Trans 101
A Discussion for Everybody
Hosted by Lex Ryan
Email workwithus@trans-101.com
Address Los Angeles, CA (& globally)
ABOUT TRANS 101
Trans 101 is an informal conversation and workshop where participants are encouraged to bring their candid questions about gender. There are no prerequisites or litmus tests to attend—only the willingness to learn and lean into discomfort if it arises. Lex begins the session with a grounding in expectations and helpful terminology. The rest is a participatory workshop and discussion with participants. The content in the interactive part of the session will be different each time. What remains the same is the container we create, in which everyone is free to ask what they’re curious about without needing to have the “right” language.
WHO'S THIS FOR?
Trans 101 is for communities and groups (large and small) interested in:
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expanding their understanding of gender
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creating a more inclusive culture
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building capacity and resilience in difficult conversations
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learning how to support trans members and clients
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going beyond what they read in headlines and social media posts about trans people
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getting curious and comfortable talking about gender in ways that are not harmful
OUR
OFFERINGS
90-minute Brave Discussion
A 90 minute AMA (ask me anything) with Lex Ryan, trans activist and educator.
This is a great choice for community-based organizations, small businesses, and families, this workshop starts off with a 20 minute presentation on basic terminology and answers to some frequently asked questions. Then the floor is opened for questions and discussion about any topics relating to gender identity and the trans experience in this brave space. Lex will provide insight into any question, and give context for why there are questions many trans folks don’t want to be asked. Lex is a gentle and caring guide who helps participants expand their understanding of gender and be more inclusive of community members of all genders.
Group sizes: 5 - 50
Conducted via Zoom
Fee is on a sliding scale based on group’s resources,
inquire for details
The Trans 101 Retreat
A mix of practical tools and personal exploration, the Trans101 Retreat goes far beyond terminology and political correctness. Participants will engage in exercises that expand their understanding of gender, increase empathy, and recontextualize the fear of “messing up” with a trans person. We teach specific frameworks for approaching fraught situations with curiosity instead of defensiveness, and methods to communicate and repair when harm has been done. This workshop will give a group the tools and context they need to transform the organization’s culture and create a safer, more welcoming environment for trans colleagues and clients. The Trans 101 Retreat can be a once per week session for four weeks, or it can be a two-day experience, depending on what your org's needs and resources are.
Group sizes: 5 - 20
Conducted via Zoom,
with the option for in-person if budget allows
Fee is on a sliding scale based on org resources, and starts at $1k.
Options for customization & specific goals
ABOUT
LEX RYAN
Lex Ryan (they/them) is the creator and facilitator of Trans 101. Lex was a strange child who spent a lot of time memorizing the dialogue from entire movies and fighting off bullies. As an adult Lex spends their time organizing with White People 4 Black Lives (the Los Angeles affiliate of Showing Up for Racial Justice) and working as an actor and photographer. You can see Lex in the Showtime series The L Word: Generation Q where they shared the screen with Jennifer Beals, and the award-winning independent feature film Under My Skin. With their lived experience as a trans person and their background as a storyteller and activist, Lex hopes to impact the way people think about gender and race.
ABOUT
KATE DOWNEY
Kate Downey (she/her) is the producer of Trans 101. As co-founder of NYC’s Caveat theater, Kate established the original production slate, including Why Your Train is F*cked, Nerd Search, and Doctors Without Boundaries. She co-created the Nevertheless She Existed podcast, a finalist at the Yes, And Laughter Lab with Comedy Central. She also created the biographical narrative audio format at Himalaya Learning, while producing audio courses with leading experts in happiness research. As an expert on audience engagement, Kate has worked with Nike, Club Med, The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum & Ghost Ranch, and the US Parks Department. She was an Assistant Director at New York City Opera and an Assistant Producer at the Public Theater.
WHAT
OUR PARTNERS
SAY
"Trans 101 created a brave space for members of our non-queer community to ask tough questions. Lex's graceful, open-hearted, and honest personality was fun and inclusive. Highly recommended."
"Lex Ryan is the perfect person to take people by the hand and introduce them to the trans world. They led a Zoom program for our local library outside of Manhattan and drew an enormous crowd, answering all sorts of questions regarding identity, pronouns, gender, trans children, and their personal journey. Our audience was genuinely grateful to have such a gracious, open guide to a world so many are curious about."
Jackie Paré
Head of Programming,
Friends of the Larchmont Library
Manhattan, New York
WHERE WE'VE BEEN
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Larchmont Public Library, New York, NY
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Partnership for Community Action, Salida, CO