Come join us at The Boardwalk in Glasgow on Saturday 23rd November from 10.15am - 5pm for our annual Scottish Trans Conference!
This free event will be open to all trans and non-binary people and our supportive friends, parents, partners, family and allies, who are 18 years old and over. Some sessions will only be open to trans and non-binary people. Service providers and professionals who work with trans people, or want to improve their services for trans people, are also welcome.
This year’s theme is “Create & Change” as we hope this conference will be a space for trans and non-binary people and our allies to come together to celebrate who we are, express ourselves, and discuss how we can make Scotland a better place for our community.
The day will include opening and closing plenaries, a range of different talks, workshops, and activities, and a free lunch!
Some sessions will be hybrid and will be available to attend online, but this is limited due to our capacity, and so we’ve tried to create a varied programme of events for those joining online to attend.
Note: We have now placed an order with catering for this event as of November 15th. If you are booking a ticket after this date and have dietary requirements, please email ryan@equality-network.org
What's on?
Lashes & 'tashes: a playful intro to the art of drag – Dorian T. Fisk - Limited capacity, trans and non-binary people only
Join one of Scotland’s masters of metamorphosis for a playful introduction to the art of drag across the gender spectrum and dabble in some fun creative expression! If you've ever wondered if you could do drag [spoiler alert: anyone can!] and wanted to know how to get started, this interactive workshop with Dorian T. Fisk is for you!
Writing for Campaigns – Scottish Trans (hybrid)
Whether you’re writing an email, an article, or a tweet, it’s vital to know who your audience is and how best to reach them. In this workshop, we’ll discuss some common writing tips for campaigning and practice tailoring our message for different mediums.
Gender pre-zine-tation workshop – LGBT Health and Wellbeing - Limited capacity, trans and non-binary people only
Want to chat comfiest binders, the best place for swimwear, where to get a decent wig, the coolest social media accounts, and loads more? We’ll have a bunch of presentation-related items for you to handle and chat about in small groups, we can pool our knowledge, and there will be mini zines so you can make a fun note of whatever’s useful!
Movement and fitness confidence – LEAP Sports & Joey Currie
Movement and fitness confidence from your own home, for all genders and body types. Come and try ways you can reconnect with your body and increase your fitness from within your own home. No experience or equipment required. The session will be led by gym instructor Joey Currie, who knows the importance of trans inclusive fitness through personal experience.
New gender identity healthcare policies for Scotland – HIS & NES / Scottish Trans
We’ll be joined by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland to talk through three new pieces of work: the Gender Identity Healthcare Service Standards, the Transgender Knowledge and Skills Framework and the Gender Identity Healthcare Protocol. Come along and learn more about these pieces of work and how they might help improve gender identity healthcare in Scotland!
What the Bible really says about trans people: Trans experience of affirming and inclusive Christianity – Our Tribe
Come along to hear from trans people who have experience of being welcomed and affirmed within their church community. This will include a brief look at some of the stories of trans people in the Bible. The session will close with a celebratory ritual.
How to get the haircut you want from your barber – Black Creative Studio - Limited capacity, trans and non-binary only
Are you finding the world of barbers hard to navigate? Unsure how to ask for what you want? Come along to this workshop hosted by Carol from Black Creative Studios to learn how to talk to your barber and get the hair you want!
Hear me out: Poetry and spoken word from trans and non-binary BPOC creatives – U Belong (Hybrid)
A performance panel that includes four published and emerging trans and non-binary creatives of colour who will share their poetry and spoken word.
What’s next for trans healthcare in Scotland – Scottish Trans - Trans and non-binary people only
With the Scottish Government’s ‘NHS gender identity services: strategic action framework 2022-2024’ coming to an end, join the Lived Experience Coordinator to talk through where we are now and share your ideas about what needs to happen next.
Know your rights and defend them! – Living Rent
This workshop will address some of the most common housing issues faced by trans people across Scotland. We will be providing information about your rights as a renter, and how to take action to improve our living conditions - in particular, how the union supports its membership to win material improvements in the short and long term.
Introduction to feminising makeup – Maya Jaye - Limited capacity, trans and non-binary only
A demonstration and Q&A to teach trans women/femme presenting people some tips and tricks on how to feminise their features with makeup. As feminising facial surgery is out of reach for a lot of people, makeup can be a much more affordable tool for alleviating dysphoria when used correctly.
Come and try session – Music Broth
Try out 20 different instruments from Music Broth's vast instrument library, and learn more about their borrowing service and how you can get involved.
