The Gospel of Nonbinary

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When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female…then will you enter the kingdom.

Jesus of Nazareth
Saying 22
The Gnostic Gospel According to Thomas

 

Everything old is new again, and there’s a lot of precedent and depth for what’s going on today. Just sayin’.

OK, I love you.

Stay alive, and so will I.

Auntie Kate

 

Come Up to the Lab: My Gender Workshop

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Ever since Time Magazine proclaimed a “Transgender Tipping Point” a year and a half ago, I’ve been exploring trans identities and expressions that aren’t included in mainstream acceptance—because as a nonbinary trans person, I have yet to occupy any mainstream tipping point. So I’m researching this for a new book I’m working on: “Trans! Just for the Fun of It!” and that makes this workshop a laboratory. So…

…come up to the lab, and see what’s on the slab!

Workshop participants will be encouraged to step out of any gender/sexuality comfort zones they’ve managed to establish for themselves. We will experiment more or less safely with a few of the very real dangers of living a trans life in a cis world, including a good long look at whatever it might be that shames us, humiliates us, and otherwise prevents us from having a wonderfully fun time with our genders. The tools I’ll be using include postmodern theory and Tibetan Buddhism, which overlap in slapstick.

All this to say you can expect a day full of laughs, more than a few head-scratching puzzles, and most likely a tear or two or three. Please do join me!

Manchester, UK: Saturday, 6 February 10am

SOLD OUT: London, UK: Saturday, 13 February

kiss kiss

Kate

Up to Date with Auntie Kate, January 2016

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Dear fabulous you,

I’ve been pretty quiet on social media for some time now, and I’ve so much news to tell!!

First off, I’m alive and well. And three years ago I wasn’t sure I’d make it to see 2016. But after two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, I’m cancer-free now for just over two years! That’s two more years of life than I thought I was going to have. So, huge thank you’s to the thousands of people who contributed to my healthcare crowdsourcing campaign, back in 2012.

In gratitude, I’ve aimed to make this extra alive-time of mine count by focusing on 1) fun things to do that 2) help put an end to suffering for all sentient beings. Here’s what I've got cooking: 

  • A brand-new edition of my first book, Gender Outlaw
  • My first-ever theatrical tour of England
  • My first-ever day-long gender workshop
  • AND I’m gonna reveal some details of my recent secret adventures

I’ll be posting more about all of this over the next couple of days—please come back to see!

big love to you, deep respect for you, and a happy new year to all of us

Auntie Kate

Where’s Kate in January-February?

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I'm so glad to be out on the road again with some old favorite performances and workshops, as well as some brand new material. I'll be blogging soon about what exactly I'm up to—but here are some dates for now. I hope I get to see you at one of these gigs—if so, please do say hello! xoxo Auntie Kate
 
JANUARY APPEARANCES: 
 
January 10 Sunday matinee New York City: MDLSX, By Motus, Performed by Silvia Calderoni. I’m speaking on a talkback panel after the performance http://lamama.org/mdlsx/
 
January 15 Friday evening, New York City: SQUIRTS at La MaMa. I’m onstage with Miz June and PWR BTTM, one time only! http://lamama.org/squirts-2016/
 
January 30, Saturday evening, Hartford, CT: "TRANS, Beyond the Tipping Point" at Real Art Ways, co-presented with Mark Twain House. http://www.realartways.org/event/trans-beyond-the-tipping-point-an-evening-with-kate-bornstein/2016-01-30/
 
FEBRUARY ENGLAND TOUR:
 
February 5, Friday evening, Manchester, Queer Contact Festival at Contact Theater. Performance: “On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us.” http://contactmcr.com/whats-on/46295-qc16-kate-bornstein-on-men-women-and-the-rest-of-us/
 
February 6, Saturday all day workshop, Manchester, Queer Contact Festival at LGBT Foundation. MY GENDER WORKSHOP, http://contactmcr.com/whats-on/48492-qc16-kate-bornstein-my-gender-workshop/
 
February 9, Tuesday evening, London, The British Library. Kate Bornstein In Conversation With Paris Lees. http://www.bl.uk/events/kate-bornstein-in-conversation
 
February 13, Saturday all day workshop, London, MY GENDER WORKSHOP. https://www.facebook.com/events/1493628694277011/. For more info and booking, email zed at queerhearted dot com.
 
