Gaysl Keynote with Hayden Kristal

*This event has passed, but check out our recording :)

Hayden Kristal is a Brooklyn-based former zookeeper who gave up a lucrative career in salamanders to pursue comedy and public speaking. Speaking on the topics of diversity and intersectionality Hayden has spoken for colleges and organizations across the country including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, the Connecticut Supreme Court and TEDx.

GaySL is a highly interactive, variable, and hilarious workshop teaches its participants LGBTQ-related American Sign Language signs while fostering a group discussion about Deaf culture, intersectionality, accessibility and more.

During the presentation participants will be encouraged to sign along as we learn the signs for GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER, GENDER, ALLY, COMING-OUT, PARTNER, BINARY, DRAG KING/QUEEN, IDENTITY, RAINBOW, PRIDE, etc., as well as requested signs. The signs serve as jumping off points for discussion about the intersection of Deafness and Queerness. (Example: ALLY- how does Deaf culture perceive LGBTQ people? How are the Deaf received by the LGBTQ community? What can you do to be a better ally to both groups?)

The goal for this workshops is not that participants will leave fluent in ASL. The point is to get people thinking about Deafness, disability, and the struggles faced by LGBTQ people who are also Deaf or disabled; to inspire people to learn more, and create accessibility to allow ALL LGBTQ people to utilize their resources and participate in their events.

GaySL has been presented at a wide variety of LGBTQ, disability, and diversity conferences across North America, including the Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference, the Northeast LGBT Conference, LGBT in the South, the LGBT Leadership Conference, IvyQ, the Mid-Atlantic LGBTQ Conference, the 5 College Queer Conference, the Asterisk Transgender Conference, and more.