This years conference attracted 1,000 people from 30 states, 36 colleges and three countries. I found a variety of workshop sessions that I attended. That said and before anyone speaks about what GPAC does or does not do let me say that while I may not agree with everything they are doing I believe they are headed in the right direction. If we disagree with the direction or focus they are going on a specific topic is it not up to us to stand up and say so in a tactful manner. When I say us here I am including anyone form the various TGV categories including those of us that are intersexual. Some expressed concern that rather than support ENDA, GPAC should be brining a bill of their own or insisting that ENDA is completely inclusive before putting energy behind it. I look at ENDA as the first step and I know when we spoke to the representatives on Capitol Hill we expressed our request to not only support ENDA and LLEEA but to amend them to include sexual orientation and gender, real or perceived which will indeed make ENDA complete. I also heard from some that GPAC was not insisting on ENDA being inclusive as they would be out of a job. I submit that no matter what is passed there will be a requirement for continuing education for decades to come. That is my perspective on GPAC and their work. I for one was glad to be part of something I believe in. Read on and find out more about the sessions and some more of our successes during lobby day.
Initially I did not know if I would be able to make the conference because of funds and work however the week prior, actually less than that, I found myself available and the people were great in assisting me at that time. I have little doubt that they would have likely helped people right up until the day of the conference had there been that need. I arrived knowing that my roommates were to be Deb, Joni and Beth. Each of us could be representative of a separate category along the gender spectrum with different views. When I arrived at the conference I found it to be well organized and staffed. To my surprise and delight I also found others that I have known through speaking or visits elsewhere. I will say that the diverse number of workshops made it difficult for one to choose which one to attend. Because of my interest in the Gender and the Law symposiums I had thought to attend the Gender Law sessions, which were in three parts. I arrived in time for the first session that I wanted to attend, An intersexed Primer: Making babies into Boys or Girls. To my surprise Howard Devore was on the panel as well Ellen Fader, Hale Hawbeker, Betsy Driver, and Janet Green. These individuals represented or had information from a number of intersex organizations including ISNA and Bodies Like Ours. One of the comments from those representing Bodies Like Ours was the formation of support groups that would be available for parents of children born with ambiguous genitals. Naturally I did offer my name for a representative in my area as I don't think that there would be many others that would be available and willing in my area. I will be in contact with them in the near future to follow up and offer assistance where I can.I then attended the Gender Law workshop, one of them anyway. The panel of Nicole Anzuoni, Manson Enmet and Rick Ostrover covered some of the current cases and a great discussion on the application of Title VII. Some of the cases that were discussed were Dawson v. Estee Lauder, Sanchez v. Azteca Restaurants. and Ianetta v. Putman. These cases were discussed continue to test the boundaries of the juridical interpretation of Price Waterhouse. All in all a good overview with many in attendance adding to the discussions from their respective state or in come cases countries.The Just Step Over Here, Profiling After 9-11 session was a great one to have in this time that we live in. All of the panel members brought their real life experiences from the resent past to the session with many focusing on issues revolving around airport security. It seems that the FAA, if the have guidelines, are not enforcing any standards or sensitivity training along with the new security procedures. While there was some great discussion through out the session I found that there was little offered to the attendees as to what they could or should do and not do when approached by security and what recourse they should take if they felt violated. Some of this was because of the time limitation and there were a few remarks by the floor. One was that no matter what is requested of us we, at this point, feel obligated to comply but when is enough, enough. As a women the thought of someone telling me to opening my shirt for them to ensure I am not smuggling something and doing so in the X-ray screening area is crossing the line even though the shirt was not completely undone. Furthermore profiling seems to be pointing out the same people all the time. Suggestions included recording of events and passing tactful complaints back to the airport (in this case) to sensitivity training for the workers so they ask people which gender they identify with rather than embarrass both themselves and the individual they are checking. There were a dozen things or more going on through out the day so choosing the sessions to be attended was a difficult task for many. I know that there will be many reviews that ask for longer more in-depth sessions. I know I did. Every day begun with a gathering of all those that attended . . . and could get up. Seems that we missed a few on Sunday morning after the Drag King show Saturday night. The early morning speakers for Sunday included Dawn Dawnson, Plaintiff, Dawnson v. Estee Lauder and Pauline Mitchell, Mother of Fred Martinez Jr. Both were excellent and moving in what they had to present however I must say that the recounting of what Fred went through by Pauline and her strength in this moved everyone many to tears. We must all keep them our thoughts and prayers as the healing continues.The session on Reforming GID proved to be not only a list of perspectives as to what is needed however a list of those that wish to volunteer to assist in the reformation efforts as well as a list of those that wanted to become involved in an e-mail discussion group on the same was collected. The panel included Judy Guerin from the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Daphne Schlinksi and Jeanne Sevelius. The focus was an attempt to formulate a strategic plan to politically assist in the GID reform effort. Like homosexuality which was removed from the DSM over time removal of GID will take work and we need everyone's assistance toward this goal and in the future we have no doubt it to will be removed. With education being the key to understanding gender issues we must diffuse the knowledge and understanding which will open the political and legislative doors. An action plan was the goal from this session and those to follow via e-mail and other means. The web site, other than that of GPAC where additional information can be found it at: GIDREFORM.ORG. Discussion centered around GID being listed as psychological v. medical. While the preponderance of evidence today indicates that it is indeed medical changing the DSM is no easy task. Combine that with the fact, as stated by one of the panel, that the training she received to become a psychologist cover nothing about GID and we indeed begin to understand how mis-represented gender issues are. It was revealed that even the DSM itself is inconsistent in that it states that there must be impairment or disability caused by GID when the fats is that there are many that have no issues with their gender expression. The issues is with societies perspective of that which is normal. Through the study of intersexuality we have long ago understood the humanity comes in more than two mutually exclusive genders and I think its about time that this little secret got out.Crossing the Gender Line, Transgressions and International Human Rights was the next session I attended. The panel members Zanab Nawaz, RJ Thompson, Beverly Tillery and Mark Bromley however this was surely one of the more active session as everyone in attendance, broken into five groups, had the opportunity to review a actual case and then state the case and the violations under the HRC. Our group was given the case of the rape of Moslems and Croats after the Serb soldiers took over parts of Bosnian. Having a bit of a background in this case because of my military background I found it a hard one to do. While this was during war it surely violated these women's rights as well as the Geneva Convention. I will also state that some of the perpetrators have been brought to justice and will be behind bars for many years. While this was but one case the groups in turn presented theirs cases and each discussion I am sure provided additional insight for us all. I took away the disparities between the courts here and overseas like the European Courts perspective on privacy. If you have ever wondered about Human Rights issues this was the place to be.The last session I attended was Only Spaces, Women, Men and Womyn. The panel there was Simon Fisher, Salmone Francheska, Delilia Zamora and Dana Rivers. The discussion here discussed the issues and boundaries of identity, who gets to set them and answers to questions like can trans-women be excluded from women only spaces and where do intersexuals fit. I gotta say this was standing room only and even with Dana steering the group we got into many areas here that warrant further discussion. Only spaces are not only about issues such as the bathroom, music festivals, hospitals or places of incarnation its about dealing with living in a bi-polar world outside that which society sees as normal or customary. All I can say is that you had to be there. It was great.Monday, Lobby day on the hill. With all the positive energy flowing through out the weekend it was hard to not be ready to face the representatives. I am sure many of us tempered our enthusiasm as the day begun trying to maintain focused on the objectives for the day. I made a showing myself and was in 6 offices for the representatives from my state of Virginia. I had wanted to see those in the Senate office but regulated that to another from Virginia and a dear friend as well so I know that they were covered. Our objectives were to make the representatives and staff aware of the all-encompassing nature that we would like to see ENDA become and the benefit of LLEEA. In total, 43 GPAC lobbyists visited 70 Congressmembers - 9 Senators and 61 Representatives. In addition to the important work of educating legislators, lobby day also resulted in 3 new signatories of GPAC's diversity pledge. All in all I think the weekend and the work was a success. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the young generation that was there as we were surely out numbered, those of you like me that are 39. :- ) 