February 18, Thursday evening, Brighton, at Dome Studio Theatre, Performance: “On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us.” http://brightondome.org/event/8775/on_men_women_and_the_rest_of_us/
 
February 19, Friday afternoon workshop, Brighton, location tba. “Hello Cruel World: Survival Tips for Trans & GNC Youth"
 
February 20, Saturday night, London, at Duckie! In cabaret with Sooze Frumin and Dame Poppycock. http://www.duckie.co.uk/saturdays/page/2
 
February 21, Sunday evening, London: Benefit screening of Sam Feder’s documentary film, “Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger,” — details TBA
 
February 23-24 Tuesday-Wednesday evenings, London, at SoHo Theatre: Performance: “On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us.” http://sohotheatre.com/whats-on/kate-bornstein-on-men-women-and-the-rest-of-us/
 
February 26 Friday evening, London, Wheatsheaf Hall, a LoveSpirit event with Barbara Carrellas and me: "Our Journeys in Sex, Gender and Spirit.” Tickets and details: click here.
 
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MARCH, APRIL, MAY and JUNE BOOKINGS ARE IN THE WORKS
 
Please contact Jean at SpeakOutNow to bring me to a campus, town, or theater near you!
Trans collage

Trans Is Here To Stay—So Now What Do You Do?!

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Hello Dear Friends, Family, Allies, and Simply Curious,

I'm happy to say that my cancer has been in remission for nearly a year and a half. My strength and stamina continue to improve—and that means I'm ready to hit the road again this fall. Given all that's been happening in the wild and wacky world of trans over the last year or so, it's clear that a new version of Trans 101 is sorely needed. To that end, I've put together a new workshop and I'm taking it on the road:

Transgender Is Here to Stay—So Now What Do You Do?!

Trans collage

On May 29, 2014, Laverne Cox graced the cover of Time Magazine, along with the words, “Transgender Tipping Point, America’s Next Civil Rights Frontier.” Ever since then, there’s been more and more evidence that proves Time’s point. Transgender is irrevocably out of the closet, and smack dab center stage in the culture. Some common questions that all of us are having to ask include:

  • Is gender a binary, a spectrum, or what?
  • What’s the difference between transgender and trans?
  • Other than gender, can you name ten factors that define your sexuality? 
  • What are three can’t-fail ways to be an ally in Trans civil rights? 
    (Hint: it’s not pronouns or bathrooms)
  • What words for trans must you never use? 
    (Hint: there aren’t any—it just depends on who you're using them with)
  • Can you articulate a definitive truth of gender that everyone can agree on?

I’ve designed this lecture/workshop to provide the tools most folks might need to mindfully articulate, discuss, have fun with, and navigate on their own terms, the world beyond a transgender tipping point.

Now Booking My 2015-2016 Speaking & Performance Tours

I’m looking forward to presenting this workshop in your town, at your high school, on your campus, or at  your conference. Here's a shiny new touring catalogue that lays out pretty much everything I'm doing on tour these days:  Download KateBornstein_15-16_Tour_Catalogue

Booking & interview inquiries, please email me at katebornstein at earthlink dot net. To get in touch with me personally, the best way is still Twitter or Instagram @katebornstein.

Hope to see you soon in your town!

xox

Kate

Kate Bornstein Tour — Winter/Spring 2015

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Hiya. I'm SO PLEASED that I'm well enough for another round of tours.  Winter is almost fully booked, and my agent and I are still working on spring. If you see that I've got a free day in or around your area, and you'd like to book me for a performance, lecture, or workshop, please contact Jean Caiani through her website at SpeakOut. 

I'll update this page from time to time with new gigs, confirmations on dates currently being held, and/or specifics as I receive them. Please do let me know if you'd like to explore bringing me to see you in April or May. xoxo Auntie

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Friday, Feb 6: New York City, Athena Film Festival 2015 at Barnard College. Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger." Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder.

Saturday-Sunday, Feb 7-8 New York City: Gender Reel Film Festival at NYU. Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger." Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder. 

Saturday, Feb 21: San Francisco, CA, UCSF, where I keynote UCSF's  7th Annual LGBTQI Health Forum.

Monday, Feb 23: Portland, OR: My delightful day off with Anna Rigles, who made the following Oregon leg of my tour happen!

Tuesday, Feb 24: Portland, OR: Portland State University

Wednesday, Feb 25: Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University

Wednesday, Mar 4: Los Angeles, CA: Hammer Museum. Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger," as part of the Brian Weil Exhibit. Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder. Free to all who want to attend.

Thursday, Mar 5: Claremont, CA: Pitzer College.  Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger." Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder.

