This panel of spouses/significant others (SO's) provides an opportunity for transgender individuals to ask questions regarding relationships, feelings, and emotions. The panel can also act as a sounding board for conversations that a transgender person may want to have with their spouse/significant other. The SO's on this panel have asked their transgender spouses to not be in the room to provide an open and honest forum. This workshop may be able to offer perspective and insight on how your journey affects the ones you love.

At what point did you know you did not quite fit in? That there was something that was not quite ‘right’. "Gender is a reality, and a more fundamental reality than sex.” This will be an allegorical journey. We will take a deep dive into our reality in an effort to sea more clearly. Coming to congruence with who you are and how you got there is serious however…

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Wellness, Workplace, Youth

This is a seminar for the SOs about the emotional impact experienced as a result of the announcement by their spouse of the intention to present as, or to transition, to the opposite gender. Some SOs do not have support systems that understand both perspectives, that being, the elation of the transitioning spouse contrast with the angst of the SO. Some things that I have heard expressed is that the SO was lied to. That the transitioning spouse 'hid this from me'. Betrayal is another term used. Although I can see that perspective, I think there is a healthier point of view that can also allow the SO to process the situation and move beyond this. A lot of SOs have heard the cleansed version "I was just so upset" of the SO, but not the full-on development of the emotional state over time. At every step during the way, the SO often feels that things won't get better, can't get better and just might get worse. But as we all know, there are many outcomes and just about all of them are positive. The workshop is SOs only to allow these attendees the opportunity to discuss this aspect - the sense of betrayal - in a room without feeling the need to edit.

Interest Tags: Gender Affirming, Relationships, Spouses/Signification Others

Trans joy is about claiming one’s identity and celebrating it - and that is one of the best things about attending a conference like Keystone. When we are in and surrounded by Community it is easy to feel joyful. But what about when we leave? This interactive workshop will explore the concept of "Trans Joy" including how we can celebrate our transness 365 days a year, what that means for ourselves/others and how it can impact our community's future. Come, celebrate, and share your stories!

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Socializing, Spouses/Signification Others, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color, Wellness, Youth

One in two transgender individuals are sexually abused or assaulted at some point in their lives. Some reports estimate that transgender survivors may experience rates of sexual assault up to 66 percent (U.S. Justice Dept). The transgender community could benefit as much as, if not more than, any people group from comprehensive sexual assault/domestic violence education. The problem is that these programs are not widely known and that most are not trans-inclusive. As a Prevention & Outreach Advocate myself, working in a dual SA/DV services agency in York, PA, I can attest to the ways in which popular curricula have adapted to be gender-inclusive in terms of what configuration partnerships take on (same-sex and heterosexual partnerships are often found in each set of scenarios/case-studies). As a transgender woman though, I can also attest to the ways that trans identities and trans problems are erased from these same curricula. Unfortunately, this contributes to a societal unspoken rule on trans silence: find yourself in the language and cultural norms of cissexism or don't participate at all.

Gender dysphoria, while not a universal trans experience, is an overwhelmingly common one. This workshop asks, "How do we teach consent differently if we take into account the unique sexualities of transgender people (BDSM, for example, is more common in our community than among the general public) and the bodily experience of gender dysphoria. We will learn the FRIES (Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, Specific) and Safe, Sane, and Consensual models and explore how to apply, adapt, or change these to better serve our transgender siblings' specific needs.

Boundaries and consent are intrinsically tied. We learn what a boundary is and ways in which people set them, self-care for when a (non-sexual) boundary gets crossed, and common obstacles to setting boundaries (fear of abandonment, shame, embarrassment, etc.). Partners will be encouraged to support their partners learning to set boundaries. Conversation starters such as, "What does it look like when you get dysphoric" will go a long way toward understanding this change in the body, mind, and spirit as a kind of boundary. This is critically important if the dysphoria sufferer is unable to speak, due to disability, a physical impediment such as a gag, or a psychological dissociation/flashback.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Professional Education, Relationships, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine

During this workshop you will develop your vision of what you really want to experience in your life! You will learn 3 tools to achieve your goals, develop greater clarity on your dreams, and build confidence in your ability to achieve everything you desire. This is where you will begin to turn your dreams into reality! (Presented by Liz Tattersall)

Interest Tags: Relationships, Spirituality/Religion, Wellness, Workplace

Together, Beth and Liz will share what blueprints have to do with communication and financial security. Discover what key steps you need to take to help ensure your financial stability. Learn how to plan for your last day and handle financial setbacks any day. No products will be sold. (Presented by Beth McKinley and Liz tattersall)

Interest Tags: Family/Friends, Finance, Legal, Relationships

Come prepared for a wave of compassion, love and support with this opportunity to share and learn real information about your health including effective tools to rediscover the joy of eating and a happier and healthier approach to loving your body. If you are worried about gaining weight from hormones, the stress of surgery and trauma of lifestyle change with transition, this is the group discussion for you led by former chronic dieter and Intuitive Eating Counselor Tracy Hess.

Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden are the Co-Founders and Co-Chief Encouragement Officers of the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit Someone To Tell It To, which helps the world to listen. They are podcast hosts, the authors of four books, bloggers, and public speakers on the art and science of listening.

Someone To Tell It To's teams of listeners have had more than 18,000 listening interactions during the past decade. We have trained over 800 people to be more intentional and relational listeners, as well. Not only do we listen in person to individuals, families, and groups of people, but we also listen to people virtually - through email, the phone, texting, Facebook private messaging, Zoom, WhatsApp, and other platforms. We meet people where and in whatever forum they are most comfortable and feel safest to share. This also has enabled us to listen to people across 25 U.S. states and 12 nations around the world. Our training work has taken us in businesses, colleges and universities, hospitals and healthcare institutions, schools, places of worship, hospices, funeral homes, civic organizations, and other nonprofits. Our podcasts have featured guest who also value the vital role that listening plays in everyday professional and personal lives. Our books relate stories of the life-changing role that listening plays and offer practical tips on how to listen better to one another to change the culture of organizations and to strengthen relationships in an increasingly fractured, lonely, and emotionally disconnected world.

Our workshop, based on the theme of our third book - "Listening 2by2: A Paradigm Shift for Leaders (That's When the Magic Happens!)" - will feature a short training seminar in Someone To Tell It To's 2by2 listening and presentation model. These six topics will be included:

1. Starting with a Belief (about listening),
2. Creating the Space (for listening),
3. Asking Good Questions (to help others open up and feel safe),
4. Listening Intentionally (for the meaning in what is spoken and unspoken),
5. Reaching for Your Tools (to enable good listening), and
6. Taking Time for Self-Care (since listening is often hard and vulnerable work).

The presentation of the topics will be followed by a series of listening interactions that show both helpful and unhelpful environments and responses for listening well.

Participants will have the opportunity to practice listening in pairs and being listened to by pairs of listeners, and to ask questions about Someone To Tell It To's listening, training, and educational experiences over the past decade.

This workshop will be interactive, relational, and illuminating. It will help participants to better understand the dynamics enabling good listening and will offer the practical tools necessary to growing one's listening abilities.

Interest Tags: Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Relationships, Safety, Socializing, Voice, Wellness, Workplace

Ready to find your inner voice and move to the beat of your own drum? Join handpan musician and the founder of Super Bloom Women’s Handpan Retreat for an interactive and immersive drum circle, play lab, laughter (yoga) and more. Sarah believes that there are musical (creative) seeds in all of us. In cultivating curiosity and imagination these seeds grow, and eventually thrive, if we let them bloom in abundance. This directly ripples into other facets of life. In this Play Lab Workshop, we will explore new beginnings through sound exploration, with the handpan as our guide. The process of discovery doesn’t have to end just because we "become adults"! Channel your inner self, unlock the key to your next personal evolution and share a memorable experience you won’t discover at any other conference. This is an event like no other and you may be surprised the joy that fills your heart and the peace that radiates through your body. No instrumental or musical experience necessary – all are welcome. Recommended to bring water and if you prefer, dress comfortably as you will have an option to sit in a chair or on the floor while holding the instruments.

Interest Tags: Aging, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Safety, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color, Voice, Wellness, Youth

A discussion group led by Sonia Swann, the significant other of a “partly out” partner who is pursuing a Master’s Thesis on the topic. Share your experience, troubleshoot and ask the big questions like how to have a wedding or memorial that honors your entire life and includes all your circles of loved ones. Can’t participate in person? Please support Sonia’s research by completing the anonymous survey at . . .(link to be provided soon). There will be no recordings, and no personal data collected. There will be a person to take notes and snacks!

Join Beth McKinley (she/her) of Roots Financial Group at Thrivent, as she hosts a panel discussion with couples and individuals who have navigated the finances of transitioning. Attendees will learn how to identify values and attitudes about money, set goals- both individually and as a couple- and discover tools and tactics to help you navigate talking about money with your loved ones. No products will be sold.

Transition occurs on many levels and we are all collectively transitioning now from winter into spring, from the chaos of the outside world into inner peace. Join us for a break from the hustle and bustle of the conference with this relaxing immersive sound meditation which will be infused by the melodic, shamanic qualities of the handpan and frame drum. Interwoven with vocalizations, and an assortment of instruments inspired by the natural world – the 4 elements of Air, Wind, Water & Fire – we will oscillate between the stillness of silence and movement of sound to more deeply integrate elemental balance within. Please arrive comfortably. There will be chairs available for a seated experience, and floor space for a more restful position laying down. Please bring a yoga mat, pillows or bolsters if you wish, and consider bringing water or tea for grounding afterward.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Aging, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Professional Education, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color, Voice, Wellness, Workplace, Youth

Have you ever heard the word "intersex" before and wondered what it meant? About 2% of the population is intersex, and many of these individuals go through life never knowing it. The two presenters at this workshop, both intersex people, will discuss aspects of living and working in the intersex community. You'll get the intersex 101 and history of key issues for the community, learn important ways you can show up for intersex community members, and hear personal narratives of intersex experiences.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Image & Presentation, Non-Binary, Relationships, Spouses/Signification Others, Surgery, Youth

