CFP: “Transecting Society: Critical Dialogues on Transsexual/Transgender Identities”

From the FLP mailbox, this CFP:

TRANSECTING SOCIETY:Critical Dialogues on Transsexual/Transgender Identities in Politics, Media, Activism and Culture

 Date: April 12 & 13, 2012

Location: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

Memorial Union Building (MUB)

Transecting Society is a two-day symposium dedicated to exploring controversial political topics related to transsexual/transgender identities in contemporary U.S. culture.  We welcome scholars, activists, artists, lawyers, performers, writers, non-profit workers and others who are interested in exploring the oppression of trans people in our society, and strategies for promoting our collective liberation and civil rights.

Conference organizers are currently seeking abstracts on any of the following topics:

• Trans Identities and Feminism: histories of inclusion/exclusion, trans feminist theory and activism, trans feminist controversies, transphobia in radical feminism and anti-pornography movement, coalition-building in trans and feminist communities

• Trans Identities in Lesbian/Gay/Queer Communities: Gay, Inc., LGBT as coalition, LGBT non-profits and political organizations, gay transphobia, trans-exclusive legislation, ENDA, “coming out” as heterosexual after transition
• Trans Identities and [Pseudo]Science: GID reform, transvestic disorder, DSD, autogynephilia/homosexual transsexualism, the sexualization of trans women In pseudo-scientific literature, The Bailey-Dreger controversy, psychological/psychiatric gate-keeping, trans-“reparative” therapies for youth and adults.
• Trans Terminologies: Debates on terms, labels, identities, language, e.g. transgender as an umbrella term, transsexualism as a medical condition, reclaiming the term “tranny”, usefulness of “cisgender” etc.
• Trans Media and Media Defamation : The Jerry Springer Show, “she-male” pornography, comedy skits, Ticked Off Trannies with Kinives criticism and activism, journalistic accounts of anti-trans hate crimes, misgendering in the press, trans-produced film, photography and media with a radical agenda, trans in high fashion as the latest “trend” in capitalist entertainment.
• Trans Blogosphere and New Media: Blogs, Blogging and Blog wars, Vlogs, internet radio, digital video, Youtube channels, digital activism, social networking, web sites, Second Life etc.
• Trans Identities and Race: Race, ethnicity, trans people of color, racism, white privilege, whiteness, racial conflict and division in trans communities
• Trans Activism in the Past, Present and Future: Stonewall, Compton’s Riots, Dewey’s Riots, Trans Pioneers, Sylvia Rivera, Marsha Johnson, Christine Jorgensen, gay historical imperialism, trans militancy, etc.
• Trans People in/and Electoral Politics: Trans folks and voting, trans people running for office, trans delegates, trans people in state politics, anti-trans campaigns at the state and national level, the so-called “bathroom bill” and political fear-mongering, etc
• Critical Trans Politics and Social Movement Coalitions: racial and economic justice, disability rights, global and transnational issues, sex worker rights, elders, youth movements, adultism and ageism, fat liberation, prisoner rights.

Please submit a 300-word abstract in which you clearly describe your research paper and how it relates to the themes of the conference.  Up to two submissions per person are allowed. Please send as a MS Word Attachment by February 1, 2012 to transecting.society@gmail.com and include the following info as well: paper/presentation title, name, address, phone, email, institutional affiliation, and a brief bio.  Feel free to send queries to the above email as well.  Sponsored by TransGender-UNH and the UNH Women’s Studies and Queer Studies Programs.

Additional information about the conference will soon appear here.

-Bridget Crawford