Trans & GNC centered Midwifery and Full Spectrum Doula Care (miscarriage, abortion, birth, adoption)

Who is the intended audience?: 
Open to all
Workshop Topic: 
Alternative Healthcare
Healthcare Access
Primary Care
Social Change/Activism
Do you want to restrict the attendance of this workshop to a specific group?: 
Open
Description: 

We all know that the trans and gender non-conforming (GNC) community has needs when it comes to pregnancy, birth and reproductive health. This workshop will introduce participants to the midwifery and doula models of care, and discuss how trans and GNC midwives and doulas are working to improve care for our communities. While this workshop will be centered on pregnancy-related care, the health care models we will be talking about can be applied to any type of health care. We will present information and resources on options for midwifery and doula care that may be ideal for trans and GNC people. This workshop will discuss how empowering health care experiences can transform our lives and facilitate deep healing.

Conference Year: 
2012
Time slot: 
2 June 5:30pm - 6:50pm
Room: 
102A
First Presenter
Pati Garcia
Pati Garcia is a Certified Sexological bodyworker/Somatic Sex Educator, self-identifies as genderqueer/fluid two spirit of Peruvian-Mexican descent. Using the self-help model of care, her passion is to provide accurate information, leading people through erotic embodiment, so they can make informed decisions about their bodies. Pati has taught workshops at Cal State LA, USC, San Jose State, The LA Anarchist Bookfair, LadyFest LA, Queer Latino Youth Conference, Transmen for Men Blowjobs 101, Sister Song. Pati trained at the Shiatsu Massage School of California for Bodywork, Institute of Advanced Studies in Human Sexuality, and The Farm Midwives.
Second Presenter
Miriam Zoila Pérez
Miriam Zoila Pérez (miriamzperez.com) is a genderqueer Latin@ doula and writer based in Brooklyn. In 2007 Pérez founded RadicalDoula.com, a blog that connects the dots between reproductive justice and birth activism. Pérez is a trained doula and the co-founder of the Doula Project, which provides free full-spectrum doula care across NYC. Pérez has received various awards and recognitions for her work, including a 2010 Barbara Seaman Award for Activism in Women’s Health.
Third Presenter
Ryan Pryor
Ryan Pryor is a white, queer and trans midwife. He is currently based in Philadelphia, where he is a Family Nurse Practitioner student. Ryan is currently working on a multi-media project on the experiences of queer and gender non-conforming birth workers.
Fourth Presenter
Lucia Leandro Gimeno (Moderator)
Born in Boston, MA to queer, organizer parents, Lucia Leandro Gimeno has done anti-oppression trainings, leadership development, fundraising, campaign development and security training with organizations like FIERCE, The Audre Lorde Project (ALP) and The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) for the past 10 years. Most recently a member of a theater project called Secret Survivor, stories by adult survivors of child sexual abuse, http://www.undesirableelements.org/pages/secretsurvivors.html. A current graduate student in social work at Columbia University, he is deeply committed to the radical act of love, laughing real deep and jointly building the politic, strength and resilience of queer and trans people of color.
Fifth Presenter
Abigail Fletcher
Abigail is a white queer/gender queer licensed midwife in Florida. Abigail was inspired to become a midwife while living in Palestine for a year, and getting to know indigenous healers and midwives. Since graduating from midwifery school in Miami, Abigail has practiced midwifery in a freestanding Birth Center, in hospitals and birth centers in Haiti, and now is starting their own homebirth practice. They are a co-founder of Spectrum- a group of trans people and allies striving to improve trans and gender non-conforming people's access to quality health care by offering free "Trans~awareness workshops" to health care providers in their hometown of Gainesville, Florida. (spectrumgainesville.tumblr.com) Abigail considers themselves a part of the Birth Justice Movement, and is honored to be a board member of "Mobile Midwife"- a non-profit in Miami whose vision is to make midwifery care accessible to all- especially Black, Brown, immigrant, indigenous, queer, transgender, low-income and other marginalized communities. (www.mobilemidwife.org)