Claire Winter

Claire Ruth Winter began her transgender advocacy in 1987 by writing educational materials for licensed therapists who had no experience with sexual and gender diversity. Since then she has been a member of national and local boards of transgender organizations, offered a variety of educational classes and workshops at transgender conferences, and has for the last several years lectured to college and university graduate and undergraduate counseling, anthropology, medical school and gender studies classes on the psychology and physiology of sexual and gender diversity.

Ms. Winter has published a second edition of her grassroots educational book, entitled "Understanding Transgender Diversity: A Sensible Explanation of Sexual and Gender Identities." A concise and clear overview in plain English, the book is a long-needed educational tool written for the families, friends and associates of transgender folks from all walks of life--as well as HR departments, legal and governing agencies. Claire has donated many copies of the book across the country, and has directed all proceeds thus far to transgender educational organizations and projects.

Claire has a deep passion for education, having earned a teaching degree from Whitman College, one of the top 50 colleges and universities in the U.S. She loves to teach and it shows: her classes are consistently top rated, extremely enjoyable, and crammed with useful information of all kinds. This year she will present "Discovering Your Own Sexuality," a fascinating overview of the individuality of human sexual and gender identities, and "Deportment to a T, From a T," which is a unique session on finding and releasing the feminine person within you despite a lifetime of socialization as a masculine male: from someone who's "been there."

She created and maintains the public educational web site www.LearnAboutTransgender.org and has been an active member of many advocacy organizations including the ACLU, COLAGE, Gender Odyssey, the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), The Task Force, Trans Youth Family Advocates (TYFA), the Washington Transgender Equality Project (WATEP), and others.

Deportment To a T, From a T

There are many good resources out there for feminine deportment, given by GGs with a lifetime of experience. I think it is additionally useful, though, to talk about feminine movement - and mindset, really - from the perspective of having been a man for 58 years, and the special challenges of unlearning our male bearing/attitude in order to release the feminine within. We will talk about and work on a priority list of feminine movements, concentrating on those that will help you to blend in public most effectively. This class is appropriate for both new and experienced attendees, and is designed to augment other deportments classes that I highly recommend you attend.

Discovering Your Own Identi-T

Society puts tremendous pressure on us to conform, starting from birth when we are assigned a sex and the expected gender that goes with it. There is pressure to conform within the LGBT population as well, so it can be difficult to find your own unique identity even among trans folks you've met. This class presents the psychology and biology of human sexuality in clear English, with pictorial diagrams. It will give you many fundamental tools to help you dig deep and discover that unique identity that is you, so that you can integrate your true self into your life in the best way for you. There will be a detailed handout, and books will be available for a donation to the Esprit Scholarship fund.

Coming Out Well: Presenting Your True Identity Clearly and Concisely

Once we've embraced our real identity, we are faced with the daunting challenge of sharing this truth with others in our lives. We'll talk about how specifically to prepare to "come out" at various levels to family, friends, co-workers/HR, and society at large. This class will offer very specific pointers, facts and suggestions on how to communicate your individuality to those you choose: every situation with every person is different. The key is to have a number of fundamental tools to educate these people concisely and clearly, in language they can understand, and documented facts and rights to give it credibility. This class will provide a broad range of educational/sociological material, and we will share experiences as well.

Choosing Bodily Treatments Wisely: Understanding What Surgeries and/or Hormones Can and Can't Do for YOU

There is a great deal of emphasis on "surgery" and "hormones" surrounding the trans population. Your body is as individual as your identity, so we each must be careful and knowledgeable as to what various physical treatments and surgeries can and can't do for your body, your mind and your desired role in society. In this class we'll talk about a variety of treatments, how to understand which might be appropriate for your unique identity, and to importantly prioritize any that you consider, based on a number of factors, goals and limitations. We'll be sure to have time to share individual experiences so that we can learn much from one another.