Every time I go to trans events, I’m reminded of community’s resilience. By resilience, I don’t just mean the ability to spring back under pressure. In fact, I mean something to the contrary: to spring forward. When we are faced with challenges to our self-determination, we seek to not only reclaim our existence but also mobilize the tactics used against us for our own benefit.
At the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference this week, I met trans people who had been fired from work after transitioning and told to stay with their own kind. These same people then did just that and started organizing in our communities. This sort of resilience inspires me every day as our movement marches forward.
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Anyone going to the Philly Trans Wellness conference this year? This will be my second year going! I’ll be there all three days this time. Anyone else planning on attending? You can find info online, it’s a really dope event!
went to the Philly Trans Wellness Conference today! bought a new rainbow binder from @gc2b and got a pronoun shirt from @flavntstreetwear !! a wonderful, euphoric day!!!
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I’ve been processing the shame I have carried regarding the parts of me that are feminine. I truly believe it stems from internalized transphobia and misogyny - which comes from a rhetoric I’ve been fed by a society that has constantly debated the validity of my gender. Internal work is rough, yo. Leaning into my trauma is terrifying. Especially being in a place where there is no community or space that can offer me safety. I am so grateful for the education I am privileged to be receiving. And for opportunities like The Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference. Looking forward to a space that can facilitate uninhibited understanding and acceptance. Who will I see there? I hope it’s you! Also, thanks for joining my tumblr therapy session.
Important information about Philly trans wellness. Tldr: they've ousted the trans group running it from the start (was started by a TWoC) and it's now a cis management team with a problematic history of ignoring/being poorly responsive to transgender concerns. I am withdrawing from presenting next year. You can see me at Trans Ohio instead.
Mod Mayhem
Image transcription below
Via Rebecca Harmell on Facebook
Hi friends. I'm very sad to report that I'll no longer be serving on the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference planning committee as the disability working group lead. I also do not plan to present any sessions there for the foreseeable future.
The press release I included below contains more details about how Mazzoni Center forced out the independent, trans-led planning committee who had been responsible for the community side of the conference since its founding. Please feel free to share widely, and I'm available to answer any questions you may have.
In spite of my criticisms of Mazzoni Center, I had always believed in the importance of PTWC (formerly PTHC). However, their actions have made it clear that they are not prioritizing the safety or dignity of the trans people working on or attending the conference.
I have met so many amazing people and learned so much through PTWC. I'm sorry I couldn't do more 🖤
Press release follows:
CISGENDER MANAGEMENT OF MAZZONI CENTER TAKES CONTROL OF PHILADELPHIA TRANS WELLNESS CONFERENCE
Philadelphia, PA— For the first time since the founding of the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference (PTWC) (previously known as the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference or PTHC), control of the planning and content of the community side of the conference has been taken away from the independently trans led planning committee community volunteers by cisgender upper management of Mazzoni Center. As we, the planning committee, have been informed, the upper management of Mazzoni Center gave a directive to employees to cease all communication and cooperation with the trans community volunteers of the planning committee. With this directive, the only person allowed to talk with the trans community planning committee volunteers is CEO Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino. This unethical and degrading action directed at trans community members by cisgender upper management of Mazzoni Center broke an agreement with the trans community about the planning and content of the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference (PTWC) that has been in place since Mazzoni Center first became involved in the conference.
The PTWC was founded in 2001 by Charlene Arcila, a trans woman of color. The conference was developed and led by the trans community, for the trans community, for years before Mazzoni Center became involved. Even after Mazzoni Center became officially involved in 2006, the content and programming of the community side of the conference was led, planned and reviewed by a planning committee of mostly unpaid trans community volunteers who have dedicated their lives to uplifting the trans community. This is the first time in the history of the conference that the planning committee will not be led by an independent group of trans community volunteers and our allies who work with Mazzoni Center; not as Mazzoni Center paid staff.
Over the years, the trans community has relied on an independent, trans-led PTWC planning committee to review and select a diverse offering of workshops and content for the trans conference. It is unconscionable that the cisgender management of Mazzoni Center has broken this long-standing agreement to the trans community by taking full control of the community side of the PTWC and its content, while neglecting to inform the trans community, allies, partners, and funders of this action.
We, the PTWC planning committee, have been put into an incredibly difficult position and have been attempting to resolve this situation for some time. During the past year, we have attempted to resolve a number of conflicts with Mazzoni Center management where their efforts could, and likely did, make segments of the trans community feel unsafe and unwelcome at PTWC. In April 2018, one of the cisgender directors of Mazzoni Center resorted to a verbal attack on trans planning committee members when they objected to implementing a policy that had the potential to be harmful and alienating to trans attendees. This same cisgender director told us we had no choice but do what he wanted because of his title as a Mazzoni Center director. Using the appropriate communications channels, the PTWC planning committee reported the problem within 24hrs and requested a meeting with CEO Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino a week later, which didn’t happen until July 30, 2018. A follow up meeting with the CEO was held on October 9, 2018. There was no resolution, commitment to a resolution, or any evidence that Mazzoni Center management was interested in working toward a resolution of the issues around safety and appropriate treatment of trans people. Developing a working relationship between cisgender management of Mazzoni Center reporting to CEO Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino and the volunteer trans community has not been possible despite many attempts.
As of the writing of this release, Mazzoni Center still has the trans community led PTWC planning committee listed and highlighted on the updated 2019 PTWC website as leading the planning of the conference. To the best of our knowledge, cisgender upper level management of Mazzoni Center (upper level paid staff) have not informed the trans community, nor PTWC partners, nor PTWC funders, that they broke the agreement with the trans community and took control of the planning of the community side of the conference away from the trans community volunteers of the PTWC planning committee. This forced and covert shift of control from the trans community to cisgender management of Mazzoni Center means that PTWC is no longer a trans conference, led by trans people, with content by trans people and our allies, for trans people and our allies. It has become clear that Mazzoni Center management is not being open and honest about what they’ve done and have objectified trans leadership of the PTWC planning committee and the trans community for Mazzoni Center’s benefit. In short, cisgender upper management of Mazzoni Center have used their privilege to take control of this trans community created conference away from the trans community.
We have exhausted our options for resolving these conflicts. Being trans community members ourselves (most of us being trans people of color), the only ethical course of action left for us to take is to inform the trans community, our allies, our partners and our supporters of this situation.
We want to thank all the hard working, creative and generous people of the trans community and our true allies, for all these years of support for the PTWC. It has been our honor serving our trans community and working with you.
