The definition and awareness of gender is evolving. For those in the “helping” professions, understanding the term transgender can be critical for treating clients sensitively and appropriately.

Social worker Talcott Broadhead is coming to Orcas Island for day-long training about the issues and barriers experienced by transgender people and those close to them.

“It will emphasize an anti-oppression and liberation approach to serving transgender and gender non-conforming individuals and their families,” Broadhead said.

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of the San Juan Islands is sponsoring the free session on Friday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Odd Fellows Hall. While it is designed for mental health and medical professionals, anyone is invited to attend. To register, contact Anita Castle at 376-5979.

Broadhead has a masters of social work from the University of Washington School, is a gender justice advocate and professional social worker in Olympia and a domestic violence/sexual violence advocate and therapist and coordinates The Office of Sexual Assault Prevention at Evergreen State College.

Transgender is an umbrella term used to describe identities (woman, man, neither or both) that don’t match the gender that an individual was assigned at birth. Broadhead says there are a lot of misconceptions about transgender people, primarily that they are experiencing a mental disorder or are sexually deviant.

“Being transgender is an identity. A gender identity. We all have a gender identity, none of which are wrong or abnormal,” Broadhead said. “Many people latch onto images or ideas that have been generated by mainstream media and/or longer standing cultural myths about this term. The overt prejudice experienced by trans folks may play out a little differently from community to community but the institutional and cultural oppression manifest similarly regardless of community.”

Broadhead says that prejudice can be felt in lack of access to services that are sensitive, validating, and gender-confirming. Disparities in income, employment, insurance coverage and social acceptance cause trans people to experience high rates of homelessness, imprisonment, poverty, unaddressed health care concerns, sexual violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, unemployment, violence and suicide.

The training will address the many ways that providers can change their services to be “trans-affirmative, equalizing, liberating, and welcoming.”