FORGE FORWARD 2007 CONFERENCE

Monday, March 26, 2007, San Francisco

FORGE FORWARD 2007 CONFERENCE

San Francisco, CA—FTMInternational and FORGE announce the 1st National FTM/SOFFA Conference to be held in the Heartland March 29 – April 1, 2007 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“We’ve met on the West Coast. We’ve met on the East Coast. We’ve met in small groups at larger conferences in Atlanta and Philadelphia and elsewhere, but never before have hundreds of those of us on the transmasculine spectrum and SOFFAs (Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies) invaded Middle America – until now! ” announced michael munson and Loree Cook-Daniels, co-founders of FORGE, an FTM organization entering its 13th year.

On March 29 – April 1, 2007, the “heartland” city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is playing host to the FORGE Forward 2007 Conference and Intensives. One of the most ambitious transmasculine/ SOFFA conferences to date, the event offers nine full-day pre-conference “Intensives” focusing on specific topics in addition to 2-1/ 2 days’ worth of plenary keynote speeches and entertainment, a film festival, authors’ readings, a vendor hall, a dance, and nearly 90 planned and propose-it-on-the-spot workshops and caucuses.

The Bay Area and the Midwest Connect

“FTMInternational has provided a $5,000 grant to help get the word out about FORGE Forward 2007 to our community,” stated Rabbi Levi Alter, President of Female-to-Male International, headquartered in San Francisco, spanning 21 years and 18 countries serving the FTM community.

The FORGE Forward 2007 Conference and Intensives are designed not only to give individuals the information they seek, but also to build community. To that end, all official programming is open to all identities. The Conference’s co-chairs, michael munson and Loree Cook-Daniels, have made efforts to recruit participation by LGB and mainstream Midwesterners, in order to raise trans awareness. Scholarships have been provided by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Johnson and Pabst LGBT Humanity Fund and Robert J. Stark and Fredric A. Thompson Fund.

San Francisco’s Dr. Michael Brownstein and Lyon-Martin Clinic’s Dr. Nick Gorton Present

For those who are dealing with transition issues and questions, a whole set of workshops go over the basics: do’s and don’ts of hormone use, finding a therapist, safe injection techniques, and presentations by five surgeons who specialize in FTM-related surgeries
(San Francisco’s noted Dr. Michael Brownstein and Drs. Brassard, Meltzer, Reardon, and Steinwald). Many of these surgeons will also offer free, onsite, individual consultations. There will also be an open “Ask the Doctor” panel to address medical questions that don’t fall under the standard workshop topics, or that cut across multiple issues. Dr. Nick Gorton of San Francisco’s Lyon-Martin Clinic will present FTM Hormonal Treatment: Beyond 101 and Medical Ethics and Evidence Based Transgender Medicine.

For more information on FORGE Forward 2007 see their website at http://www.FORGE-Forward.org.