Here Comes Everyone by The Conference Bard
Originally called "Uncanceled & Unplugged" this podcast was conceived at the outset of the Covid crisis in North America. Being a conference designer I knew a lot of people who had expected to be speaking at events in the subsequent months having them canceled or postponed. So I launched the podcast to provide them with an alternative platform.In August, several months into the pandemic, it was clear that most event organizers had shifted to virtual events and no one was getting canceled anymore.So the podcast has now become "Here Comes Everyone". The name reflects the huge variety of guests we've had in the last few months and the intention to focus a bit more on issues of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
Here Comes Everyone by The Conference Bard
Suzanne Sherkin, Author of When Gender is in Question: A Guide to Understanding talks about her experiences as the mother of a transgendered child
Ten years ago Suzanne's then daughter Aviva announced that she was transitioning to become male and would henceforth be known as Skyler. A decade later Suzanne is sharing that moment and the journey that began that day as a mother. In doing so she has told an authentic tale of how this change impacted her and provided an essential guide for anyone close to a transgender person - whether parent, sibling, colleague, friend or boss.
In this episode we discuss some of the issues from the book - her initial reaction, her fear for her son's future, the confusion, some grief and what she has learned from the experience and of course the question of bathrooms. Throughout our conversation I was reminded of Skyler's words from the book, that we all need to show "curiosity, compassion and love" towards others.
The book includes a chapters by Skyler and Gender Specialist Dr Helma Seidl as well as a chapter on Gender transitioning in the workplace and a very useful glossary of some of the terms often used when discussing gender transition.
You can purchase the book at Suzanne's website at https://whengenderisinquestion.com
For more info on my work as a conference emcee, spoken word artist, panel moderator and event designer check out my site at https://conferencebard.ca/