Thursday, Mar 12: Columbus OH, Ohio State University. Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger." Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder.

Sunday, Mar 15: Somewhere. My Birthday!

Monday, Mar 16: Somewhere. Barbara Carrellas' Birthday, AND Alex Gibney documentary film, "Going Clear," premiers on HBO. Pass the popcorn!

Sunday, Mar 22: Pittsburgh, PA, Carnegie Melon University. I keynote the 2015 MOSAIC Conference on Gender, with the theme "Deconstructing Gender: Beyond the Binary."

Wednesday, Mar 25: North Adams, MA, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Tuesday, Mar 31: Ewing, NJ, The College of New Jersey. Screening of "Kate Bornstein Is A Queer and Pleasant Danger." Audience talkback along with director, Sam Feder.

Thursday, Apr 2: University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

Thursday, Apr 9: San Jose, CA IMsL 2015

Friday, Apr 10: Palo Alto, HOLDING THIS DATE FOR CA, Stanford University

Saturday, Sunday, Apr 11-12: San Jose, CA. Barbara Carrellas and I are attending IMsL 2015. Plans are in the works for an onstage interview with one or both of us. Admission for paid attendees only.

Tuesday, April 28: New York City, Bluestocking Books, I'm reading at the New York City launch of Changers Book  2, By: T Cooper and Allison Glock-Cooper. I love these books. Look at how much time you have to read (or reread) Book 1! 

Thursday, May 21, London, UK: Hackney Attic, Me, Onstage in Conversation with my long time friend and colleague, Roz Kaveny.

On the Road Again!

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I’m delighted to write that my lung cancer continues to be officially in remission. What's more, my leukemia has dropped back down to Stage 0. So, here I go… heading back out on the road for a fall touring season. It’s been nearly two years since I was last out and about on a series of tours, performing, giving talks, facilitating workshops, and meeting with students and faculty.

Now, I’m still recovering from those years of surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, so my doctors, girlfriend, and touring agent have all laid down the law as to what I can do and what I mustn’t do. Used to be I could do a classroom appearance, a lecture, a workshop or a performance, a book signing, and meals with students and faculty—all in one day! I’d love to be able to continue with that kind of pace, but I haven’t yet built up enough energy and strength. So, I’m limiting myself to two of those events a day. What’s more, it used to be that I could live on fast food and Diet Pepsi. Now, I eat fresh veggies and fish. No sugar, gluten, or dairy. Lots of water. My presenters for this round of touring are making sure I eat well, and they’ve all built down time into my schedule.

I’m betting on a long-lasting remission, and ever-increasing health, energy and stamina. With all that in mind, I’m currently booking my winter/spring tour schedule. If you want to bring me to your town, please drop me a line at katebornstein at earthlink dot net. Any correspondence sent to this address for any reason other than booking tours, will not be answered. Twitter is still the best way to reach me for any personal reason. I hope to be tweeting updates from the road, as well as posting photos to Instagram. My account name at both Twitter and Instagram is @katebornstein. 

So, here I go! If you can, please catch up with me at one of the following stops.

October 20: New Orleans, LA. Tulane University
October 22: Radnor, PA. Cabrini College, National Body Image Conference
October 27: LaCrosse, WI. U Wisconsin LaCrosse
October 28: Waukesha, WI. U Wisconsin Waukesha
October 29: Madison, WI. U Wisconsin Madison
October 30: Milwaukee, WI. U Wisconsin Milwaukee
November 8: Chicago, IL. U Chicago, conference “Transgender In the Academy and In the Arts”
November 20: Bristol, RI. Roger Williams College, Transgender Day of Remembrance

kiss kiss,

Auntie Kate

GenderFluid, a Weeklong NYC Festival of Performance, Film, and Art

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Laverne Cox, Holly Woodlawn, Kate Bornstein & more headline

GENDERFLUID

September 9 – 13 at Baruch Performing Arts Center 

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PRESS RELEASE

Baruch Performing Arts Center presents GenderFluid, a weeklong festival of performance, film, and art by transgender and genderfluid artists, Sept. 9-14. Featured performers include Emmy-nominated Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox, performance artist and Gender Outlaw author Kate Bornstein, Andy Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn, stand-up comedian Ian Harvie, and more. Baruch Performing Arts Center is located at 55 Lexington Avenue (entrance on 25th Street).

Tickets are available at the box office, online at www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac, or by phone at 212-352-3101.

