Short description:

A conversation with KC Clements about the experiences of AFAB Trans and Non-Binary Survivors

Full description:

According to the 2015 U.S. Trans Survey, 51% of transgender men and 58% of non-binary people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) have experienced sexual assault in their lifetimes.

Culled from the experiences of the speaker and dozens of AFAB trans and non-binary survey respondents, the presentation will shed light on the experiences and needs of this community which has typically been underrepresented in resources and organizations that support survivors. We will think about how to shift away from the paradigm that views the issue of sexual assault from a straight, cisgender perspective, in order to develop a more nuanced understanding of how gender identity and expression make certain people more vulnerable to sexual assault and how consent (and non-consent) operate in the LGBTQ+ community. In doing so, we'll work towards finding ways to be inclusive of different gender identities in our work with survivors and creating supportive solutions that rely on a framework of genuine accountability as opposed to punishment.

Following the presentation, participants will form small conversation groups where they will discuss their own understandings of consent and safe(r) spaces and develop creative, actionable strategies for supporting trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and/or intersex AFAB students on campus.

KC Clements Bio: KC Clements is a queer, non-binary trans writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Their work and opinions, which have been featured in Huffington Post, The Establishment, BuzzFeed, Vice, Unapologetic Feminism, GO Magazine, and trans.cafe, touches on themes of queer and trans identity, media and representation, consent and safe(r) spaces, sex and body positivity, and more. An outspoken survivor and believer in the power of intersectional queer and trans resistance, KC is involved in an NYC-based skillshare and action group that works to foster affirming, sexy, and safe community between queer, gay, and bisexual trans and cis men. KC holds a Master of Arts in Gender Politics from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theatre Studies from Wellesley College, and has been told, by several sources, that they make the best cappuccino in NYC.