April 27, 2009 — How much does the University of Virginia community know about people who are transgender, the descriptive term referring to someone who crosses gender barriers?

Debra Davis, the founder and executive director of Minnesota's Gender Education Center, will speak about transgender issues Wednesday, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., in the Newcomb Hall Theater. Davis is an award-winning author, educator, activist and frequent speaker at conferences and conventions throughout the U.S.

The Gender Education Center is a non-profit organization of differently gendered people dedicated to support, advocacy and education. Davis consults for employers, law enforcement, human rights agencies and not-for-profit service providers regarding policies that affect transgender people.

Davis is especially effective in coordinating workplace transitions for transgender employees. A retired high school librarian, Davis came out in May of 1998 as a transgender woman at Southwest High School in Minneapolis. This is believed to be one of the first successful transitions in the nation of a transgender person working with children in secondary education. 

The Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Equal Opportunity Programs, the Faculty and Employee Assistance Program and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center are sponsoring this Universitywide presentation.

More information can be found at www.debradavis.org.