Robbins Library to Host Gender Spectrum Panel on Tuesday March 28

Robbins Library will host a Gender Spectrum panel on Tuesday March 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Robbins Library Community Room. This event is the culminating program of Arlington Reads Together 2017 which has explored issues inspired by “Becoming Nicole”, the community read selection, during the month of March. The gender spectrum panel brings together three individuals who who have a variety of gender identities that fall under the trans umbrella: transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, or otherwise gender variant. Hear about their professional experience working with trans people and personal experiences being part of the trans community.

AJ Brown is gender fluid/androgynous and works as a therapist at a non-profit psychiatric hospital. Taj Smith is black, transgender, and Christian. He graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 2016 and currently works there as an Academic Coordinator. Bobbi Taylor identifies as genderqueer and serves as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and as an LGBTQIA+ representative on the State Commission for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth.

The 2017 Arlington Reads Together selection is “Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family” by Amy Ellis Nutt. “Becoming Nicole,” published in 2015, is the story of a rural American family who are middle-class and politically conservative. Ms. Maines and her brother were assigned male at birth. Around age two, Ms. Maines started to express her gender identity as a girl.

Arlington Reads Together started in 2002 as a way of bringing the community together through literature. The goal is to address issues, understand differences and create connections through the shared experience of one book chosen by a committee consisting of librarians and community volunteers. Co-sponsored by the Vision 2020 Diversity Task Group, the Arlington Reads Together program is now in its 14th year.

This event is part of Arlington for All (#arl4all), a project by the Arlington Human Rights Commission highlighting diversity in our town and celebrating how embracing our different physical, cultural, and religious histories make us more interesting and stronger as a community. This town-wide campaign includes a number of organizations, schools, arts groups, faith communities, and individuals. For more information, see https://twitter.com/arl4all.

Questions can be directed to Maura Deedy at mdeedy@minlib.net or 781-316-3202.