The Kenyon Queer and Trans Studies Conference is an interdisciplinary and biennial LGBTQ+ studies conference, which is free-of-charge and open to undergraduate and graduate students both at and outside of Kenyon. Community members are also welcome to attend.
Sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the conference developed from a need to provide a place for queer and trans scholarship, activism and community building. The conference is built upon a model of interdisciplinary, intersectionality and equity.
The Kenyon Queer and Trans Studies Conference includes five tracks: healthcare and technology; visual and performing arts; humanities and popular culture; politics, society and the law; and community-interest. Each of these carefully selected tracks encompasses the desire to facilitate spaces for discussions about queer and trans issues in distinct areas of scholarship and everyday life.
Recognizing the unique set of identities throughout the broader LGBTQ+ community, the Kenyon Queer and Trans Studies Conference also offers drop-in networking/socializing spaces for femme-identifying students and LGBTQ+ people of color. These dedicated spaces are offered throughout conference sessions with the intent of creating intersectional spaces exclusive to attendees, who may want intra-community discussions throughout the conference.
The Kenyon Queer and Trans Studies Conference models itself on practices of equity building. The conference is free to eliminate some economic barriers that may prohibit students from attending, and when the conference is offered in-person, it includes free breakfast and lunch, with the understanding that food insecurity is often an issue in marginalized communities. Whether virtual or in-person, the conference utilizes accessible spaces when possible.
You can learn more and/or register for the conference via this link.