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Transforming Faith Conference

I head off to Portland, OR (one of my all time fav cities) on Thursday to attend and present at an amazing conference.
Transforming Faith: Divining Gender - A three-day interfaith gathering in Portland, Oregon that seeks to:
  • Educate communities of faith in the spectrum of gender identities and gender expressions
  • Give tools and resources for supporting gender variant youth
  • Dismantle binary gender constructs and their reign in misogyny and homophobia
  • Nurture and empower transgender leadership.
The keynote address will be offered by Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of 12 books, including Omnigender.
Ah, Mollenkott, one of my heroes (sheroes?) I will present my play Transfigurations -- Transgressing Gender in the Bible and also co-facilitate a workshop with Rev. Allyson Robinson.

Also presenting are

  • New Testament scholar Dr. Mary Ann Tolbert, George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies at the Pacific School of Religion and Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry, who will address Gender and the Bible.

  • Jenn Burleton, Executive Director of TransActive will present a panel of youth and resources for supporting gender variant children and teens

  • Faisal Alam, founder of Al Fatiha (a network for LGBTQ Muslims), will be exploring the complex diversity within the Muslim world and will illustrate the many challenges facing queer Muslims.

I will walk amongst giants, and no doubt I will learn a great deal.

On Sunday I will be with Christine Bakke and a group of LGBT-affirming therapists, counselors and trauma specialists. We will gather for a Beyond Ex-Gay Summit to discuss treatment plans for ex-gay survivors. I feel thrilled about this as I meet so many survivors who don't know where to go for help. Often well-meaning LGBT-affirming therapists do not know enough about the ex-gay movement and how to best help someone.

But before all that I head off to Champaign Urbana, IL to present tomorrow and Wednesday night and I get to hang out with fellow Quaker (and ex-gay survivor) John Holm.
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Comments

A Lewis said…
What??!! You're coming to my city and I haven't even heard of the conference or any of the speakers? How can that be?
8:22 PM
Peterson Toscano said…
so will I see you Lewis???
8:29 PM
Anonymous said…
Hey Peterson! I hadn't heard from you in forever, so I was checking your blog to see how you're doing. That's really exciting! I hope you have a good time... I know you'll do great :)
8:41 PM
Peterson Toscano said…
Heath!! Yeah, I have not been on chat lately. Too busy and I don't want to be rude and hop on and hop off. Thanks for checking in.

How is Austin??? Can't wait to hear more about the big move.
8:45 PM
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