Queerness Beyond Borders

Drawing across and beyond disciplinary and geographical borders, linking academia and activism, bridging politics and policy, and uniting vision with action, Queerness Beyond Borders seeks to expand theoretical and practical horizons. This three-day conference will explore normative and conceptual issues surrounding queerness such as inter-sex and trans rights across countries, the boundaries of the ‘gender binary’, queerness as grounds for refugee status, and how to translate academic ideas into policy outcomes.

The conference is organised jointly by Worcester College (University of Oxford) and Philiminality Oxford. Talks will be scheduled for the afternoon and early evening (GMT) each day, in the spirit of time-zone inclusivity. 

Confirmed invited speakers include:

Hon. Louisa Wall - (Parliament of New Zealand Pāremata Aotearoa) -  A queer, indigenous MP from New Zealand, and drafter of the marriage equality law that legalised same-sex marriage in NZ.

Prof. Philip Ayoub - (Occidental College) - Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations. Queer activist and scholar focussing on LGBTIQ+ rights, social movements, transnational politics, sexuality and gender.

Andrea Jenkins - (Minneapolis City Council) The first black openly transgender councillor in the United States.

Prof. Kerri Woods (University of Leeds) - Associate Professor of Political Theory. Scholar focussing on the political philosophy of human rights, feminist thought and refugees.

Valentino Vecchietti - Intersex activist specialising in issues relating to intersex and queer persons’ rights in Europe and beyond. They work with universities and provide consultation in the arts.

Conference website: https://queernessbeyondborders.weebly.com/. 

The conference is organised with the generous support of the Mind Association, Worcester College, Oxford and Balliol College, Oxford.

The conference organisers,

Johann Go, Matteo Parisi, Robin Brons, and Lea Cantor

University of Oxford