Transgender Films To Follow Drag Ball

To the Editors:

Around this time of year many Obies are thinking about what to wear to Drag Ball. While many of us are contemplating a heady, fun night of gender transgression, however, being a gender outlaw isn’t a once-a-year thing for some of us. We are struggling daily to live in a world which expects us to be other than what we are, and to reshape what gender means in ways that will free everyone to be more truly themselves. As it has been for the past four years, this year’s Drag Ball will be followed by a series of talks and film screenings to celebrate the experiences of transgender, transsexual, intersex and other gender-variant people and increase understanding of the issues we face in life. No matter how little or how much you know about trans issues, I urge you to come to Trans 101 next Monday night at 8pm in King 239 for a basic discussion of who trans people are and what we deal with. On Tuesday at 4:30 pm in Wilder 101, we are honored to have a guest lecture by attorney Alyson Meiselman, who has fought in court for the right of trans people to marry and will discuss this and other trans rights issues. There will also be seven (count ‘em, SEVEN!) screenings and discussions of recent films by and about trans and intersex people, ranging from documentary to drama to experimental. (Look for flyers for screening times.) These events are a really exciting oppurtunity for gender-variant people of all stripes and anyone who fancies themselves an ally of us to enrich our understanding of yadda yadda yadda just come already! It’s gonna be great!

–Harper Jean Tobin
College junior