Community Event, Dance, Music, Visual Art

Feeling Connection (Undue Burden)

A teach-in and "ILL-egal" wedding exploring love and body autonomy for sick and disabled folks
When
Sat, Nov. 16, 2024 from 1-6pm
Where
5212 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19139
Price
Pay-what-you-can ($15 suggested donation)
This is a picture of Pamela Price and her friend Eric. Pam is a white person wearing an orange and black shirt and gold necklace and earrings. Her hair is adorned with white braids pulled up into a bun on top of her head — one braid in the front is red. Pam is also wearing a turquoise blanket. Eric, a Black man, is wearing a tan shirt and dark blue suit jacket. Both Eric and Pam are smiling wide.

Photo of artist Pam Price (right) and her friend Eric; Image ID in alt text

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.

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”.

Learn from 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).

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.

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!

Accessibility Notes
  • ASL tour will be available for Teach-In portion (time TBA)
  • Printed and downloadable PDF captioning for wedding programming will be available.
  • The venue and restroom are wheelchair accessible. For more notes on accessibility including nearby parking, please visit our Accessibility landing page.
  • 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 (mary@paintedbride.org). Please share by Nov. 2 to allow us adequate time to prepare. We will do our best for requests received after this date.

Featured Artists
Nat DiFrank (Trans Oral History Project)
QUEEROBICS
Parker Gabriel
Vinetta Miller
George Shands
DJ BINGS BLESSING
Healthy Sexuality Project
Supporters