Descriptions of Events

2023 Event Descriptions

2023 Keynotes

(Listed by Day)

2023 Workshops & Events

(Listed Alphabetically by Event Title)

Workshop:
3 Keys to Living Your Dream Life
Liz Tattersall
Are you living the same year over and over, or are you really living an authentic life that you love? In this workshop you will learn how to create a vision for your life that serves and inspires you each day. You will discover how being in alignment with your purpose, your passions, and your values allows you to accelerate your results and live the life you love. Listening to your longing of what you would love in your life is the first step on the amazing journey, called LIFE! Come join me and take the first step!

3rd Annual Comic Bingo Festival
Austin Tyler and Carrie Lopes
The Comic Bingo Festival, as the name implies! Prepare yourself for a night of laughs, fun, and community with your fellow Fairgoers. When you enter, you ll be given a book of bingo cards and you can pick your favorite colored dauber. Winners of each game will be entered into a drawing for the prizes. Bingo, you say? And a comedy show? is that true? It s both! This spectacular event will also be the annual scholarship fundraiser. Baskets will be passed, with every dollar donated going towards bringing people to the Fair who otherwise would not have the means to attend. Your support is greatly appreciated! There will be a cash bar available.

For more information, please see the Comic Bingo page.

AFTER HOURS at TransWeek
After Hours during TransWeek is a special time for attendees to meet after the conclusion of scheduled activities to socialize, chat, have a beverage or two, share some yummy hot hors d oeuvres, and have some laughs! It has been said that the late-night activities are the heart and soul of TransWeek!

TransWeek continues its long tradition of informal late-night gatherings with various options for you to find that perfect spot to unwind from the day s activities and socialize with fellow attendees.

Enjoy After Hours! Expect to see TransWeek organizers and staff, first-timers, seasoned attendees, and the person with whom you just had lunch!

Workshop:
Churches in the Closet
Sr. Alice
How we can celebrate original grace by being transgender and Catholic? To submit to the guidance of traditional religion is to submit to a terrible kind of spiritual rape but to reject it is to face a terrible spiritual loneliness. This challenge is acute for many recovering Catholics and other Christians, and a stubborn itch for others.

Religion is a powerful purveyor of history, identity, and tradition power in a very deep sense. This workshop proposes it is possible, indeed, needed for the transgender community to claim that power as its
own. This workshop invites the transgender perspective into the closet of religious recovery and discovery.

For some, it s fun to Catholic bash, but with enough (hard) work, the Christian message can show that the universe is a very hospitable place.

Celebration Banquet & Dance Party
Celebrate the first full day of Transgender Week with the organizing committee and your new friends. We collectively have so much to be thankful for, and what better way to celebrate than with an old-fashioned Thanksgiving family feast followed by dancing.

Dress casually and comfortably, or don your best Barbie or pilgrim costume. Since Provincetown is the original landing spot of the Pilgrims, you will be right at home. As dinner winds down, the dance floor heats up with contemporary and timeless tunes.

COMMON THREADS Fashion SHOW!
Cody Suzuki & Nick Greiner
Welcome all once again to our Common Threads Fashion Show! Land Ahoy! Our Ship Has Come In!
As we all know, the Mayflower first landed here in Provincetown, bringing ashore our Founding Forefolks with their dreams to begin a new life, living freely as they wished. Let s continue their legacy right here at Transgender Week. Common Threads brings together a show of fashion to the story the outfit speaks, taking the threads of our dreams as we weave them into reality.

Be assured our Common Threads Fashion Show is open to all Fair attendees, partners, and presenters.

For more information, please see the Common Threads Fashion Show page.

Workshop:
Embracing Self-Care
Tony Ferraiolo
Join Tony Ferraiolo the Director of Health Care Advocates International s Youth and Family Programming and Certified Life Coach as he guides you the path of self-care. In this workshop you will discover how mindfulness can play an important role in your self-care. And how to turn your inner critic into your inner cheerleader, which in turn will create self-love and self-compassion. You will leave this workshop with the tools you need to create a joyful and balanced life for yourself.

Fantasia Fair Follies
Rhonda Williams & Nick Greiner
Come see some of the community’s brightest new talents, both professional and amateur, in this charity fund-raising cabaret and talent show.

