This event takes place in person at Charis and on Crowdcast, Charis' virtual event platform. This event is free, but registration is required for virtual attendance. Please read the in-person event guidelines at the bottom of this page to be sure you can participate in the event. 

Charis welcomes Elias Capello in conversation with SJ Dillon in celebration of Trans Geographies of Joy: Building Community in Atlanta, an exploration of how trans activists confront the intersections of white supremacy and transphobia.

Trans Geographies of Joy charts the stories of trans activists in Atlanta, focusing particularly on people of color, to document how they confront the intersections of white supremacy and transphobia through their organizing. The volume offers insight into the oft-overlooked trans activist scene, particularly as political strategists and the broader news media struggle to make sense of newly-purple states like Georgia.

Elias Capello uncovers how trans activists create spaces to help them feel safe in the face of the violence they routinely encounter. He argues that colonialism, white supremacy, and cisnormativity are all connected through shame, designating cisgender bodies as "safe, secure, and sane.” Cisgender culture masks itself within whiteness to create a narrative of safety that prioritizes cisgender lives, all the while pathologizing, policing, and commodifying trans lives. Yet, as Capello illuminates, trans activists offer alternative narratives of safety, creating spaces of joy outside of cisnormativity’s colonial-based shame. The volume details how activists create art, spaces, and communities that help them flourish, illuminating trans pleasure and joy rather than focusing solely on the struggles trans people face.

Elias Capello is Professor of Anthropology in the Liberal Arts Department at Savannah College of Art Design, Atlanta.

SJ Dillon (they/them) is a PhD candidate in anthropology at Emory University and a student of Dr. Capello's. They study gender dysphoria in and around Atlanta, Georgia. They focus on community driven stories, histories, and re-telling of academia that integrates social justice.

Southern Fried Queer Pride (SFQP) is an Atlanta-based organization empowering Black queer and QTPOC centered communities in the South through the arts. Learn more at: https://www.southernfriedqueerpride.com/

The event is free and open to all people, but we encourage and appreciate a donation of $5-20 in support of the work of Charis Circle, our programming non-profit. Donate on Crowdcast or via our website: www.chariscircle.org/donate or in person at the event.

Charis Books is a fully wheelchair accessible space with on site van accessible parking, two ramps, and additional overflow accessible parking nearby. Additional accessibility information can be found on the Accessibility page of our website. 

In-person event guidelines:

All attendees must wear a face mask during the event.

We will begin seating people at 7:00 PM ET.

This event will be live-streamed via Crowdcast. 

As a reminder: If you are not feeling well, please do not come to the event.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines or to request specific accessibility accommodations, please contact info@charisbooksandmore.com or call the store at 404-524-0304.

Please contact us at info@chariscircle.org or 404-524-0304 if you would like ASL interpretation at this event. If you would like to watch the event with live AI captions, you may do so by watching it in Google Chrome and enabling captions: Instructions here. If you have other accessibility needs or if you are someone who has skills in making digital events more accessible please don't hesitate to reach out to info@chariscircle.org.

By attending our event, whether in person or virtually, you agree to our Code of Conduct: Our event seeks to provide a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), class, or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Unsolicited sexual language and imagery are not appropriate. Anyone violating these rules will be expelled from this event and all future events at the discretion of the organizers. Please report all harassment to Charis staff immediately or email info@chariscircle.org.

Trans Geographies of Joy: Building Community in Atlanta -- Elias Capello in conversation with SJ Dillon