Two of the event workshops on Sept. 19 are healthcare focused such as “Queering Health with UCI Gender Diversity Program.” The workshop will feature UCI Gender Diversity Program Coordinator and the center’s board member Brit Cervantes leading an open Q&A session with a medical provider. The goal is to demystify trans care — something Cervantes said isn’t easily available with a simple Google search.
“Historically and ongoing, there tends to be this idea that the T in LGBTQ is silent,” Cervantes said. “Just because there are a lot of increases in LGBTQ rights doesn’t necessarily mean that there are things that have been expanded or increased in terms of protections for trans folks.”
Recently, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a regulation rolling back trans healthcare protections, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development is proposing a rule that would allow emergency shelters to discriminate against transgender people.
In 2015, when the Santa Ana-based LGBTQ center had some funding available, it hired a part-time trans services coordinator, Dannie Ceseña. The first Trans Pride OC event was organized in about two weeks by Ceseña, Viramontes, Cervantes and the Cervantes family.
“We brainstormed about what we could provide for the community … and they had this great idea. It’s beautiful to see that it really came from the trans community for the trans community,” Viramontes said.
The first event had a handful of workshops, and the resource fair fit in the center’s patio with about 80 attendees showing up.
It was the first Trans Pride event for Cervantes, who uses the pronouns they, them and their, and it coincided with their birthday. The event was held around the same time period they came out as trans publicly. Cervantes attended the event with their family and remembers being ecstatic about the turnout.
Every year since then, the center’s trans services and the event have expanded. In 2019, there were about 500 attendees and 40 organizations that participated in the resource fair.
Cervantes said they are hoping about 1,000 attendees will be able to join, and one of the benefits of the virtual format is to have a wider reach.
“[Nearly] 50 years after the center was incorporated, we remain intentional and even more purposeful now than ever to bring community and provide visibility, but also expand beyond Orange County and provide that kind of support and community at a national level for those who need it,” Viramontes said.
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