A Discussion on Transgender History

Maryellen Madden, a transgender attorney and board member of Philadelphia’s William Way LGBT Community Center, and Bob Skiba, curator at the John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives at Philadelphia’s William Way LGBT Community Center, will discuss the legal and cultural barriers that suppressed transgender expression, the development of the vocabulary used to distinguish and describe transgendered persons, the interaction of the transgender community with other portions of the LGB rainbow, the continuing plight of trans persons of color and the impact of medicine, culture, technology, politics and science on acceptance of transgendered persons.

Previously presented as part of a seminar at Duke University Law School in 2017 and ’18 and at the Keystone Conference, this presentation uses the legal landscape over time as a backdrop for the changing response of transgendered persons to institutional repression and covers historical events including the Civil War, the era of cross-dressing balls, the Pansy Era, the riots at Cooper Donuts and Compton Cafeteria, the sit-in at Deweys and then the response to the police raid at Stonewall. Although not a focus of the seminar, the presenters will explore the special place Philadelphia enjoys in this narrative.

CLE credit will be provided.

Immediately following the seminar, guests are welcome to stay and mingle at a cocktail hour with light hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and refreshments.

4:30 – 5:00 – Registration

5:00 – 6:30 – Presentation

6:30 – 7:30 – Cocktail Hour

For questions or to register, please contact  events@mmwr.com.