Q U E E R I F Y
HAWAIIAN HISTORY MONTH | FILIPINO HISTORY MONTH | LGBT HISTORY MONTH
FALL 2023
MAIN PROGRAM | SESSION DESCRIPTIONS | PRESENTERS
Click on a session title to register for a session.
Note: Our apologies, sessions will not be recorded.
Kaimana Namihira, Kaleimomi Timoteo
Monday, September 11, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Popular television shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race and Dragula have propelled drag into mainstream spaces. This increased presence in popular culture has also led to fierce resistance: Of the hundreds of anti-LGBT bills introduced in state legislatures in 2023, many have sought to ban drag and drag performances.
In this session, we will join local drag performers Kaleimomi Timoteo and Kaimana Namihira to discuss the art of drag performance, its influence on and importance in the queer community, as well as contemporary drag in the local community.
Diverge: Intersections of Queerness & Neurodivergence
Kaleiheana-a-Pōhaku Stormcrow
Tuesday, September 12, 2023, 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM
Though research is still emerging, studies have shown that transgender and gender diverse people may be three to six times more likely to be autistic. Neurodivergence remains a relatively unknown topic in both mainstream culture and the queer community, making its intersection with queerness and the experiences of queer, neurodivergent individuals an important topic to explore In this session, we will speak with Kaleiheana-a-Pōhaku Stormcrow, who lives as both queer and neurodivergent, to discuss how these identities have intersected in their lived experiences.
Hula & Māhū: Finding Strength in Cultural Connection
Hoʻomanawanui Apo, STacey Kapuaokalani Kaʻauʻa
Tuesday, September 19, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
As the LGBTQIA+ community works to stand strong in the face of growing anti-queer sentiment in the social and legal spheres, for those who are māhū, hula can serve as a space for grounding and refuge. Traditional Hawaiian culture recognizes māhū as respected community figures and teachers, and māhū occupy important roles in hula. In this session, we will explore the role that māhū have played and still play in hula, as well as how hula and grounding in culture can heal our relationship to and understanding of the meaning of māhū.
Finding Hina: A Personal Journey to Redefine Māhū
Kaleikūkamakani Ruiz
Thursday, September 21, 2023, 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
“Māhū” has been used widely in local Hawaiʻi vernacular as a slur towards the LGBTQIA+ community. The origin of this word, however, contrasts starkly with this derisive use, as māhū is connected to a history of reverence and kuleana (responsibility) in pre-colonial Hawaiʻi. In this session, Kalei Ruiz will discuss his personal journey to redefine this word, removing it from an oppressive context and reconnecting it with ideas of kuleana (responsibility) and belonging.
Coming Out: When The World Won't Let You
Adam Halemano
Wednesday, September 27, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
For many within the LGBTQ+ community, living a life in the shadows has more than its fair share of disheartening setbacks and challenges. Cutting across the proverbial grain of heteronormative expectations can prove precarious when navigating societal assumptions, projections, and pitfalls. The attainment and/or appearance of normalcy and compliance within our society has led to the pernicious subjugation of an individual's dignity, freedom, and justice, which can amount to a life of lies, denial, and deception.
As a gay man living a heteronormal lifestyle, fear, depression, and anxiety was the ballast that helped to stabilize, preserve, and protect the inauthentic narrative I conjured for myself. With unconditional support from my family and friends, I was able to step out from the shadows and reclaim the authentic part of me that was locked away with no prospect for repentance and redemption. For those of you who wish to know my story, please join me in this revealing talk story session.
A-SPEC: Discovering Aromanticism & Asexuality
Micah Mizukami, Summer Muramoto, Kalei Ruiz
Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Societal norms support the ideas that interest and engagement in romance and sex are necessary to be “normal.” Navigating these expectations can be difficult for those who do not have these sorts of attraction or experience such attraction in ways that are not deemed the norm. A-Spectrum identities and experiences, which encompass aromanticism and asexuality, articulate absence of or variations in patterns of romantic and sexual attraction. In this session, we will have a talk story between Micah Mizukami, Summer Muramoto, and Kalei Ruiz, all who identify as A-Spec and will share their experiences in navigating A-Spec identity.
Alana Duhaylonsod, Adam Halemano, Kawena Lorenzo
Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Statistics have shown that those who are LGBTQIA+ or disabled experience more mental distress than the general population; additionally, studies have also shown that LGBTQIA+ individuals are more likely to live with a disability. In a society in which queerness and disability are othered, there exist important intersections between these sets of identities and experiences. In this session, we will hear about the experiences of a few queer folks who live with disabilities, including Alana Duhaylonsod, Kawena Lorenzo, and Adam Halemano, and articulate what it is like to live at the intersection of being queer and disabled.
Professionally Queer: Navigating Queer Identity in Career Settings
Dillon Ancheta, Visaluana CAstillo, Kawena Lorenzo,
Kaleo Ramos, Scott Sutherland
Thursday, October 19, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Many professional spaces, much like our society as a whole, remain largely guided by the ideas of the gender binary and heteronormativity. These lenses, which exclude queerness, can and often do result in the exclusion and othering of queer individuals. Queer professionals often need to consider carefully how to represent themselves in professional spaces in order to be seen as professionals as opposed to outsiders. In this session, we will hear from a panel of professionals regarding how they have navigated career settings.
How to Be An Ally to the LGBTQIA+ Community
Scott Sutherland, & Syreeta Washington, Kaleikūkamakani Ruiz,
Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
LGBTQIA+ and queer individuals are often asked by allies: “How can I be a good ally to the community?” In this session, three UH professionals will share their thoughts regarding what effective allyship can entail, as well as how intersections with race and indigeneity can add important nuances to what it means to be an ally.
Navigating Filipinx + Queer Identity
Maiana MInahal, Kiki Rivera
Thursday, October 26, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
In Filipinx communities, the word bakla is often used to encompass Filipinx queerness, whether as a descriptor or a derogatory term. However, the identities and experiences of queer Filipinx people are much more diverse than can be encapsulated in the often stereotypical application of that one word. In this session, we will have a talk story with queer Filipinx individuals to discuss the joys and challenges of navigating the intersections of their culture and family dynamics with their queer identities.
Creating a Culture of Acceptance: Parents as Allies
Amy Amper, Lexer Chou, & Dr. Michelle Igarashi
Thursday, November 2, 2023, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
When it comes to acceptance, parents can play an integral role in ensuring their children feel loved and supported. In this talk story, we will speak with three parents and allies - Amy Amper, Lexer Chou, and Dr. Michelle Igarashi - to explore how they have navigated creating a culture of love and belonging in their homes to ensure their children feel accepted, regardless of who they are or who they choose to love.