CHARLEMONT — The complexities of gender identity issues in the 21st century will be the focus of the Charlemont Forum’s first in-person presentation since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Genny Beemyn, a transgender educator, author, consultant and director of the Stonewall Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will speak at the Charlemont Federated Church on Thursday, July 21, at 7 p.m. Those who are interested can also watch the presentation on Zoom.
Beemyn, who recently joined other experts to talk about transgender rights priorities for the Biden administration, will discuss increasing the public’s understanding of gender, fighting discrimination and creating opportunities for awareness.
“The last decade has seen a generational shift in how gender is lived and viewed,” Beemyn said in a statement. “Refuting the common assumption that gender can be reduced to female and male, many members of Gen Z identify as nonbinary and are challenging society to recognize more than two genders. This presentation will discuss the development of these changes, why they are important and how people can be supportive of this movement.”
Charlemont Forum Committee member Peter Purdy explained that organizers decided on the topic because many young people are now identifying as nonbinary, and this event will give older residents an opportunity to learn and ask questions. The Charlemont Forum’s format of audience-speaker exchange provides an opportunity for respectful dialogue.
“I’m hoping that those who choose to come are curious,” Purdy explained, “and are trying to understand what the phenomenon is and how to respond to it.”
With more young people identifying as trans and nonbirary, Beemyn feels they are “changing how society in general thinks about gender and creating a more gender-inclusive climate on college campuses and beyond.”
“I hope the audience will develop a better understanding of how younger people are fueling changes in the conception of gender today,” Beemyn said in a statement about the Charlemont Forum, “and how they can support these changes.”
The Charlemont Forum speaker series started in 2010, and has had past discussions on religion in American political life, economic inequality, immigration and more. The presentations will held virtually in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have always selected contemporary issues,” Purdy said of discussion topics.
This program is sponsored by 12 different cultural councils in Franklin and Hampshire counties.
“The fact that so many cultural councils give us support is because they have found it has been an important contribution to western Massachusetts,” Purdy said.
For audience members attending the live presentation at the Charlemont Federated Church, organizers request that the church’s COVID-19 health safety policies be followed. For more information, visit facebook.com/charlemontforum.
Contact Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 and blevavi@recorder.com.