For more information, please see the Follies page.

Farewell Breakfast
Come as you are to the Farewell Breakfast, where you can partake in a good hearty breakfast before you head home. The restaurant will open up early for those who want to get an early start on their journey home. The breakfast is long enough so attendees can pop in and out as they prepare to leave Provincetown. If you need to leave very early and can t make it, so long until next year!

Workshop:
Felicity Chandelle, Casa Susanna Attendee: Photo Scrapbook
Jan Brown
Felicity Chandelle, who was an attendee at Casa Susanna and who fought her arrest for being cross dressed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, lived to age 105. Jan will share her photo scrapbook.

Workshop:
Feminism 101: Empowering Trans Voices for Equality
Joey Colby
Delve into the history of transgender activism, exploring its ties with feminism, and discuss challenges transgender individuals face within feminist movements. Through engaging activities, highlight the strength of solidarity, promote understanding of intersectionality, and inspire collective actions for a more inclusive and just society.

Film Festival 2023
Registered attendees are invited to a watch party of three trans centric films. All films will begin promptly at 3:00 pm. Check the event schedule for location.

Tuesday: Casa Susanna In the 1950s and 60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression. Told through the memories of those who visited the house, the film provides a moving look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom, acceptance and, often, the courage to live out of the shadows.

Wednesday: Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate A glittery nightclub in 1920s Berlin becomes a haven for the queer community in this documentary exploring the freedoms lost amid Hitler s rise to power.

Thursday: A Self Made Man At a crucial turning point in his life, Tony Ferraiolo s inner voice said, Create yourself. This credo once saved his life and now serves as a guiding principle as he educates transgender youth, as well as their parents. Lori Petchers moving A Self-Made Man interweaves the poignant story of Ferraiolo s personal transition with his life work as a transgender youth advocate. We watch Tony guide kids as young as eight through the confusing journey of defining themselves when challenged by a physical appearance that conflicts with their gender identity. At this time of quickening in transgender awareness, younger and younger kids are declaring their gender identities, and families are struggling to adjust. Petchers highlights A Self Made Man who is an endearing and inspiring guiding light for whole families to move forward together with love, empowerment, and compassion.

Gala Awards Banquet
Dee LaValle
The annual Gala Awards Banquet is the highlight of the week! Show off your finest threads in this black-tie affair and congratulate this year s award recipients. For more information about the event and a listing of award categories, please see the Gala Awards Banquet section. For a complete list of previous awardees, please visit our website www.transweek.org/awards.

For more information, please see the Banquet page.

Workshop:
Generational Trans Issues
Ezra Feliciano
This is a space for Trans Youth and Trans Elders to learn from each other, with the goal to understand that we are all being affected by the same issues no matter at what age we came out and or transitioned.

Group Photo
Dan McKeon
Please join us for a group photo! There are two dates scheduled for this, with the second being the rain date.

Workshop:
Hacking the toy chest: sex toys, dysphoria, and pleasure
Nick Greiner
As our understanding of ourselves and our needs has changed and evolved, so have our connections with our bodies. And over time, the adult toy industry has evolved as well. While there are few toys created specifically with us in mind, the combination of new designs, technology, and types of sensations provided opens the door for us to find less dysphoric ways to understand and interact with our bodies. I will have some examples of new types of products available and will talk about how to look past the label to find what can work for you. By reframing our needs and expectations and being aware of what is available, hopefully we can bridge our minds and our bodies in a way that minimizes dysphoria and maximizes our pleasure.

Workshop:
How to Keep the Edges of your Pink Cloud, PINK
Sibil Griener
The desired outcome of this workshop is to embrace our authentic selves in a world that appears hostile to us. Let’s set intentions for ourselves that align with who we are in our day to day activities. And let s understand the personal ecology that is designed to keep our love, safety, and belonging intact.

Workshop:
Image Consulting
Hera Navassardian
A teaching showcase on how to put together a NEW YOU thru image consulting.

Workshop:
It Ain’t Me, Babe–But maybe It Is (Cis partners only)
Carole MacKenzie, LCSW
This workshop will focus on the journey of the non-transgender member of the relationship. It will shift the conversation to their needs and challenges.
Focus Questions:
What does being the partner of a transgender person mean about you? How has it changed you? What have you learned? What are the losses and what are the gains? How does this fact fit into the larger frame of your individual life story? How do you feel as a cis partner in cis and trans spaces? How do you see the future?

Workshop:
Journal Your Dreams
Liz Tattersall
If you’ve shied away from journaling in the past, you ll want to join us for a fun and informative workshop where you’ll learn to uncover the power of journaling your vision and dreams so that you can live your best life. We’ll share tips, tools, inspiration, and more to get you started so that you have a place to begin designing the life you love.

Kick-Off Brunch
Dee LaValle
Monday morning is the annual kick-off brunch; you’ll have a chance to mingle with your new friends and find out what to expect during the week. We ll point out who is responsible for what, where to get the latest information, and talk about the various happenings of the week. We’ll explain this year s programs and features in detail. At the end of the presentation, stick around to help us fill volunteer needs for the week.

Workshop:
Lost in the Provincetown Fog
Liz Winter
You finally made it to Provincetown, and Transgender Week was the most fabulous experience of your life. You re pumped up, full of new self-confidence, and unable to think about anything but expressing yourself in your preferred gender role. Back at home, the world seems drab and you chafe at having to hide part of yourself from your family, friends, and co-workers. You want to burst forth, heedless of consequences, and proclaim yourself to the world, and you think you just might. Congratulations. You re in the Provincetown Fog. The fog is the state of euphoria we experience when we take our gender expression to a new level. It s a dangerous time to make decisions, and yet a time when we most want to. Come talk about the Provincetown Fog with your peers and get suggestions on how to find your way out of it. Highly recommended for first timers.

Lunch
Five lunches and a brunch are included with your full-week registration. These meals are in various restaurants, all within easy walking distance from the center of town. When you check in at the office to get your registration packet, you’ll receive a sheet of tickets for the restaurants you pre-selected at registration. You’ll need these tickets when you arrive for lunch. Tickets are good only for the date and location printed on them.

Workshop:
Meet Your Fellow Couples: Telling (or Updating) Our Unique Love Stories (Couples in Attendance Only)
Maureen Osborne, PhD, & Carole MacKenzie, LCSW
In this workshop for couples only, we will give ourselves the time and space to meet fellow travelers and tell our stories in a safe and supportive environment. Intended for first-timers as well as couples who have been coming to TransWeek for years.
Focus Questions:
How long have you been together? How did you meet? When and how did you hear about your partner s transgender nature? How are you both handling that now? Do you have children? If so, tell us about them. Who among your family and friends know about the transgender part of your relationship? How has that been? What is the best thing about your relationship? The most difficult?

Workshop:
Meet Your Next-Door Neighbor -A Look at Cape Cod National Seashore
Luke Greer
If you’ve been to TransWeek before, chances are you’ve also been to Cape Cod National Seashore- even if you didn t realize it! Join a member of the CCNS team as you learn about the Seashore’s natural resources, cultural history, and present-day operations in and around Provincetown. Ask questions, get the scoop on the best beach hangouts, and connect with one another over a mutual appreciation for the great outdoors.

Workshop:
MLD Phalloplasty – Experience from Serbia
Aleksandar Sic
Recently I went through 3 stages of MLD phalloplasty in my country (Serbia). Since I have been posting online a lot about the results of my surgeries, I am communicating with a lot of trans men from all over the world. I would LOVE to have a chance to make a presentation and speak about MLD Phalloplasty from my experience as a patient, show my results, since not a lot of people out there are talking about it so openly. Also, I would love to answer all possible questions and be an open book about my experiences, and surely I would loveto speak about the transitioning differences and process in Serbia and in other parts of the World.

Workshop:
My Gender Affirming Surgery (Bottom Surgery)
Temperance Faye DuWitt
In April 2021, Temperance underwent gender-affirming surgery (bottom surgery.) As someone who completed the research into the surgery, made the relevant inquiries, and made the conscious decision to undergo it, Temperance is fully aware of the intense anxiety which can accompany contemplating this life-changing event. The purpose of this presentation is for her to communicate her personal experiences before, during, and after her surgery. By attending this presentation, shared from a completely personal and subjective view, hopefully you may get a clearer understanding of the experience.

Night Out on the Town!
Part of what makes Transgender Week special is it takes place in Provincetown. Few places are as accepting and affirming as our host city, and here you will be safe, respected, and honored, whatever your gender presentation. Fairgoers are encouraged to explore the restaurants, bars, and dance clubs of Provincetown. As you plan your dinner reservations for your nights out at the Fair, please try to support our advertisers, who have supported TransWeek in this Participant s Guide and on our website. When making your choices, please be sure to tell the wait staff. and manager you saw their ad in this guide. There are a variety of fine restaurants to choose from in all cuisines and price ranges, all within walking distance or, for those wearing sky-high stilettos, a short cab ride from the center of town.

Workshop:(Couples in Attendance only-split sessions)
Not What I Bargained For – Reimagining Emotional and Physical Intimacy.
Maureen Osborne, PhD. (Cis partner in attendance only in this session)
Carole MacKenzie, LCSW (Trans partner in attendance only in this session)
A loss of intimacy is the most often reported casualty of a relationship in which one partner comes out as trans. We will explore the many reasons for this and will dig into practical strategies for reclaiming emotional closeness and sexual expression against the daunting headwinds of trust damage and perceived changes in sexual orientation.
Focus Questions:
What changes in sexual and/or emotional intimacy have you experienced in relation to one partner coming out as trans? How have they affected you individually and as a couple? What do you need in order to rework the underpinnings of intimacy in your relationship? What about you and/or your partner gets in the way? What are you willing to try to change these patterns? Can you have satisfactory emotional intimacy even if sexual intimacy is not part of your relationship?

Office Hours and Check-In
Even if you registered in advance, you still need to check in! This is just like having to check in at a hotel, even though you booked a room in advance. During check-in, you ll get an Identification badge and a sheet of tickets you’ll need to gain entrance to the many events that take place throughout the week. You ll also receive a packet of goodies, which will include a welcome letter, a map of Provincetown, a printed copy of the schedule for the week, a printed copy of the Participant s Guide, in a TransWeek 2023 commemorative insulated lunch bag to hold it all! You can also visit the office if you want to switch the next days lunch location.

Open Mic Night
Cody Suzuki & Erin Daily
Let s together delve into the gender spectrum with our words, stories, songs, and music as only we can! Welcoming all genders, we open with verbal expression followed by musical expressions as we are promoting and encouraging a better understanding of ourselves and our community with our expressions. Bring along your words, stories, and instruments for all to enjoy!

Get this show rollin ! Sign-up sheet available at the door. Come early to reserve your spot!

For more information, please see the Common Open Mic Night page.

Opening Night Welcome Reception
Planning Committee
After a long day of travel, relax with your old friends and meet your new friends. Come dressed formally, come dressed casually, come dressed as a guy, or come dressed as a girl, or your gender-nonconforming self just come by and enjoy yourself!

Workshop:
Policing in Provincetown and Beyond
Officer Jennifer Nolette
This workshop will provide a history of policing in Provincetown in regards to the LGBT community. This workshop will describe how we, as the Provincetown Police Department, strive to make sure the trans community feels protected and safe while in our town. We will discuss the anatomy of a hate crime, including the dynamics of hate incidents and bias indicators. Even if an incident does not rise to the level of a hate crime, we will explain why it is important for people to report the incident to the police. Additionally, we will discuss how to be a good witness and what to expect after you report an incident to the police.

Workshop:
RIGT (Research Institute for Gender Therapeutics) Seeking FDA Approval for Gender Affirming Treatments
Brad Gerow
Review the details of no currently available FDA approved gender affirming treatments and how RIGT is working on a solution.

Workshop:
Self-harm 101: Embracing Our Scars
Bree Van Dyke
Self-harm is not talked about enough, particularly with LGBTQIA+ youth. LGBTQIA+ youth who self-harm are especially common, with an alarming 40% who are suicidal. This disparity shows the importance of providing LGBTQIA+ youth with resources that affirm their identities. As professionals and parents, we must understand the types of self-harm, ages, causes, risk factors, and connection with mental health and suicide. It is imperative to provide protective factors for LGBTQIA+ youth to replace self-harming behaviors with positive coping strategies.

Significant Others—Daily Meet and Greet Gathering
Abbe Kruger (For cisgender partners only)
This is a relaxed, safe space to connect with other SOs who are attending the Fair. Come share a coffee, ask questions, and figure out how to get the most out of your time at the Fair. These daily gatherings are recommended for all SOs. (For cisgender partners only).

Significant Others—Get Acquainted Lunch (Dutch Treat)
Abbe Kruger
If you are the cisgender significant other of a transgender or nonbinary person attending the Fair, you are cordially invited to join the other SOs for a dutch-treat lunch. Get to know each other, share experiences, swap advice, and hear how to get the most out of the Fair. You ll discover that we share a lot in common! You can meet us at the Lobster Pot or walk down as a group after the kick-off. presentation concludes. (For cisgender partners only).

Significant Others—Goodbye Circle (For cisgender partners only)
Abbe Kruger
A look back at the week and a chance to trade contact information, plus get a lot of hugs! (For cisgender partners only).

Workshop:
Songwriters!
Dallas Denny
Are you a songwriter? Do you want to be? Come learn a bit about how to create a song, and we’d love to heard what you’ve done so far. Bring your acoustic instrument, or you can use the instructor’s guitar.

Workshop:
Spin a Yarn
Jolie LaValle & Rhonda Williams
Come join us for yarn and string crafts, with a bit of chit-chat thrown in. We will knit, macrame, crochet, braid, and any other yarn or string crafts you can think of. You can be a veteran crafter or learn a new craft. Either way, you’ll have a blast! And bring your very best gossip for the group!

Workshop:
Stand By Me: Being Trans in a Committed Relationship with a Cisgender Partner (All trans people in a relationship are invited)
Maureen Osborne, PhD.
This workshop will focus on the trans member of a relationship and the challenges they have faced in trying to balance their needs for gender expression/transition with the needs of their cisgender partner to catch up with the new context this presents for them.
Focus Questions:
How and when did you come out to your spouse as trans? Was it a long-anticipated relational ripple or an unexpected tsunami? If you are still together, how are you dealing with the day-to-day dilemmas of balancing your needs against your partner s? How do you manage the problem of your changing needs, i.e., the moving target issue? If your relationship did not survive, what were the reasons, as you see them? How does this reality fit into the larger frame of your individual life history? How do you see the future?

Workshop:
Standing Up in the South
Rhonda Williams
Come participate in a spirited discussion on living as and advocating for the Rainbow in the politically challenged south. We will address people vs. politics and how to navigate the fear and misinformation that is prevalent in this bright red area.

Sunday Worship Service
Transgender Week attendees have been worshiping at Provincetown s UU Meeting House for more than 40 years. Join together in fellowship with your friends and P Town natives for contemplation and worship.

Workshop:
The Art of Feminine Expression
Cherry Veronica Jaymes
This workshop will take you through the beginning and intermediate steps of how to advance your makeup and hair skills in an feminine way. It s a workshop for all trans, nonbinary and gender fluid femmes who are looking to update and smooth out their look. Think of it as a sisterhood where we can tell each other what we love about one another and how we can highlight it. The class will cover how to achieve a smooth base for skin, standard eye makeup, contouring, and choosing the right colors for your skin tone. As well as discussing which hairstyles would frame the face the best. We can walk away with the tools to be our best selves.

Workshop:
The Milestones Through Which We Navigate
Temperance Faye DuWitt
When a transgender person comes to the realization of who they were meant to be, and has decided to undertake the process of transition, the person, (if they are to complete this process,) must overcome numerous milestones. Temperance Faye Duwitt is such a person. As a transgender woman, having completed her transition, she was required to overcome many milestones in order to become the person she is today. Her milestones include therapy, hormones, coming out, living full time as female, as well as undergoing her bottom and top surgeries. The purpose of this presentation is for her to communicate her milestones as she transitioned. By attending this presentation, shared from a completely personal and subjective view, hopefully you may get a clearer understanding of the experience.

