Events
"The First Jew in Canada: A Trans Tale" Performance and Q&A
Date and Time
Thursday, March 27, 2025 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location
Eberhard Center, second floor (Pew Campus, downtown Grand Rapids)
Description
Brought to you by the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies department in partnership with the LGBTRC, join us for 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.
Join us for this FREE event on GVSU's Pew Campus: second floor of Eberhard Center. Contact Dr. Krista Benson via email at bensokri@gvsu.edu with any questions.
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.
This event has been tagged as history, lgbtqia, trans, twov, and wgs.
Contact
Email Dr. Krista Benson at bensokri@gvsu.edu for more information or with any questions.