Kicking Off Sexuality Month

Actress Trace Lysette will speak on February 20th during the 35th annual Sexuality Month.

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 30, 2018) – A keynote presentation by actress Trace Lysette will highlight the University at Albany’s annual recognition of Sexuality Month during the month of February.

Lysette, who is transgender, is an American actress best known for her role of Shea on “Transparent.” She will speak on Tuesday, February 20th at 8pm in the Campus Center Ballroom and will sign autographs following her presentation.

Lysette has appeared in numerous productions in addition to Transparent, including “Blunt Talk,” “Drunk History,” “Coffee House Chronicles” and more. She began her career as a hairstylist and makeup artist before appearing in an episode of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” launching her acting career.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Sexuality Month at UAlbany, established to support students facing critical issues and choices such as gender and sexuality, HIV/AIDS, relationships, identity and reproductive health.

The program, running Feb. 2-22, is coordinated by the University’s Student Association, the Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research, and Counseling and Psychological Services with funding from University Auxiliary Services.

“Sexuality Month was established 35 years ago at our university to recognize the importance of a number of key themes related to sexuality, broadly defined,” said M. Dolores Cimini, director for the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research and Sexuality Month planning committee co-chair. “Through our educational programs, we hope to meet the needs of our students as well as provide a retrospective and prospective look at the issues and challenges they are facing.”

In addition to Lysette’s keynote presentation, numerous Sexuality Month exhibits, film screenings, lectures and workshops will be offered from Feb. 2-22, including:

• Theater Performance: “Tense Vagina,” Performing Arts Center, Feb 5 & 6, 7:30 p.m.
• Sexuality Exhibits by Project SHAPE (Sexual Health And Peer Education), Campus Center Lobby, Feb. 2-22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Middle Earth Exhibit, Campus Center Lobby, Feb. 2-22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Lecture: Emily Witt, Investigative Journalist and Author, Campus Center 375, Thursday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
• Film screening: “I Am Not Your Negro: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of James Baldwin,” Page Hall (downtown campus), Feb. 9, 7 p.m.
• Book presentation: “Gender Before Birth: Sex Selection in a Transnational Context” by Rajani Bhatia, Humanities 354, Feb. 7, 12:30 p.m.

View the full schedule of events in the 2018 Sexuality Month brochure.

For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS headline feeds