Trans and non-binary experiences in Scotland – Scottish Trans (hybrid)
This summer, we published the findings from our survey with nearly 600 trans and non-binary people across Scotland. Come and find out what we learnt about our experiences in our local neighbourhoods, with GPs, housing & homeless, work, benefits and the cost of living. Hear about our plans for work to make things better, and let us know if you want to be involved!
Graffiti sketching – Equality Network - Limited capacity
Graffiti and street art are part of the urban landscape, but what’s the difference? In this short session you will learn how to identify them and you will get the chance to experiment and create your urban art project. All the materials will be provided, just bring your creativity!
The future for Trans Pride Scotland – Trans Pride Scotland
Since 2016 Trans Pride Scotland has held an annual pride event to celebrate Trans day of Visibility and give our community a place to come together and meet old and new friends. Come to the session and help shape the future of Trans Pride Scotland as they start the process of registering to become a charity.
Affirmative and trauma informed therapy: What to look for as a client - Lisa Wyllie - Limited capacity, trans and non-binary people only
Trans and non-binary people are often further distressed by therapists/counsellors who are not equipped to be working with us. Facilitated by a queer, non-binary therapist, this session will be provide information and space for discussion on what trans and non-binary should be looking for in an affirmative and trauma informed therapist.
Massage services – Cool Amber Massage
River from Cool Amber Massage will be providing chair-based massage services in the foyer. throughout the conference
Some sessions will only be available for trans and non-binary people, and some will have limited capacity. For events with limited capacity (10/15/20 people max) there will be sign up sheets at the registration desk - if you sign up for a session, please attend it.
The venue has a large lobby area where you can sit and relax between sessions, and we’ll also have a dedicated quiet room space in the boardroom.
Conference Schedule:
10.15 - 10.45 - Doors open & registration
10.45 - 11.05 - Welcome & Opening Plenary
11.15 - 12.30 - Session 1:
Lashes & 'tashes: A playful intro to the art of drag - Dorian T. Fisk / Writing for campaigns - Scottish Trans / Gender pre-zine-tation workshop – LGBT Health and Wellbeing / Movement and fitness confidence – LEAP Sports / New gender identity healthcare policies for Scotland - HIS & NES & Scottish Trans / What the Bible really says about trans people: Trans experiences of inclusive Christianity - Our Tribe / How to get the haircut you want from your barber - Black Creative
12.30 - 13.30 - Lunch
13.40 - 14.55 - Session 2:
Hear me out: Poetry and spoken word from trans and non-binary BPOC creatives - U-Belong / What’s next for trans healthcare in Scotland – Scottish Trans / Gender pre-zine-tation workshop – LGBT Health and Wellbeing /Know your rights and defend them! – Living Rent / Introduction to feminising makeup - Maya Jaye
14.55 - 15.10 - Short comfort break
15.15 - 16.30 - Session 3:
Come and try - Music Broth / Trans and non-binary experiences in Scotland - Scottish Trans / Graffiti sketching - Equality Network / What's the future for Trans Pride Scotland - Trans Pride Scotland / Affirmative and trauma informed therapy: What to look for as a client - Lisa Wylie / Know your rights and defend them! – Living Rent
16.40 - 17:00 - Closing Plenary
17.00 - Conference ends
Online sessions & Accessibility
Some sessions will be available for remote participation, and will be run as hybrid sessions via Zoom. If you would like to attend remotely, please select the “online” ticket option below, and we will send out joining instructions closer to the time.
All session spaces have step-free access, and the venue has accessible toilets, gendered toilets, and gender neutral toilets. For more information about accessibility, see here: https://www.theboardwalkglasgow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/The-Boardwalk-Access-Report-Jan-2024.pdf
The deadline has now passed to book a BSL interpreter for the event. If you have any access requests, please let us know in the accessibility requests box when booking your ticket, or email florence@equality-network.org.
If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact florence@equality-network.org
Getting there on the day
The conference takes place at The Boardwalk (105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF) which is
- 15 minutes walk from Glasgow Central Train Station
- 15 minutes walk from Buchanan Street Bus Station
- 10 minutes walk from Glasgow Queen Street Train Station
- 10 minutes walk from Buchanan Street Underground Station
You can use the trainline website or app to find train times into Glasgow Central or Queen Street Train Station from where you live, or the Stagecoach website to find out how to get there by bus.
The nearest car park is the Glasshouse on Glassford Street, or the St Enoch Centre car park. The Boardwalk is within the Glasgow Low Emission Zone (LEZ).