Ari
Kane, M.Ed.
Since 1972 Ari Kane has been working to improve the lives of transgendered people. His work has been outreach: informing and educating mental health professionals, the public at large,and individual members of our community. Ari founded the Outreach Institute of Gender Studies in 1975.
Ari has been a guest on countless radio and television shows. ln1980 he broke new ground appearing on the Phil Donahue show and was seen again on the David Suskind show in 1982. His informative articles have been frequently published in the popular press of the New England area. Ari pioneered outreach to the gay and lesbian community in the late 1970's when he made several well received presentations to the New England Gay , Lesbian, and Bisexual Regional Conferences.
Through the Institute, Ari has been tireless in his efforts to educate mental health professionals. Too often these providers have contributed to people's misery because they acted from ignorance. Ari has given informative seminars at the annual meetings of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, the Association for Humanistic Psychology, the American Society for Criminal Justice Professionals, the American Society of Sociology, and the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. In 1978, 1979, and 1980 the Institute organized international conferences focused exclusively on the social, medical, and legal aspects of transgendered behavior. Ari has presented on transgender issues in classrooms at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the departments of nursing, medicine, criminal justice, psychology, and sociology at Harvard, Boston University, and elsewhere. Ari contributed when the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for Transsexuals were first written in 1978.
More recently the Institute's educational efforts have involved the development of a seminar entitled Gender Attitude Reassessment Program.This day-long workshop encourages recognition and expression of the full range of gender linked behavior. The program has been presented to many professional groups and efforts are underway to make participation a requirement for certification by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.
Another battle which OIGS is fighting deals more directly with transgendered people. Over the past 25 years a call to the Institute has been the first step out of the closet for many scared and ashamed individuals. Ari Kane has taken those calls and encouraged those people. Trying to help the entire spectrum of the transgendered community, the Institute developed and refined many healing programs. Ari has worked to further the personal growth of both couples and individuals. He helped develop the first New Woman Conference and created the first program for wives and partners.
Perhaps the best known of Ari's accomplishments is Fantasia Fair. That joyful and productive program has been held annually for 21 years and I believe it has contributed significantly to the growth of many leaders in the transgendered community. For Ari Kane all this has been a labor of love. He has never received a salary for his work for the Outreach Institute. Reimbursement of expenses and health insurance has been his only recompense. The institute 's income is primarily from the profits of Fantasia Fair. Proceeds from the sale of literature do produce small amounts. Donations complete our funding sources. In the past, I believe Ari himself to have been the biggest contributor both of his time and his own money.
Ariadne Kane has a Masters degree and is a liscenced mental health counselor. He is currently studying to complete his Doctoral degree.
Ari Kane is a member of:
He offers counseling to gender conflicted people through the Theseus Counseling ServiceAmerican Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists
