Growing Up Transgender

In this two-day seminar, we will explore what it means to be transgender. Health and human services professionals will learn the difficulties transgender people face and how we can best support and advocate for the transgender community.

Learn what it means to truly be inclusive and understanding 

According to the Williams Institute, the leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, there are 1.6 million people 13 and older who identify as transgender in the U.S. Mass media has played a key role in raising awareness of transgender people, but there is still much to learn about the challenges they face. How can we best support and understand the needs of people who are transgender? 

This program will provide a safe space for those looking to explore and define what it means to be a person who identifies as transgender. In this jam-packed and interactive presentation, we will explore the following:

• The difference between sex and gender, from both a biological and cultural standpoint.
• The transgender legal landscape: current and future challenges.
• The experiences/challenges of transgender youth.
• The role of the Health and Human Services professional in caring/advocating for the transgender community.

Who should attend

Health care professionals, counselors, social workers, educators, guidance counselors, school psychologists, and anyone interested in learning more about the transgender community.

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  Dr. Christopher Jorgenson (he/him/his) currently serves as the Interim Executive Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Leadership. Under his leadership, UW-Eau Claire has been ranked #3 nationally and is currently ranked #1 statewide for LGBTQIA+ inclusion and student experience (for a third consecutive year). He chairs the Queer & Trans Action Committee (QTAC) and Bias Incident Reporting Team (BIRT), teaches in the Honors and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) programs, and regularly collaborates with campus and community partners. Jorgenson's approach to social justice advocacy prioritizes critical self-reflection, embracing discomfort, and developing cultural humility. He often emphasizes the importance of balance, carving out opportunities to celebrate communities whose identities are too often denigrated and marginalized. Dr. Jorgenson received his Ed.D. in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership, with a focus on underrepresented student populations within higher education, and regularly travels throughout the United States to speak on issues of queerness, power, oppression, privilege, and intersectionality.