About

For the last twenty years, Swarthmore College has hosted the Sager Symposium on a current topic for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. It is supported by the Sager Fund, which was created in 1988 by Swarthmore alumnus Richard Sager ‘73. In the past few years, symposia have explored sexual politics in the bedroom, boardroom, and classroom; queer media; coalition building across queer differences; queer people of color; the intersections of race, religion, and gender; queer activism; same-sex marriage and queer families; and transgender movements.

This year’s theme is The Boundaries of Queer. Currently the predominant LGBTQ movement in the United States presents their issues in terms of a gay/straight dichotomy. We respond: “What happened to queer?” As academic communities and radical social movements increasingly embrace the word “queer” over gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, we must interrogate the contours of such an identity – the boundaries of queer. Is queer defined by whom we desire or how we desire? To what extent does the word queer derive meaning from the context in which it is articulated? What are the advantages/disadvantages of identifying as queer or gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender? Does queer encompass issues outside of sexuality and gender, such as race, class, religion? On the 20th Anniversary of the Sager Symposium at Swarthmore we ask what informs a community or individual’s choice in terms of self-identification. As we critically examine the language that defines our communities, we address the insights that arise through the process of identification and how the terms we use to express identities contribute to social change.

The Sager Symposium is made possible by the Sager Fund. This year’s co-sponsors include the President’s Office; Intercultural Center; Office of Multicultural Affairs; Black Cultural Center, Office of Alumni Relations; Office of Gender Education; the Departments and Programs of English Literature, Film & Media Studies, Interpretation Theory, Latin American Studies, Peace & Conflict Studies, Sociology & Anthropology, Theater Studies, Women’s Studies Program; Black Studies, Forum for Free Speech; Student Budget Committee; Student Activities Committee, Swarthmore Queer Union; Enlace; Swarthmore African American Student Society, Deshi, Swarthmore Asian Organization, Delta Upsilon Fraternity, and the Women’s Resource Center.

All events are free and open to the public!
Please see the registration section for more information on getting here, lodging, accessibility, and childcare concerns!