Founding and History

Established in 2002, the Translating Identity Conference (TIC) was among the first and became one of the largest conferences in New England focused on transgender identities, issues, and lives. Founded, planned, and executed by students in UVM’s Queer Student Union (formerly known as Free2Be GLBTA) and campus volunteers for over 15 years, TIC was a space for education and community building for students, administrators, families, activists, health and helping professionals, and others. TIC organizing alum have gone on to become leaders in VT and beyond, having tremendous impact on trans and queer lives. After a hiatus to assess sustainability for organizers and a pandemic delay, TIC returned in 2024 with a focus on trans joy and the needs of college students as emerging leaders in the face of an unprecedented number of attacks on trans people and communities, especially youth.

TIC is a one-day event with educational workshops, art making, social spaces, and resources for our diverse audience of attendees. This conference is open to the public and always free. We encourage attendees to donate to help support the cost of the conference if they have the resources to do so. TIC is intentionally is a space that centers and serves trans people, and we ask all cisgender attendees and potential presenters to honor that at all times during your participation in the conference.

TIC's Guiding Values

• All are welcome.  This is a trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, agender, and gender-expansive centered space.
• There is no one way to be queer, no right way, and no such thing as "not queer enough" or "too queer".
• We use the power we have individually and collectively to center the voices and experiences of those who have less power in our queer/trans communities.
• We commit to unlearning oppressive behaviors and worldviews, and to growing and learning from the mistakes we make. We give and receive feedback with grace.