WINNIPEG, MB — A groundbreaking literary conference, “Writing Trans Genres: Emergent Literatures and Criticism” will be held May 22-24 at The University of Winnipeg.
Writing Trans Genres will bring together local and international writers, performers, critics, and community members to participate in developing critical contexts for reading and interpreting an emerging body of literature by transgender, transsexual, two spirit and genderqueer writers. Keynoting the conference are Aiyanna Maracle, Rachel Pollack, Jay Prosser, and Nathanaël.
Plenary speakers include authors Imogen Binnie, Ryka Aoki, Trish Salah, Casey Plett, Max Wolf Valerio, and Joy Ladin, among many others. All keynote and plenary sessions are free and open to the public.
“This conference is truly the first of its kind. Trans and genderqueer and two spirit people have been making work for years, but never before have we come together like this to develop critical lenses for reading our writing on our own terms,” says Trish Salah, Assistant Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at the U of W and convener of the conference.
In addition to the papers, panels and workshops that will take place throughout the weekend, the conference will host free public performances to be held throughout the city. There will be a reading at the Millenium Library’s Carol Shields Auditorium, May 23, 3 PM, as well as a reading at the University’s Eckhardt-Grammate Hall, May 24, 4:45 PM.
A performance night entitled An Unbecoming Cabaret, co-hosted by Mirha-Soleil Ross and Red Durkin, will be held at the Pyramid Cabaret on May 23, 8:30 PM, with DJ music from Queerview afterward. Admission will be free for conference attendees, $10 advance and $15 at the door for non-attendees.
A full schedule, along with details of how to register and further information about the conference, can be found at www.writingtransgenres.com
We are also recruiting volunteers for the conference weekend! If you are interested in volunteering, please email writingtransgenres@gmail.com with the subject line “volunteer” for more information
Writing Trans Genres is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and co-hosted by the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and the Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies. The conference is being generously supported by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic and International, the Office of the Dean of Arts, the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Research Office, and the Departments of Modern Languages & Literatures, Indigenous Studies, Rhetoric, Writing, and Communications, as well as the Global College, all at the University of Winnipeg. The conference is also being generously supported by Mentoring Artists forWomen’s Art (MAWA) and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the University of Manitoba.
