)
2:00 - 3:40 PM (5/1)
Speakers: Jenn Burleton & Hayley Klug
Note: Contact the instructor Molly Gray re: guest-status attendance & location info)

Ventura County, California
May 5 - 13, 2008
Finding The Truth Behind The News -The Tragedy of Lawrence King & Brandon McInerney
Featuring: Jenn Burleton & Mariette Pathy Allen
Note: World renowned photo-journalist and Lambda Literary Award winner Mariette Pathy Allen will join TransActive Executive Director Jenn Burleton on her second outreach & fact-finding trip to Ventura County to meet with members of the community as part of TransActive's "Hallway Heroes" program.

Ms. Burleton also welcomes any opportunity to meet with area PFLAG chapter leaders (in her role as West Coast Sector Leader for PFLAG's Transgender Network) and other LGBTQ community organizations.

Mission Statement
TransActive Education & Advocacy (TEA) provides education & advocacy services in support of families of gender non-conforming children and youth, and the child’s right to freely express their true gender identity.

For more information, please contact us: transeducate@comcast.net

TransActive is a non-profit educational and advocacy organization.
While we depend on service, speaking and presentation fees as well as the financial support of our allies, TransActive will not turn down family support, educational or advocacy opportunities due to lack of ability to pay.