I just wanted to send a shout-out to alert people to the first Deaf Trans Conference, being put together by Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf (ORAD) and the 519 Church Street Community Centre Trans Program, scheduled for mid-March in Toronto. From the email:

“This first of its kind conference aims to bring together the Deaf and Trans communities in North America and shed light on both communities.  It will provide an opportunity for individuals and their allies in the Deaf and Trans communities to unite and share common experiences, regardless of language barriers, and to gain a greater understanding of both the Deaf and Trans experience.”

I find this to be an excellent idea, given what can be learned from sharing the experiences of various marginalized communities and understanding how discrimination intersects many lives.  Not to mention how there can be multiple points of intersection.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own struggles that it's sometimes hard to see beyond the “us.”

More information can be found at the DeafQueer.org website.