Authenticity, is a word that I have heard thrown around throughout the course of the Summer Institute. The first time I made note of it in my notebook was 6/24, though at this point my poor journal is riddled with this word in quotes with a question mark next to it.

By the 24th, I'd heard it used at least three times but since then I have heard the word Authenticity more than once from each of my facilitators, at least half of my classmates, and most poigniantly at the Gender Variant panel hosted by Frameline. I remember the uses of it that day in particular because I remember flinching through the entire panel, people talking about authentic representation of trans/gender/variance and passing while the audience watched on. Though I didn't grow up in a two parent household it made me think about what it might feel like to watch your parents get into an argument in the supermarket, but I digress. 

Additionally, I have heard authenticity and the words from which it derives (authentic and authentically) in reference to: maintaining a curricula, representing gender, representing race, upholding research and...I'm sure I'm missing something. 

Now, I admit to throwing around the "A word" both during and prior to NSRC but what I wonder if we're all using the same language when we use it. So let's take a second, according to Miriam-Webster:

Sitting and watching slides in Hector Carrillos' lecture on Sexual Tourism, while reflecting on the lecture on Sexual Migration from the previous day I thought 3 things to myself:

1. I wonder if anyone is doing research on LGBTQ youth of color leaving their neighborhoods to engage in sex/ "their community", and if so what that looks like. 

2. Sexual Migration IS research! It seems so common sense, how did I not realize that?

and

3. How have I been here so long and not had sex? 

When I knew that I was coming to San Francisco I established that I would begin to decide or more accurately begin fleshing out how I/my ideas could be a part of academia. I was going to ask questions about how my classmates got into grad school, how they chose their programs, what their fields of study have to do with sex/sexuality or gender, discuss my work experience in relation to academia and maybe point out a flaw or two because of it. Despite, all of these noble intentions both in my head (and yes, in my heart) I still knew that I wanted to be having sex. Listening to Carrillo speak about Sexual Tourism in such a way, gave it a sense of liberating normalcy that moved that want from the sides of my mind more to the forefront right behind homework and bonding with classmates, so I set out renewed of this additional intention. To get it. 

Transmarch: adorable queermo's everywhere, public drinking and smoking (wtf,...