Theros’ Academy

Theros’ Academy is an Trans* and Lesbian* Studies Academy, bringing together scholars, activists, and performers from the Mediterranean and the USA. It is an attempt to launch trans* studies in Greece, an academy that sticks its tongue out at the top-down, hegemonic studies of institutions, inspired by grassroots solidarity, transfeminist joy, and collective care. It will feature Susan Stryker, who pioneered trans* studies in the USA, and will involve five days of film screenings, performances, sharing circles on the beach, music, and workshops.

This year the Academy will take place on 10-14 June 2026, in Eressos, Lesbos, which is the birthplace of the lyric poet Sappho. Eressos has attracted a number of lesbian and gender-non-conforming poets and writers who have found a home on the island since the 19th century and, nowadays, the place remains a lesbian, trans and queer haven with a diverse community rooted in strong feminist principles and political action.
In this era of anti-gender hysteria, transphobia, and extreme misogyny, we will gather in Eressos because we must protect the few paradises we have that can nurture us.