Transgender Awareness Week 2022

SOGIESC: An acronym for sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

Objective: The purpose of this workshop is to increase awareness on issues concerning sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics generally. The workshop also acts as a foundational stepping-stone for accurate knowledge and skill sets concerning working on, with and for individuals with diverse SOGIESCs.

Outcome: Participants who take the workshop will be able to understand the basic tenets of sexuality including sex, gender, sexual characteristics, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. They will also be able to understand the difference between each and how they manifest within local and global contexts, including social,cultural, and legal contexts. The workshop helps individuals differentiate these components in a manner that is beneficial for their personal and professional lives. It also allows and facilitates engagement and understanding with queer people and queer issues
This workshop is offered for LGBTQ individuals and allies but is also designed as an
engagement tool with individuals with harmful, erroneous, and/or ignorant assumptions about people with diverse SOGIESCs.

Key Concepts: Sexuality; body diversity and autonomy; identity and belonging;
attraction and relationships; cultural, societal, and legal understandings of gender;
terminologies and engagement; discrimination, stigma, and fear.
Structure: This workshop is offered in multiple modules based on audience and
purpose. It can be given in person and online and can be adjusted to a half-day module of 4 hours or a full-day module of 8 hours. Number of participants should not ideally exceed 25 individuals.

Audience: General public, youth, professionals without previous exposure to SOGIESC issues or queer individuals (health, legal, and social workers), journalists, educators, policymakers, activists, organizers, and members of the LGBTQ community.