LOS ANGELES — Everyone Deserves Sex-Ed (EDSE) has tapped Beck Gee-Cohen to return as an educator for its upcoming certification program, scheduled to take place November 9-10 and 16-17 in Los Angeles.
Gee-Cohen will facilitate the Sex & Gender portion of the 25-hour course, facilitating discussion of gender identity and LGBTQIA+ representation to give attendees "a more confident understanding of inclusivity and its importance in sexual health and education spaces," a rep said.
Gee-Cohen is a clinician with an undergraduate degree in Sociology specializing in Gender & Sexuality. He owns and operates BGC Bridge, a consulting firm that helps facilities shift their culture and become more knowledgeable about the LGBTQ experience. Using personal anecdotes, humor and vulnerability, Gee-Cohen connects with clients as he addresses concerns of equality and acceptance of LGBTQ individuals — often requiring his audience to look inward to identify and process personal bias.
“My passion is helping facilities and practitioners improve their mental health services and create more inclusive, intentional spaces, and I’m excited to work with EDSE again this year,” Gee-Cohen said. “Gender is deeply personal, yet so often misunderstood in clinical and healing environments, and it’s essential that service providers understand gender and sexuality on both a micro- and macro-level. I had a great time training attendees to develop a more effective framework for their personal and professional lives, and look forward to bringing the conversation back in November!”
EDSE founder and lead educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, ACS, tapped Gee-Cohen to teach this portion of the certification because of his enthusiastic and interactive teaching style, and his reputation as an LGBTQ-affirmative clinician. "His work with BGC Bridge has enabled health facilities across the country to make the cultural and corporate shifts necessary to offer truly inclusive services, and Gee-Cohen’s perspective and skill set left a lasting impression with EDSE attendees at the inaugural certification," said the rep.
"I loved working with Beck earlier this year and I’m honored that he’s returning to train our next group of EDSE attendees,” Hodder-Shipp said. “Beck is known not only as a strong teacher but also as a genuine person unafraid to get vulnerable with his audience, which is perfect for our program. He’ll guide attendees through important and potentially challenging discussion of gender bias and inclusivity and provide the language and information necessary for EDSE’s budding sex educators.”
Ideal for "budding sex educators, health and social service workers, and anyone looking to bolster their sex-ed knowledge," a rep said, the EDSE certification program prepares attendees to have "informed, inclusive and confident conversations about sex." Over the course of two weekends, EDSE attendees will learn key information about human sexuality, intimate health, consent and communication skills and train to respond to sex-related questions in "a concise, intersectional and nonjudgmental manner."
To apply to be a part of the next EDSE certification, fill out the form here; Individual certification is $2,095 and payment plans are available to those in need.
For more information, click here.
