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Kate Bornstein

Kate Bornstein

Keynote Speaker: Author, Playwright, Trans Trailblazer, Performance Artist & Gender Theorist

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Kate Bornstein Biography

Since 1989, trans trailblazer Kate Bornstein has — with humor and spunk — ushered us into a world of limitless possibility through a daring re-envisionment of the gender system as we know it. Bornstein identifies as nonbinary: not a man, and not a woman — and she’s been writing about nonbinary gender identity for nearly thirty years.

Bornstein was born Albert Bornstein in 1948, in Asbury Park, New Jersey. At an early age, he came to the conclusion that he wasn't a boy, and that she didn't want to grow up to be a man. To Albert, being a boy was all acting, and pretending to be a boy. In 1984, she began her hormonal, surgical, and social transition from male to female, which she completed in 1986 — she was a woman! In less than two years, she realized that being a woman was for her no more than acting and pretending... just like it had been for being a man. So in 1988, Bornstein gave up the idea of being a woman, and now she lives on the edge of paradox: she is not a man, and not a woman. She looks beyond the gender binary to see gender as both a conscious practice, and a playful journey.

Bornstein's work is taught in five languages, in over 300 high schools, colleges, and universities around the world. The titles of her books say a lot about who she is and how she views things: "Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us;" "My New Gender Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving World Peace Through Gender Anarchy and Sex Positivity;" "Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws;" "A Queer and Pleasant Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She Is Today."

Currently, you can see Bornstein onscreen as Joan, the church lady, in the film, Saturday Church. Bornstein is the subject of Sam Feder's award-winning documentary, “Kate Bornstein Is a Queer and Pleasant Danger.” Bornstein's work on suicide prevention, and her advocacy for marginalized and at-risk youth has earned her two citations of outstanding citizenship from the New York City Council.

Bornstein has been on the road lecturing and performing for over 25 years, at colleges, high schools, and anywhere people gather to talk about gender.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Kate Bornstein and other top speakers and celebrities.

Kate Bornstein Speaking Topics

Navigating the Multiverse of Gender

The history of all our notions of gender the very root of gender is sex: the commonly accepted idea that there is biological evidence of two and two only immutable sexes, and that this bio-binary determines the social order. Furthermore, the idea of two, and two only sexes is mirrored in, and championed by, virtually all of the world’s great religions. And that’s how it was for thousand as and thousands of years. It wasn’t until the early to mid nineteenth century that sex began what was to become a centuries long collision with gender, beginning with the early first wave feminists. They said No. No, I won’t be a woman the way you say I’ve got to be a woman. And from that point on, gender changed rapidly to the point where more and more people came to understand and embrace a more nuanced view of gender as a social construct that includes binary identified trans people, as well as the scientific fact that one may change from one sex to its opposite.

The moment of transition from the twentieth to twenty-first century saw and explosion of ideas about gender. Gender fluidity, nonbinary gender, agender, and other forms of gender nonconformity began to make their ways into mainstream consciousness, practice, and acceptance. And this is the evolution of gender to this day. Kate Bornstein points out that this evolution of gender is not linear. People who live in the universe of binary sex share the world with people who live in one of several universes that embrace some form of binary gender, all of whom share today’s world with people who are living in an exploding number of nonbinary and other nonconforming universes. And so there is a great deal of strife, and gender based suffering as these universes collide.

In this presentation, Kate unravels the tangle of the gender multiverse, and proposes a new theory of gender relativity in which the multiverse of gender might have a chance of a more accepting coexistence. The presentation is an hour long, followed by up to thirty minutes of Q and A.

Kate Bornstein Videos

Kate Bornstein '69 Breaks Down the Binary
Ex-Scientology Leader and Trans Icon Kate Bornstein on What It ...

How do I book Kate Bornstein to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kate Bornstein for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kate Bornstein, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kate Bornstein or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Kate Bornstein for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Kate Bornstein, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kate Bornstein are Below $10,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kate Bornstein, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Kate Bornstein speak about?

Kate Bornstein is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as LGBTQ, Diversity, Social Justice, Culture, Virtual Speakers, Authors, Women, Writing, Performing Arts and Civil Rights.

Where does Kate Bornstein travel from?

Kate Bornstein generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Kate Bornstein?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Kate Bornstein for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kate Bornstein for your next private or corporate function.

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AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kate Bornstein or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Kate Bornstein is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including LGBTQ, Diversity and Social Justice. The estimated speaking fee range to book Kate Bornstein for live events is Below $10,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Kate Bornstein generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Kylar Broadus, Geena Rocero and Chris Mosier. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kate Bornstein for an upcoming event.

Kate Bornstein Speaking Topics

  • Navigating the Multiverse of Gender

    The history of all our notions of gender the very root of gender is sex: the commonly accepted idea that there is biological evidence of two and two only immutable sexes, and that this bio-binary determines the social order. Furthermore, the idea of two, and two only sexes is mirrored in, and championed by, virtually all of the world’s great religions. And that’s how it was for thousand as and thousands of years. It wasn’t until the early to mid nineteenth century that sex began what was to become a centuries long collision with gender, beginning with the early first wave feminists. They said No. No, I won’t be a woman the way you say I’ve got to be a woman. And from that point on, gender changed rapidly to the point where more and more people came to understand and embrace a more nuanced view of gender as a social construct that includes binary identified trans people, as well as the scientific fact that one may change from one sex to its opposite.

    The moment of transition from the twentieth to twenty-first century saw and explosion of ideas about gender. Gender fluidity, nonbinary gender, agender, and other forms of gender nonconformity began to make their ways into mainstream consciousness, practice, and acceptance. And this is the evolution of gender to this day. Kate Bornstein points out that this evolution of gender is not linear. People who live in the universe of binary sex share the world with people who live in one of several universes that embrace some form of binary gender, all of whom share today’s world with people who are living in an exploding number of nonbinary and other nonconforming universes. And so there is a great deal of strife, and gender based suffering as these universes collide.

    In this presentation, Kate unravels the tangle of the gender multiverse, and proposes a new theory of gender relativity in which the multiverse of gender might have a chance of a more accepting coexistence. The presentation is an hour long, followed by up to thirty minutes of Q and A.

Kate Bornstein Videos

Kate Bornstein '69 Breaks Down the Binary
Ex-Scientology Leader and Trans Icon Kate Bornstein on What It ...

Kate Bornstein Reviews

  • Planned Parenthood Keystone - Oct 05 2021

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