Panel | What the Child Within Us Already Knew: Growing Up Without a Mirror, Building Ourselves Without Permission

In the collective imagination, children are often perceived as being neutral, without preferences or positions, and in need of protection from any “confusion,” particularly when it comes to gender issues. Yet this view overlooks a fundamental reality: children are already who they are, from a very young age. The life stories of trans and non-binary people clearly attest to this. Despite attempts to standardize genders, we are not all shaped in the same way.

This panel draws on what the child within us already knew, long before words, even in the absence of reference points, role models, or representations. Growing up without a mirror means learning to recognize oneself without external validation, to feel before being able to name, to exist even before being understood.

By returning to these early intuitions—often set aside or ignored—we aim to reclaim this inner knowledge as a source of strength. The absence of role models then becomes a space for creation and experimentation: a space to build oneself on one’s own terms, without waiting for permission.

Free event; no registration required.

Sickkid (host)
Sickkid (they/them) is a visual artist, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. Driven by a deep desire for collective healing, they use imagery as a tool for empathy and transformation.

Sickkid stands out for their ability to blend commitment, emotion, and aesthetics, turning every project into a space for healing and liberation.

They are the creator of the “Softboï” project, a creative and community-driven ecosystem that highlights and gives a voice to the spectrum of non-cis BIPOC queer masculine people (trans men, masculine women, non-binary people, etc.). Through works that are both sensitive and impactful, they challenge norms and engage in projects that drive change, valuing the diversity of voices and human experiences.

Steffie Boucher (panelist)
Steffie Boucher (she/they) is a queer, Black multidisciplinary artist of Caribbean descent based in Montreal. After studying engineering, she moved there in 2017 and discovered the arts scene, particularly dance. In 2019, she shifted her focus to visual arts. After two years of practice, she began training in commercial photography at Collège Marsan in 2022 to hone her technical skills. Today, she is developing a hybrid approach that combines photography and video. She creates 2D and stop-motion animations using her own photographs, and also produces her own soundtracks and sound effects. Always closely connected to the performing arts, she is actively involved in Montreal’s dance community, which she supports through photography, video, and communication.

Orian Mayas (panelist)
Orion Mayas is a trans filmmaker from Montreal and a freelance photographer. In 2018, he founded his production company, Orion Rise Productions, and directed, produced, and wrote the short film “T-Day,” available on YouTube. Through film and photography, he shines a light on people and stories that are often marginalized due to their identity and systemic barriers, amplifying underrepresented voices.

Lanzz Trilène (panelist)
Originally from Martinique, Lanzz is a Black, gender-nonconforming person who uses the pronouns “he” or “el.” With a background in psychocriminology and intervention, Lanzz has been working within 2SLGBTQ+ communities for over a decade and, since 2020, has had the pleasure of serving as the member services coordinator at the LGBT+ Families Coalition.

Driven by a passion for stories that inspire change, Lanzz works to create spaces where every QTBIPOC family or individual can define themselves with pride, freedom, love, and vibrancy.

Coming from the Caribbean, Lanzz recognizes the complexity of balancing community and culture, because for many Caribbean people, cultural expectations and queer community life can seem radically different; sometimes one must choose between the two.