InterConnect is thrilled to be hosting our 28th annual summer conference in beautiful Minneapolis, MN (July 20-23, 2023), at the Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown. Get your tickets now! Early bird pricing for adults ends on May 31.

Registration fees have gone up this year. Why is that?

Covid, Inflation and the Avian Flu! More and more, we are finding that hotels with both conference facilities and free breakfasts are a thing of the past. In general, we added an extra meal each day to our offerings, to create a great experience for you. While in the past, we were often able to have breakfasts included in room prices, this is becoming more difficult to find, so we will be enjoying all breakfasts in our conference rooms this year, as part of our registration fee.
Along with these costs, our AV needs have increased dramatically. After years of hosting virtual conferences, we recognize how important it is to keep that same level of connection going for our community. Almost all hotels have contracted services with professional technicians who will set up our AV systems, and this also adds to the conference costs.
Each year, we try to keep our fees as low as possible. In order to make the conference more affordable for families and youth, we’ve worked hard to keep kids prices low, and we have instituted early bird pricing for adults.

I can’t wait for this year’s conference! How do I get to the hotel?
We recommend that you book through Delta for a 10% discount on coach airfare. You’ll fly into Minneapolis St. Paul (MSP) Airport. The hotel (Courtyard Marriott Downtown Minneapolis) does not offer shuttle service from the airport, so you’ll need to take an Uber or Lyft to the hotel, or take the Metro Blue Line light rail to Cedar-Riverside Station (and walk 4 blocks to the hotel).

The last day to get a hotel room is July 3, 2023. If you have any problems getting your hotel room, please contact Rebecca Baughman Kerns at Rebecca@interconnect.support.

Does my registration cover the cost of meals?
We will be providing many meals throughout the weekend, making it convenient for everyone to attend as many sessions as possible. We will be hosting a welcome reception on Thursday evening, with light finger foods and drinks. Each morning, we will serve breakfast for our community. Lunch will be served buffet style on Friday and Saturday, with special lunches for kids (12 and under). Saturday night we will offer a sit down dinner during our gala event.

*Please note: Friday night dinner will NOT be provided, as we expect many of you will want to catch up with old friends and explore the many delicious offerings close to the hotel. We highly recommend the Town Hall Brewery for pub fare and delicious beer.

If you have any food allergies, sensitivities or dietary restrictions, please let us know on the registration form. We will try to accommodate as many people as possible, and we’ve asked the hotel to label all food with any allergens.

This is my first time traveling in so long! What are we doing about Covid?

The most important thing to us is that everyone who spends their time, money and energy to attend the InterConnect Summer Conference is able to leave better than they came. We have fielded emails and telephone calls, as well as monitored the chatter on social media, and we are committed to helping as many people as possible choose to attend this upcoming conference. Therefore, we have made the decision to update our current COVID policy at the request of many of our members.

This new policy was written with input from those who have committed to being at this conference. While many people may rarely see a mask in their home community, we have a number of families who are still working to protect children, medically fragile family members and even themselves. We want to make certain that everyone can attend this conference safely.

Of course, there are also members of our constituency who simply cannot wear masks for medical reasons. Please contact us and we will work with you as best we can to make certain that you can attend, as well.

By attending the conference, you are agreeing to the following guidelines:

UPDATED COVID-19 Policy:

Masking

All attendees are required to wear masks at all times while inside conference areas, including during sessions, workshops, and social gatherings. This includes the pre-event space in the long hallway outside the Gallery and Ballroom.
Masks should be N94, KN95, or KF94 masks and cover the nose and mouth completely and should be worn properly throughout the conference. Disposable “paper” surgical masks and cloth masks will not be allowed, unless accompanied by one of the mask types above.
If you are eating and/or drinking in a designated conference area (indoors, session rooms, a hospitality suite), you may lower or remove your mask temporarily, but please replace it when you’re finished eating and/or drinking. There will also be areas to eat and/or drink outside (weather permitting).
Attendees are responsible for bringing their own masks. However, a limited supply of disposable masks will be available at the welcome desk for those who need them.
We will not be the only occupants of the hotel during conference weekend. It is therefore important to make sure you are wearing your conference lanyard and your mask when in conference areas so you are easily identified as an attendee. We cannot ensure masking for non-conference hotel guests.