Tuesday, September 9 – Laverne Cox and M. Lamar

Actor and activist Laverne Cox is one of the most well-known transgender women in the country, with a Time Magazine cover, an Emmy nomination, and numerous national television interviews to her credit. She is joined by her twin brother, artist M. Lamar, as they discuss growing up in Alabama, their growing realization of the paths their lives would take, their family, and their careers today. M. Lamar's solo art exhibition Negrogothic is at Participant Sept. 7-October 12; he also played Cox's character pre-transition on Orange is the New Black. This is the first speaking engagement Cox and Lamar have done together. 8PM; Mason Hall, 17 Lexington Avenue. $20; $100 VIP tickets include preferred seating and a backstage photo op with Cox and Lamar. Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938829

Wednesday, September 10 – Gabrielle LeRoux and Victor Mukasa

South African artist Gabrielle LeRoux travels throughout Africa photographing transgender individuals. She will show short films she has created about them, as well as many of her photographs, and is joined by Ugandan gender activist Victor Mukasa to discuss the state of transgender issues in Africa. 7:30 PM; Engelman Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). Free.

Wednesday, September 10 – Andy Warhol: Celebrating the Famous and the Unknown

Baruch's Sidney Mishkin Gallery opens this exhibition of photographs and silkscreen prints by Warhol — including many of his genderfluid friends. 5 PM; Sidney Mishkin Gallery, 135 East 22nd Street at Lexington, 646-660-6652.  Free.

Thursday, September 11 – Passing Ellenville

A screening of the short documentary Passing Ellenville, which looks at the lives of James and Ashlee, two transgender teens living in a small, impoverished town in the Hudson Valley. Followed by a talkback with the filmmaker Gene Fischer. 7 PM; Engelman Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). Free.

Thursday, September 11 – Busted! The Musical

Bianca Leigh stars in this funny and moving autobiographical one-woman show about her decision to fund her gender reassignment surgery by working as a dominatrix – a decision that led her to Riker's Island. Original songs by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), Taylor Mac, and other theatre notables. Directed by Tim Cusack and presented by Theatre Askew. 8 PM; Engelman Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). $20 ($15 students and seniors) Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938455

Friday, September 12 – Kate Bornstein: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us

Kate Bornstein is the original gender outlaw, and this is an evening of her favorite autobiographical spoken word pieces—her most personal stories, her favorite comic and dramatic monologues from over a quarter of a century on the stage with this material. With great love and tenderness, Kate gently guides audiences through a moving, rollicking, and ultimately uplifting journey through sex and gender beyond the binary of men-and-women-only. 8 PM; Nagelberg Theatre, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). $30 ($20 students and seniors); $60 VIP tickets include preferred seating and a backstage photo op. Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938556

Saturday, September 13 – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Hedwig was willing to undergo a sex change to marry the soldier she loves and escape Communist East Germany – but things didn't quite go as planned. A screening of the rock musical film starring John Cameron Mitchell (the play is currently running on Broadway). 6 PM; Engelman Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). Free.

Saturday, September 13 – An Evening with Holly Woodlawn

Film Director Paul Morrissey will introduce Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn. Holly will be interviewed onstage by Michael Musto about her life and career, and share rare clips from her own collection of her films, TV appearances, and live stage appearances. She'll also perform a few songs live, including the classic "Walk on the Wild Side" – which Lou Reed wrote about HER. A rare evening with a legend.
8 PM; Nagelberg Theatre, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). $25. ($20 students and seniors); $50 VIP tickets include preferred seating and a backstage photo op. Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938557

Saturday, September 13 – Ian Harvie: Superhero

You may know Ian Harvie as Margaret Cho’s opening act, a cross-country headliner or a groundbreaking trans comedian unafraid to joke about subjects no other comedian has ever touched. Harvie is hilarious, poking fun at topics from top surgery, to his fear of public restrooms, to his active sex life. Harvie’s unique act queers the traditionally macho, sex-obsessed world of stand up in ways you won't believe, proving that laughter cuts across all gender identities and ultimately unites us all. You can see him co-starring on the new TV series Transparent on Amazon, out at the end of September. 9:30 PM; Nagelberg Theatre, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street). $20. ($15 students and seniors). Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/938464

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Baruch Performing Arts Center is celebrating its tenth anniversary this fall. With four separate theatres, BPAC presents a full slate of theatre, music, dance, lectures, films, and panels throughout the year. Located on the Baruch College Campus, BPAC is under the aegis of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences. The Weissman School celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this fall.