SUPPORTING TRANS COMMUNITIES SINCE 1994
Empowering.
Healing.
Connecting.
December's "meeting" = Holiday party Join FORGE members on December 22, 2012 for a holiday social event. In place of our regular talk-focused meeting, we will share food, casual conversation, music, and games. Please bring food or non-alcoholic beverages to share. If you have music you would enjoy listening to, please also bring CDs, MP3 players, speakers so others can enjoy, too.
January's social support meeting: "The Aggressives" (film) Description: The Aggressives, a 2005 film by Daniel Peddle, is a rarely explored documentary about six self-defined "aggressives" -- primarily African-American individuals assigned female at birth who express themselves in uniquely masculine ways. The film powerfully explores their lives and examines gender in ways that are not often part of traditional trans-narratives. Black History Month -- February -- is just around the corner. In previous years, we have screened films like "Paris is Burning" and "How Do I Look?" This film -- The Aggressives -- highlights the "flip side" of some gendered identities and expressions within African-American communities. A discussion will follow the film. Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm Open rap is the time to connect connection with fellow Trans+ and SOFFA individuals. This gently facilitated time is especially devoted to exploring the issues you bring in – sharing your experiences and stories, asking questions, […]
"Making the Most of My Time" Guest Speaker: Craig Bodoh Description: Guest presenter, Craig Bodoh, is a coach, seminar leader, and author who has presented to the LGBT community over the years, at the Creating Change Conference, the Leather Leadership Conference, QShares, and the Milwaukee LGBT Center. "Making the Most of My Time" is an interactive, fun workshop that will stimulate your thoughts on how you use your time. You will leave the session with a customized plan designed by you to make the necessary improvements. For more information about Craig, please check out his website listed below. Craig Bodoh Coach, Seminar Leader, Author Personal Effectiveness Plus, LLC Making your time work for you! www.gainingtime.com 414-449-5020 Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm Open rap is the time to connect connection with fellow Trans+ and SOFFA individuals. This gently facilitated time is especially devoted to exploring the issues you bring in – sharing […]
March's social support meeting: Coming Out: Break Through Conversations We all come out at some point - about something. This dynamic meeting will highlight strategies for creating the most successful outcomes when sharing new information with people in your life. Skills and discussion will be applicable to people coming out at work or school, to those sharing with family and friends, to talking with health care or other service providers, to telling people about your gender history if they hadn't been part of your journey. Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm Open rap is the time to connect connection with fellow Trans+ and SOFFA individuals. This gently facilitated time is especially devoted to exploring the issues you bring in – sharing your experiences and stories, asking questions, seeking referrals, gathering resources. We’ll assure this hour+ will stay focused on your needs, and the discussion you generate.
Gendered Violence: Connecting Local Violence to Global Issues Explore issues of gender and violence, whether personal, political, or global. Does local violence represent social and political attitudes that can be linked to global practices? This interactive discussion with key community members will explore connections between local violence like domestic assault, gun and gender based violence, and global violence such as sex trafficking, honor killing or rape as an instrument of warfare. We will also discuss movements against gendered violence as an impetus for social reform and identify additional avenues for addressing it. A Resource Fair with representatives from area organizations will be available from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Guest Panelists: Paulina de Haan, Regional Coordinator, Mayors Against Illegal Guns Michael Munson, Executive Director, FORGE Carmen Pitre, Executive Director, Sojourner Family Peace Center Sebastian Ssempijja, Co-Founder and Clinical Director, Sebastian Family Psychology Practice, LLC Moderator: Amy Shapiro, Co-Director, Women’s and Gender Studies Program, Alverno College Alverno […]
Watch ...this riveting documentary about the impact sexual abuse of boys has on both the individual and society Reflect ...on how the lives of boys and men are deeply changed by childhood sexual abuse, and the importance of healing and speaking out for male survivors to end the devastating effects. Share ...how sexual abuse of boys and men has influenced your life, relationships, or work. Talk about how this film touched you and how it may have shifted your beliefs about male survivors. Connect ...with others to break the silence around male sexual abuse. The film portrays stories of three courageous men whose arduous healing helped them reclaim their lives—while giving them a powerful voice to speak out, and take bold action toward prevention for other boys. The film includes a support group of men and is testimony to the importance of men finding safe places to support one another and share their stories […]
April's social support meeting: The Trans Policy presentation and discussion slated for April 27, 2013's meeting has been canceled. Although the meeting is formerly canceled, several regular members will be at the Community Center (1110 N. Market Street, 2nd floor, Milwaukee, WI) and will hold open discussion space for anyone who wants to drop by. The meeting space will be available from 6:00pm until approximately 9:00pm for people to drop in, chat, support each other, network, laugh and connect. The Trans Policy topic will be rescheduled for later in the year.
May's social support meeting: Trans* Pride June is LGBT Pride month. For many in the LGBT community, Pride is a very important time of the year, where people gather at PrideFest, companies have LGBT Pride days or events, and even the President makes proclamations and hosts celebratory parties at the White House. Some trans people and loved ones feel excited and positive about Pride, while others may view being trans as not something pride-worthy, or may not want to be out about being trans. Come with your thoughts about if, how, and where trans people and loved ones connect with LGBT Pride. Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm Open rap is the time to connect connection with fellow Trans+ and SOFFA individuals. This gently facilitated time is especially devoted to exploring the issues you bring in – sharing your experiences and stories, asking questions, seeking referrals, gathering resources. We’ll assure this hour+ will […]
June's social support meeting: Where did binary sex come from, and where should it go? Guest Speaker: Cary Costello Description: In every world society, some people are born intersex, and some people don't identify with the sex assigned to them at birth. Whether these people will have difficult or easy lives, be fully socially accepted or live at the social margins, varies widely across cultures and between times. In Western societies it has been complicated by an ideology of binary sex and gender: that people are "naturally" born with one of two different sets of genitals, and that which set they have will determine their "natural" gender. We will explore where this ideology originated, how it spread, and how it complicates the lives of intersex individuals, genderqueer people, and trans folks with binary gender identities. We'll also think about what could be done to improve the situation. Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm […]
July's social support meeting: Trans families / Parenting Panel Description: There are many ways people bring children into their lives. Come meet a panel of trans families (or at least their parents!) who will share how they formed their family, how they have (or have not) navigated issues around disclosure, if their language and labels at home have shifted with gender changes, and what it is like to parent in more than one gender. The panel will share personal stories, with plenty of time for questions, as well as whole group dialogue. Open rap is from 6:00 - 7:15pm Open rap is the time to connect connection with fellow Trans+ and SOFFA individuals. This gently facilitated time is especially devoted to exploring the issues you bring in – sharing your experiences and stories, asking questions, seeking referrals, gathering resources. We’ll assure this hour+ will stay focused on your needs, and the discussion you generate.