"The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale" Performance & Q & A (APPROVED INT 100/201)

Thursday, March 27, 2025
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Alumni, Community, Faculty, Staff, Students

The Incredible True Story Of Jaques LaFargue, The 18th Century Transgender Jewish Ancestor You’ve Never Heard Of!

Written and Performed by S. Bear Bergman

The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale is a wild journey in story, crossing oceans, religions, genders, and centuries, mapping the life of Jacques LaFargue - the trans Jewish 18th century historical figure whose very existence challenges current perceptions of transgender history and identity.

Through the lens of nine verifiable facts, this show begins with the historical records of Jacques LaFargue and overlays the personal narrative of narrator S. Bear Bergman, a Jewish transgender man whose modern life mirrors Jacques’s in startling, hilarious, exhausting and illuminating ways. From daring adventure to startling truth, each fact becomes a gateway to exploring broader themes of identity, history, and the desire to be seen.

Co-Sponsored by the Religious Studies Program; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance; The School of Interdisciplinary Studies; and the Milton E. Ford LBGT Resource Center.

Location Information

Eberhard Center, 2nd Floor

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Contact Information

Dr. Krista Benson, bensokri@gvsu.edu

Hosting Department, Organization, or Business

The Religious Studies Program; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance; The School of Interdisciplinary Studies; and the Milton E. Ford LBGT Resource Center.

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This event was added to the calendar by Krista Benson (bensokri@gvsu.edu) on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 and was last updated on Monday, February 17, 2025 at 10:02 a.m.