Trans* Month events slated
RALEIGH/DURHAM, N.C. — The LGBT Center of Raleigh, 234 S. Harrington St., and the LGBTQ Center of Durham have designated April as Trans* Month of Awareness for the Triangle area.
They, along with sponsors and partners such as Rainbow Community Care, ACLU and North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, are providing social events and educational opportunities throughout the month, plus a full day of workshops on April 11.
The observance kicked off on April 1 with a discussion group with the NCHRC. On April 2, a lunch and learn was held with PFLAG Triangle at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Durham, 3011 Academy Rd., covering allies and advocacy. The event skipped back over to the Raleigh center on April 4 for an open mic night with the local Stonewall Kickball team.
During the week of April 6, transgender community members and others met with state legislators, capped off with roller skating on April 7.
An all-day conference will be held on April 11, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Raleigh center.
This year’s conference includes an informative session about gender identity beyond male and female models. Content will include challenging assumptions of the normalcy of binary gender, gender identity, pronoun usage and how to be a good ally to non-binary friends.
Also at the Raleigh center on April 13 will be the Gender Affirming Book Club meeting at 6:30 p.m. and the Gender Support Group peer-led discussion group at 8 p.m.
The NCHRC will present another transgender discussion group on April 15, 8 p.m., at Internationalist Books, 101 Lloyd St., Carrboro.
On the following day, April 16, the “It’s Your World MSM Summit – Where Community Meets Reality” will be held beginning at 9 a.m., at the Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville St., Durham. Full details and registration are available online. Cost is $10 which includes lunch.
On April 17, feminist and New York legal activist attorney Diana Adams will present “Transgender Issues in Family Law” with the Durham center at 7:30 p.m.. She will be speaking on “issues specific to the representation of transgender clients in family law matters, including family formation, assisted reproduction technologies, and divorce.” Email info@lgbtqcenterofdurham.org to learn more.
The Durham Gender Alliance meeting will be held on April 18 at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Rd. Email soy-lea@yahoo.com for more information.
Also on that day, an evening of transgender bowling will take place. Contact the centers to obtain time and location.
An affirming faith forum, “Intersectionality,” will be presented by NCHRC on April 24, 6:30 p.m., at the Raleigh center.
On April 25, 3 p.m., at K.S. Lee’s Best Martial Arts Academy, 1877 Lake Pine Dr., Cary, for a self-defense class for trans*, non-binary, gender-queer and gender-variant individuals.
The month-long observance winds down on April 27, 8 p.m., Raleigh center, with a T-Time Supper Club social event. It is open to all genders along the spectrum including non-binary identities and those questioning their gender, or even gender itself. Respectful allies are also welcome.
info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. lgbtqcenterofdurham.org. triempowerment.org/events.
‘Rent’ mounted at theatre
RALEIGH, N.C. — The popular and iconic musical “Rent” will be staged at the North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre, 7713-51 Lead Mine Rd., from April 24-May 10.
SAGE Raleigh has announced that it will head out to see the performance as a group on April 25 at 8 p.m. Prior to the performance, theatre-goers have the opportunity to dine at Sawmill Taproom, 7701 Lead Mine Rd., at 6 p.m. with Prime Timers. They have invited members of SAGE who are attending the show to join them They also extended the invitation to the NC Triangle Single Gay Men Meetup group. Email coordinator Les Geller at lgeller@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com to learn more.
Tickets are $17/adult and $14/student and senior and are available online. Show times are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
In other news, SAGE Raleigh has shared that they will be taking a road trip to Asheville, N.C., from June 12-15.
Travelers’ accommodations will be handled through Extended Stay America, 6 Kenilworth Knoll. Coordinators have established a matchmaking service to pair those who wish to travel together or share a room.
Sightseeing will be the main fare during the jaunt. A tour of Biltmore House, walk through the River Arts District, shopping in Biltmore Village, drinks at the Grove Park Inn and tour of a vintage car museum. Other sights are hiking trails, floating on the French Broad River, hanging out at a drum circle in Pack Square on Friday night and more.
Email sage@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com for additional details.
info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com. ngact.org.
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Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.