Trans Attendees—Daily Meet and Greet Gathering
Welcome Team
This is a relaxed, safe space to come to connect with others who are attending the Fair. Come share a coffee and talk about how to get the most out of your time at Transgender Week. It s a great way to start your day. If you have questions, our facilitators will be able to point you in the right direction. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend, especially first-timers.

Workshop:
Transgender 911
Artina Subklew, NRP IC
This is a primer on what every trans person should know in the event of a medical emergency, and how a family member/friend/ally can advocate for the unique medical considerations in this segment of “Special Populations.”

Volunteer Planning
Sibil Greiner
If you want to get the most out of your Transgender Week experience, then get involved! Find out about opportunities to volunteer throughout the week in this brief get-together.

Activity:
Walking Tour (Tour time will be about 1.75 hours)
Carrie Lopes
Experience the sites of Provincetown in this fun and informative tour that focuses on the history and architecture of this seaside community. Your guide, Carrie, is retired from the Provincetown Police Department, where she was responsible for touring the new police recruits around town as part of their orientation. Today you will be the new recruits as Carrie leads you through the fabulous streets and quaint hidden ways to discover stories about the town. Please wear your comfortable walking shoes

Workshop:
Working to Define and to Communicate Your Needs, and to Negotiate with Your Partner Fairly. (Couples in Attendance Only)
Maureen Osborne, PhD & Carole MacKenzie, LCSW
Whatever the state or stage of your relationship, there are special challenges in a cis/trans relationship, among them a loss of trust, a need for re-definition of self, potential disruptions in family ties, and a crisis of intimacy. Such challenges require self-examination, fearless and mutually respectful dialogue, and negotiation. We will look at some principles and strategies that should ease the way.
Focus Questions:
How do you handle conflict in your relationship? Does one person give in more often? Do you speak your mind or are you easily silenced? How do you ask for what you need? Do you know what you need? When your feelings change, can you slow things down or ask for more without risking hurt or alienation? Is one partner better with words than the other? Do you feel that one person has more power, and if so, why? What agreements have you made that feel as if they ve been violated? Are there mitigating factors? Is intentionality important? Can you discern and communicate what you need from your partner in order to feel safe again in your relationship? Is there any part of your reaction to perceived trust violations that has its roots in your own family and relationship history? Is there anything that you do that makes it less likely for your partner to treat you in a trustworthy way.

Wrap-up session (Couples in Attendance Only)
Maureen Osborne, PhD & Carole MacKenzie, LCSW
In the first half of this final session, Carole and Maureen will do their best to respond to unaddressed questions and topics not covered during the week. There are no dumb questions! Then, each couple will have an opportunity to share what they have learned in these sessions and to commit to one thing they want to do differently going forward, based on what they ve learned. If you attended in previous years and made the do one thing differently commitment, please let us know how that worked out.

Workshop:
Yoga Nidra & Mindful Practices Workshop
Elena Grey
Yoga Nidra or Yogic Conscious Sleep is accessible to students of all levels, as during the practice you will be lying or sitting in a position that is supported with props and is fully relaxing and comfortable. In this nurturing, deeply relaxing, and healing class, I will gently guide you through the awareness of your body, breath, sense perception, and beautiful imagery into a deep meditative state in which you will directly access your INNER WISDOM, JOY, PEACE and CLARITY. WHAT TO EXPECT: Relax, restore, and experience what it s like to have a completely fresh start to your day or life. Find yourself feeling cleansed and liberated. Feel your creative energies unleashed. Discover a nurturing and supportive community. What to bring: Please bring your yoga mat, if you own one. I will have a limited supply for those who don’t have one. What about clothing? Comfortable clothing is recommended; however, this is not an intensive exercise form of yoga where you must have special clothing or will need to change afterward due to sweating, so you can come as you are.

Workshop:
Your Ideas for the Future of Transgender Week
Dee LaValle
To continue to prosper, TransWeek must grow and evolve, along with its participants. This session is dedicated to hearing your thoughts concerning TransWeek, what works, and what might be improved. We also will be discussing specific roles that may be of interest if you wish to help or get involved. There is no need to volunteer for anything at this session, but please do come and share your thoughts. TransWeek only exists because of the hard work and dedication of volunteers. Consider getting involved, the event needs you as does its future attendees.