Are you living with a partner who is a crossdresser? Are you living with the knowledge that you are a male crossdresser? Are you a cis-woman partner of a man who crossdresses? Are you struggling with what it means to be in a relationship with a man who you have discovered – by accident or his own admission – enjoys wearing feminine clothing? Join me as I set out to uncover some of the reasons why so many men (including myself) dress as women. Discover real couples who are looking for a new balance in their relationships, including the point of views of the women who decided to stand by their... ahem... men as they learn to better understand their crossdresser and learn how to cope and thrive. Somewhere amid the misconceptions, stereotypes, and ignorance is the truth about non-transitioning, non-fetish, crossdressing men. But more than that is the strength and care of the women who continue to love and support them.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Spouses/Signification Others

Living a full life as a transgender person is much more than transition and surgery. Sure, that can be part, but do you have a plan for your life? Maybe you are just starting out, have decided you are transgender, and you are trying to figure out what is next. Are you comfortable where your journey has taken you? Do you have a plan for something else? Are you planning for a happy and full life? In this workshop Jen and Lilia will discuss what they feel are some of the important things to consider when you plan and navigate your journey. They will share some of their experiences and also some observations. We'll talk about what has worked and what hasn’t.

Interest Tags: Experience Sharing/Discussion, Relationships, Socializing, Wellness, Workplace

Living a normal life being happy and my true self as a woman, but God had other plans for me.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Aging, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Military/Veterans, Non-Binary, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, Surgery, TransFeminine, TransPeople of Color, Workplace

Discussions often focus on the needs of the transitioning transgender individual, somewhat exclusive to the needs of the relationship with a partner. This seminar will turn the focus to the relationship between the transgender person and their spouse or significant other. Transition is a very difficult time for a couple, and frequently leads to the loss of the relationship. Your presenter does not believe that this has to be the inevitable outcome and hopes to offer her experience with her late spouse Jude, and that of friends and acquaintances who have gone through transition of a partner, in the hope that others can find these experiences useful. Aspects discussed includes "couples' transition" and skills in languaging and negotiation, managing expectations and maintaining open lines of communication. These approaches are proven techniques in couples counseling and helped tremendously during Jude's transition. Please come join us for discussions and a few exercises that can help bring a new understanding to the power of language and negotiation.

Interest Tags: Gender Affirming, Professional Education, Relationships, Spouses/Signification Others, TransFeminine, TransMasculine

Stories are powerful things. They can challenge and inspire us. They also help us to connect to each other. By sharing your gender journey story, your challenges, hopes, dreams, and joys you can make important connections. If the story is well thought out and communicated, it can provide compelling context into who you are and an understanding of the “why” behind your gender journey. In this presentation, you will hear video-taped accounts of gender-journey stories from Rabbi Levi Alter and Rev. Monica Joy Cross and what happened as a result of their sharing. Attendees will have an opportunity to frame and share their gender story in a small group. As a minister to the transgender community for over 20 years, I have seen how coming out as trans and attempting to maintain relationships can be difficult to navigate. Although support for those who identify as transgender is gaining advocates, many in business and mainstream faith communities are just ignorant of transgender issues, and therefore unsupportive. Telling our stories can help to change that.

The workshop includes: 1. Workshop outline that covers the how, when, why, who and what of sharing your gender story. This tool will help you understand your motives, who you need to share to and the best timing on when to share your gender journey. 2. There will be a worksheet available for partners and advocates which will cover, “How to support a loved-one’s, partner’s or friend’s gender journey.” 3. Identify potential problem areas with business, family, friends and spiritual community relationships as you share your gender journey. 4. Learn how to connect with others by partnering with them and supporting their stories. 5. Understand the difference between what we want to communicate, what we actually communicate, and how it is received. 6. Age-specific information and how to present it when sharing your story.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Non-Binary, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality/Religion, TransFeminine, TransMasculine, TransPeople of Color

How to talk to our family about our transition. Maintaining healthy communication with family members is a tough dynamic at the best of times, but when a lifelong identity has changed the dynamics of the group shift on many levels and from different perspectives. We will identify strategies to help maintain open communication to avoid the frustration, anger, and pain that can divide us. We will also talk about how to tailor your “coming out”, or discussions about gender, with different members of your family, realizing that different relationships require different approaches.

Interest Tags: Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Relationships

Rev. Dr. Kathryn Helms shares a message of love and hope in the telling of the story of her youngest adult child coming out as transgender male to female approximately one year ago. She speaks of her personal experience as a mom to choose love and shares the love lessons her transgender daughter has taught her. Discussion of their one-year collaboration to write their newest book The Underwater Ballerina: Two Sides to Transition- The Story of a Daughter’s Transition Told Through the Eyes of Herself and her Mother will be included. Personally signed copies or pre-orders will be available for purchase at the workshop.

Interest Tags: Advocacy, Experience Sharing/Discussion, Family/Friends, Gender Affirming, Relationships, Voice