After more than 20 years, the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference — one of the largest transgender-focused events in the United States — is ending its in-person gathering. Instead, organizers say they will shift to year-round LBGTQ+ programming under a new name: the Charlene Arcila Trans Wellness Collective.
“Because of the political climate, we made the difficult, but we believe, correct choice that providing a continuum of programs throughout the year is the prudent and appropriate decision to best serve our community. This isn’t stepping back. It’s stepping forward in a moment of need,” said David Weisberg, chief development officer for the Mazzoni Center, the event’s organizer.
The Human Rights Campaign recently declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans, citing a surge in state-level bills targeting queer and transgender rights.
Other LGBTQ+ conferences have also been canceled. The LGBTQ+ Health Care Conference, hosted by the IU School of Medicine, set to be held in April, was canceled at the end of January. It has been an annual gathering since 2017. Mary Dankoski, executive associate dean, said the conference was canceled due to “challenging” state legislation.
Grant Cancellations May Impact Events
The Trump administration’s cancellation of hundreds of transgender research grants could impact future related events, said Cameron Curtis, CEO of the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association.
Curtis warns that this is a troubling trend. “It’s unfortunate that an in-person Trans Wellness conference has been canceled in a time when it’s so critical for the Transgender community to have strong and unconditional support. I think more cancelations are to come,” Curtis said.
Ashley Brundage, CEO of leadership training company Empowering Differences and past attendee of the Philadelphia conference, sees the cancellation as a significant loss.
“An in-person conference is an opportunity for people to come together. This is especially important in the transgender space as many don’t always get the opportunity to be their authentic selves,” Brundage said.
“There is a stark difference between the first Trump administration, when anti-DEI sentiment was more covert, and today, where it’s front and center,” Brundage said, noting the shift has drastically impacted her company’s business.
Global Travel Concerns Mount
Trump’s anti-DEI policies are creating international concern. InterPride, representing over 375 Pride groups in 70 countries, issued a travel advisory. It cites a Trump executive order requiring passports, visas, and Global Entry cards to recognize only two sexes, male and female.
“If your passport has ‘X’ as a gender marker or differs from your birth-assigned gender, we strongly recommend contacting the U.S. diplomatic mission before traveling to confirm entry requirements,” the InterPride advisory states.
At least six European countries — Germany, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom — have updated their travel advisories to warn transgender and nonbinary travelers about potential risks in the United States.
