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What's coming up? |
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JUNE 2009
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6/6/09 6:00 Pridefest FORGE volunteer orientation!
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6/6/09 7:30pm Pregnant Men, Lesbian Fathers, and Transgender Parenting - FILM (transparent)
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6/12 - 6/14/09 PRIDEFEST!
JULY 2009
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7/10/09 (F) 6:00 FTM+/SOFFA social support
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7/10/09 (F) 7:30pm Trans on the Street: Survival Sex, Silicone, and Street Pharmacies
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TBA LGBT Crime Victim training for providers
AUGUST 2009
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8/1/09 6:00 FTM+/SOFFA social support
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8/1/09 7:30pm Against a Trans Narrative (film - Jules Roskam)
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TBA LGBT Crime Victim training for providers
(more info: www.forge-forward.org/calendar.php)
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| Remember, FORGE social support meetings aren't just for the boys! |
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The line up for the first Saturday of each month is:
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6:00 - 7:15 -- FTM+/SOFFA Support.
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7:30 - 9:00 -- Center Stage Main Event (Main topic - June = Pregnant Men, Lesbian Fathers, and Transgender Parenting)
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9:00 - 9:30pm -- Social Time
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Join Our List
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| transparent - film screening |
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Saturday, June 6, 2009
7:30pm
Thomas Beatie may believe he was the first FTM to give birth, but on this Saturday you'll meet many FTMs who went before him!  On June 6, 2009, at 7:30pm, FORGE will screen the film transparent, a fascinating documentary by Chicagoan filmmaker Jules Rosskam about 19 FTMs who have given birth. Focusing on their lives as parents, the film reveals "the diverse ways in which each person reconciles giving birth and being a biological mother with his masculine identity. Traditional views of gender are further re-examined through the variety of genders the children use to conceive of their parents. The first-person stories in transparent explain how changing genders is dealt with and impacts the relationships, if at all, within these families." It's not necessary to be FTM and/or considering a pregnancy to find great value in this film. All of us are affected by the changing definitions of parenthood and gender. Come see how people at the very heart of these changes are blazing new paths the rest of us may want to consider. (Want more? See the transparent website at http://www.transparentthemovie.com/ )  |
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Pridefest Volunteer Training |
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Saturday, June 6, 2009
6:00 - 7:15pm
This coming Saturday, FORGE's usual 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 pm open discussion will be preempted by a Pridefest Volunteers' Training. If you do not yet know how visible a role FORGE and the transgender community will be playing at this year's Milwaukee Pridefest (June 12-14, 2009), come to the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center at 6:00 pm on Saturday to find out! We still need more Greeters, Huggers, Booth Barkers, Blue Couch Listeners, and On-call Mental Health Providers. Volunteers receive a free day's pass for each day they work, plus a really cool T-shirt and the satisfaction of helping build a more inclusive and caring LGBT community. You can sign-up at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7VazQyXDMX7qPM_2bfyCfByw_3d_3d
You can also sign up by calling 414-559-2123 or emailing tgwarrior@forge-forward.org. (In fact, you can make it easier and just show up on Saturday - we'll have sign up sheets for you to pick the time and position you most want!)
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Pie, Pride and Philanthropy
- A Night at Baker's Square - |
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June 28, 2009
Baker's Square on Capitol Drive has long been an after-meeting hang-out for Milwaukee's transgender community, but on Sunday, June 28, 2009 we're taking "trans friendly" to a whole new level!
 Mark your calendars now and plan to have a one-of-a-kind dinner at the Baker's Square at 1305 East Capitol Drive in Shorewood from 5:00 to 8:00 pm on Sunday, June 28. The menu and the cost will be the same - lots of delicious dinner and dessert choices (especially pies!) and family-friendly prices - but the atmosphere most certainly won't! Although the restaurant will still be open to the public, most tables that night will be filled with LGBT people, our families, and friends, creating an all-too-rare experience of public dining where we are the majority! With Baker's Square's management and wait staffs' excited blessing, 10% of all dinner and dessert bills (eat-in only) that night will go to support the work of five of Milwaukee's leading LGBT organizations: FORGE, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, Lesbian Alliance, SAGE-Milwaukee, and Metropolitan Community Church-Milwaukee. So come out, bring you friends and family, have a good dinner, and see what happens when Baker's Square really turns LGBT-friendly!
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| Queen of the May Auction |
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Milwaukee's first collaborative LGBT online auction was a huge success. FORGE joined with the LGBT Community Center, Lesbian Alliance, SAGE-Milwaukee, and Vets Do Ask Do Tell to conduct a two-week auction that featured a wide variety of goods and services, including many books, jewelry, and artwork by transgender/SOFFA authors. FORGE sold 16 of our 24 items and earned just over $400 to help us expand our transgender aging, sexual violence, health and HIV work. Thank you very much to all who donated and all who bid!
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| LGBT Crime Victims Guide |
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Assaults, domestic violence, hate crimes, and sexual violence happen all too often in the LGBT community. We may not be able to stop this violence from happening, but it is certainly within our power to offer care and healing to all LGBT victims. That's the thought behind a new publication FORGE will debut this year at Pridefest. Several dozen agencies will be listed in the Guide for Milwaukee LGBT Crime Victims, including information about what gender(s) they serve, their eligibility criteria, their hours and services. Most will also include an assessment of how "LGBT-savvy" the agency is, based on what they told FORGE about their non-discrimination policies and practices, and their history of training on the unique needs of LGBT crime victims. The Guide will also include more than a dozen short but highly practical articles on what crime survivors and their friends and allies can do to promote post-violence recovery. Pick up your free copy at FORGE's booth in the Health and Wellness section at Pridefest. Better yet, talk to us about where you'd like to see multiple free copies distributed or displayed! Write tgwarrior@forge-forward.org or call us at 414-559-2123.
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FORGE's New Intern |
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Kelly Miecielica is FORGE's new intern. Zie is a college student, with interest in anthropology and philosophy. Kelly is planning on going into community organization around sexual freedom advocacy after school. Zie has been involved with the Midwest Trans Youth Conference for the past two years, and is a committee member for this year's conference. Zie is also a former REAL member of Project Q. Zie primary interest in the trans community are removing the road blocks, legal, social and other, that stand in tranfolk's way of full inclusion and validation as valuable and autonomous human beings. Kelly hopes that one day all marginalized populations will overcome oppression.
On the personal side of things, Kelly is an avid reader of fantasy, science fiction and political writings. Zie also enjoys films; Robert Altman is hir favorite director. Kelly loves a good conversation and friendly debate.
Please welcome Kelly when you attend your next FORGE event. |
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Contribute to Gearbits! |
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Have you attended a FORGE event that you'd like to share with others? FORGE is looking for contributors to briefly share highlights or reflections on FORGE events so others who were unable to attend can get a flavor for the experience.
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| What do the symbols mean?? |
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Although everyone is welcome at any FORGE meeting, some meetings are designed with particular audiences in mind. These symbols indicate the focus of particular events and meetings.
Geared towards the entire transgender/gender non-conforming community and SOFFAs
Geared towards trans-masculine folks and SOFFAs
Reverse Inclusion: A trans+/SOFFA organization is hosting an event that welcomes the broader LGBTQIA (and straight) community. | |
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About FORGE
FORGE is a progressive organization whose mission is to support, educate and advocate for the rights and lives of transgender individuals and SOFFAs (Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies). FORGE is dedicated to helping move fragmented communities beyond identity politics and forge a movement that embraces and empowers our diverse complexities. FORGE PO Box 1272 Milwaukee, WI 53201 www.forge-forward.orginfo@forge-forward.org414-559-2123 |
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