Feeling Connection is a celebration of Disabled defiance against expectations around mind/body autonomy and the boundaries of SSI/SSDI. Join us for community teach-ins around relationships, consent/sex, and the SSI/SSDI “marriage penalty." Then join us for an ILL-egal wedding ceremony & dance party!
This event is for Sick, Disabled, Mad, neurodivergent, blind, and D/deaf folks.
Part of Undue Burden (Oct. 19 – Nov. 23, 2024), a community archive and event series celebrating the experiences of Disabled people.
Accessibility Notes
The venue and restroom are wheelchair accessible. Please see our access landing page for general access considerations and Covid protocols for events.
ASL tour for teach in (time TBA)
A corner will have designated space to process information learned and explored at the teach in where sex educators who are able to aid in processing or answering further questions throughout the teach in. The teach-in will explore topics of sex, relationships, and consent.
Printed and downloadable PDF captioning for wedding programming will be available.
Masks required and provided. Please rapid test before you attend and stay home if you are sick. Tests will be provided if you forget.
Air purifiers provided. Unmasking area for gallery snacks is curtained off but not totally separate.
Auto captioning provided.
QR codes available for audio descriptions of archive materials.
Low sensory areas provided.
Comfy and larger seating provided.
Share accessibility needs through the ticket registration page, or by emailing Mary Zhou ([email protected]). Please share by Nov. 2 to allow us adequate time to prepare. We will do our best for requests received after this date.
Event Schedule
1-3pm: Teach-Ins
Roam and learn through mini presentations exploring topics of relationships, consent/sex, and how we can work together to expand programs in SSI/SSDI - specifically the “marriage penalty”.
Join multiple community organizations stationed throughout the space, including Trans Oral History Project, Temple Sexuality Project, Hotbits Film Festival, Your Empowered Sexuality (YES!) and Community Legal Services (CLS).
3-6pm: ILL-egal Wedding
- Marriage can have a major, penalizing impact on SSI payments for Disabled folks. How can we affirm our loving bonds with one another on our own terms?
- Officiant Parker Gabriel will “marry” any interested attendees, and QUEEROBICS will lead the first dance together. A dance party will follow, with a LOVE(u)/HATE(u) cover show and music from DJ BINGS BLESSINGS.
1-6pm: Photo Booth & Art Activation
- Throughout the day, take photos in our photo booth designed by Vinetta Miller and add them to the veil and gown of our wedding dress installation!