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Transgender and LGBTQ+ Inclusion Public Speaker

As a veteran public speaker, I've given hundreds of different speeches for a wide variety of audiences around the world. I've spoken everywhere from 2-student college classes to pulpits in packed churches, on stage at major conferences to Zoom calls for global corporations and ERGs. I've given keynotes, facilitated breakout groups, and created custom workshops for specific events. All this is to say, if you have something in mind that you think I might be a good fit for, I would love to talk to you about it. 

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Listed below are some of my favorite speaking options on a variety of topics, but I am happy to adjust, combine, or create as needed! If you're ready to learn more, let's talk!

Three key theories guide my work: 

Guiding Principles

1. Contact Hypothesis states that simply meeting someone from a group that you are not part of reduces bias and prejudice towards that group. Showing up with openness and vulnerability as a transgender facilitator in sessions about the transgender community is crucial in helping to build both empathy and understanding. This is also why I frequently include personal stories in all trainings.

 

2. Judgment-free spaces maximize impact. I strongly believe that it is always the right time to start learning and start every training with foundational square 1 knowledge to make sure that everyone has the language to be a part of the conversation and ensure that no one feels that it's too late for them. I also take this philosophy into my Q&A sessions, in which I allow attendees to ask truly any questions they want.

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3. Intersectionality focuses on the fact that historically minoritized identities don't exist in a vacuum and rather compound one another in unique ways. Though I myself am a White transgender man, I am intentional about sharing specific information on the struggles of trans women, nonbinary folks, and trans people of color who have very different experiences of their identities.

101-Level Speaking Engagements

Trans 101 - A classic 60-minute talk that reviews vocabulary, personal stories, and tips for practical allyship with plenty of time for Q&A. This speech is perfect for everyone from long-time advocates to those learning the phrase "transgender" for the first time.

Trans 101 - Train the Trainer: a 90-minute session that will review the content of the trans 101 session through the lens of responding to pushback from individuals who are not working from a supportive or knowledgable foundation. Ideal for DEI council groups or organizations working in advocacy hoping to understand additional lenses of intersectionality. 

Trans 101 - Industry Specific: There are many different ways an individual or organization may engage with the trans community, and this session will make sure your group is prepared for that. I am able to design sessions for any group, and have significant experience facilitating sessions designed for: 

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  • HR professionals and company leaders

  • Medical professionals

  • Financial services professionals

  • Educators or those that work with LGBTQ+ youth

  • Parents and families of LGBTQ+ youth

  • High school, middle school, and elementary school youth

  • Customer service teams

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Fireside Chat: a 15-minute presentation with key identities and vocabulary words pertaining to the trans community, followed by a 45-minute fireside chat and Q&A with a leader at your company about a topic of your choice (pronouns, expression, experiences, etc.) 

201 - Level Speaking Engagements

Trans 201 - Structural and Cultural Support: This 60-minute session will walk participants through practical steps for building a trans-inclusive future by making both structural and cultural changes in their workplaces, their lives, and the world around them. 

Trans Liberation - How Did We Get Here and Where are we Going?: a 90-minute session that will walk attendees through the history of the trans liberation movement, starting back long before we used the word "trans" at all, and will share the ways current advocates can learn from the historical heroes in the fight for trans lives.

Storytelling for Social Change: This 90-120 minute workshop is extremely interactive. After introducing participants to the when, why, and how of storytelling for social change, we'll talk through the concept of relational organizing, empathy bridge building, and then open up to a storytelling open-mic. 

Understanding Gender Roles: This interactive workshop will walk participants through a series of reflective questions and exercises about their personal gender identity and gender journey. Participants will think through how they learned about their own gender and how they "teach" gender to other people in their lives. 

Supporting Employees in the Current Political Landscape: For many transgender people, the past few years have been extremely exhausting. Constantly feeling attacked, targeted, and wondering when we'll need to flee our homes. This feeling of stress follows us into our workplaces, and this session will review cultural and policy changes to help support these employees.

Custom Event: If there is a specific topic, book, bill, or situation you'd like to do an event on, please let me know! I often design new events diving deeper into topics of interest for groups that reach out to me and am always seeking opportunities to educate in new ways. 

Parent and Support Group Presentations

My Child is Trans, Now What?: A 60-minute companion session to my upcoming book, this conversation will walk participants through the basics of creating supportive environments for transgender and nonbinary youth.  

Home for the Holidays: a 90-minute session focuses on showing up for transgender and LGBTQ+ family members at family holiday gatherings that might have a wide range of support. Whether it's helping grandma remember the right pronouns, figuring out what to say about Uncle Joe's openly transphobic comments, or finding a way to make the gathering bearable for a closeted youth, I'll share a variety of helpful tools.  

If you are a member of a support group that would like a presentation, click here to learn more about my work with PFLAG and other parent resource groups. 

Political Advocacy Education

As a grassroots political organizer, I am extremely involved in understanding the "behind the scenes" of many social movements. These conversations, while political in nature, are not necessarily partisan and can be adapted to meet your comfort level with political conversations.  

More Than An Ally—Understanding and Acting in the Current Political Landscape: The current landsacpe of US politics is rife with misinformation and rampant transphobia. in 2023 we have already seen over 500 anti-transgender bills proposed. This 60-90 minute session will paint a full picture of the who, what, when, where, and why of this wave of hate, and the how of getting involved in fighting back.

Let's Talk! Having Conversations about Trans Rights: Conversations about transgender people and rights have become extremely contentious, and many people are left feeling unsure about what they can ask, what they can say, or how they can communicate effectively. This session will focus on learning how to have productive, respectful, open conversations—and on being able to understand and act when those conversations aren't possible. 

Understanding and Addressing Misinformation Pipelines: While it can be easy to feel like everyone has a strong, negative opinion about the trans community, the reality is that many people have been impacted by a massive misinformation campaign against the transgender community. This 90-120 minute presentation will walk through many of the key misinformation strategies, and will share strategies for debunking and prebunking misinformation around you. 

Your Community Organizing Superpower: When you hear the word "advocate", you likely think of a bold, loud leader with a picket sign leading chants outside the capitol. While this is certainly an important role, there are so many other ways to get involved in community organizing. Grassroots advocacy work needs strategists, caretakers, communicators, and so many others to make a movement successful. This workshop will help you discover your strengths!

Custom Event: If there is a specific topic, book, bill, or situation you'd like to do an event on, please let me know! 

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