Queer and transgender people face unique challenges when navigating medical systems. Assumptions, expectations, and misinformation around gender and sexual orientation in medicine are rooted in oppressive binary and heteronormative systems that reinforce a limited definition of what constitutes health.
People who identify with the LGBTQ+ spectrum and the BIPOC community face the double jeopardy of encountering both racism and heteronormativity which results in the higher — and often highest — levels of health disparities, especially in prenatal and birthing spaces.
For PTBi’s October Collaboratory, keynote speaker Kayden Coleman will conduct cultural competency training for providers who care for queer and trans birthing people. Kayden is the Black trans dad of two daughters, both of whom inspire him to engage in advocacy work for transmasculine individuals who birth their own children. His presentation “Black Transmasculine Fertility & Birth” will speak to the Black transmasculine experience in relation to that of the white transmasculine experience. It will also highlight his experience with anti-Black racism and microaggressions as well as encourage non-Black professionals to show up while balancing their power and privilege in allyship.
Following the training, Ajira Darch (a queer, fat, Black doula who works with Roots of Labor Birth Collective) and king yaa (a queer and trans reproductive justice advocate and trainer) will engage in a fireside chat.
We are excited to welcome you to this revolutionary and necessary Collaboratory!
#FirstTimeISawMe #QueerReproductiveJustice #TransMasculineBirth #QueerReproductiveHealth
Learning Objectives
- Understand why using gender-inclusive language is only a starting point and not enough for authentic allyship
- Recognize the anti-Blackness and microaggressions that occur in transgender reproductive care
- Engage in respect and care for trans birthing people in the medical system
- Learn how the Black queer and trans experience differs from the white queer experience
- Highlight research gaps in the birth outcomes of trans people, especially Black trans people
Speakers
Kayden Coleman (he/him) | Black Trans Advocate/Trainer
Kayden Coleman is a 35 years old black transgender man who has carried and given birth to 2 daughters. He is one of very few black transgender men who have done so publicly. Kayden gained public attention when his 1st pregnancy story went viral in 2015, following an article published in a popular UK based newspaper. He then gained attention again when a political figure used his images/videos as a pillar of hate towards the trans community - two days after giving birth to his 2nd daughter. Since then, Kayden has dedicated his life to advocating for transgender people in medical spaces. He hopes that through education he can assist in erasing the trauma and disparities that trans people face when seeking medical care.
Ajira Darch (she/they) | Roots of Labor Birth Collective
Ajira is a Queer, fat, Black mama of two. She is passionate about parenting, connecting and building community. These passions and all she's learned through them inform and guide her work as a full spectrum birthworker, podcast host, ceremony facilitator, and birth & branding photographer.
king yaa (they/them/king) | Queer + Trans Reproductive Justice Educator
king yaa (always lowercase, thank you!), pronouns are they/them/king! king yaa is genderqueer/nonbinary and their sexuality is queer AF. Their Blackness is their superpower!
king is an intersectional feminist and their work centers queer, trans, and non-binary folx well-being through full spectrum support, somatic sex + pleasure coaching and gender-affirming transitioning companionship. They also train intentional health and wellness practicioners on developing the competencies to care for and to create safer and inclusive practices for queer, trans and gender diverse people.
king yaa supports folx of all gender identities, sexual orientations in all bodies to have the audacity to intentionally & unapologetically have compassion for self, in all their complexities, as a radical act of taking up space and insisting on themselves. They are invested in decolonizing health and queering up reproductive justice, as well as, the collective healing and liberation of queer, trans and nonbinary folx, especially BIPOC folx.
Sponsors