Testing Requirements
- Prior to your attendance [either the day before or the morning of July 20, 2023], we ask that all attendees take an at-home COVID-19 test. Please let us know if your test is positive, and we will make any accommodations necessary so you can safely quarantine. You should stay home (or safely quarantine) and contact us. We will work out virtual attendance or a refund with you in that event.
- Additionally, attendees are requested to undergo a second COVID-19 at-home test three days after the conference. This is to ensure early detection of any infection so that we can contact trace and warn others of possible exposure.
- Attendees are responsible for arranging and covering the costs of their own testing.
Proof of Vaccination
- While all participants are expected to wear high-quality masks while in the conference area, we will gratefully accept voluntary proof of vaccination. We will offer a sticker showing that you are fully vaccinated which may make others comfortable about socializing and spending time together.
- If you choose not to provide your vaccination status, for whatever reason, we will ask you to be incredibly vigilant about maintaining your masking at all times, in the conference area.
Pre-Conference Guidelines
- All attendees are strongly encouraged to avoid engaging in any high-risk activities, such as attending crowded indoor gatherings or traveling to high-risk areas, for at least five days before the conference.
- We also ask that you wear a high quality N94, KN95, or KF94 while traveling on airplanes or spending any time in airports.
- It is essential for attendees to prioritize their health and the health of others by practicing social distancing, wearing masks, and following local health guidelines leading up to the event.
- If you’re unsure of the signs or symptoms, you can use this Medical Pre-Event Checklist as a guide. If two or more of these symptoms are present, you should stay home and contact us. We will work out virtual attendance or a refund with you in that event.
Outdoor Seating and Socializing
- On Thursday evening, InterConnect will offer hors d'oeuvres in the hotel outdoor seating area. We welcome you to use this area for meals to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission throughout the weekend. Some people may want to take their meals to their rooms to further protect themselves from eating with others. We cannot provide “to-go” boxes this year for any meals, as this is against hotel policy, but you are welcome to use a regular plate.
- Attendees are encouraged to socialize outside whenever possible, maintaining physical distancing guidelines.
- Indoor socializing should be limited to small groups and only in designated areas where physical distancing can be maintained effectively.
Hygiene and Sanitization
- Hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the conference area. Attendees are encouraged to practice frequent hand hygiene, using hand sanitizers or washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Health Monitoring
- Attendees are asked to monitor their health leading up to and during the conference.
- If attendees experience any COVID-19 symptoms, they should immediately inform the conference organizers and refrain from attending the event. Checklists will be provided to all attendees to make certain that they are healthy and ready to go.
- Attendees who develop symptoms within 14 days after the conference should notify the conference organizers for contact tracing purposes.
As with many health & safety policies, accommodations will be made. Please reach out to info@interconnect.support if you have any questions.

This is my first conference. How can I meet new people? What can I expect?
You will have lots of opportunities to meet new friends at this year’s conference, including the Thursday night reception, Saturday gala and all the conference workshops. If you’d like some assistance in meeting new people, just let us know! We’d be happy to make some introductions. We also recommend that you join our secret Facebook pages and our Discord chat channels.

In our experience, you will get as much out of the conference as you put into it! It is incredibly powerful to meet other intersex people, and share your experiences in a safe space. This group’s mission is all about connection, so you can expect to make a lot of great friends and share some amazing memories. We hope you learn a lot, and use the weekend to refuel for the upcoming year.

I would like to share a hotel room this year. How can I find a roommate?
If you would like to share a room this year, and you don’t already have a roommate in mind, please let us know on the registration form. We’ll do our best to match you with someone, so that you can work together to book your reservation and share the cost.

I am a parent or family member. Will there be sessions for me at the conference?
Yes! We are building different tracks for all members of our community. We’ll have some events and workshops for parents, kids and family members. Unless the event is just for intersex adults or parents, all will be welcome to attend. We want you to have a great time, meet new people and learn as much as possible so you can continue to support your loved ones. Our families and allies are beloved members of our group, so it’s important to us that you join sessions of interest to you to support our intersex members.

I’d love to attend, but I don’t think I can afford it. Do you offer scholarships?

We are thrilled to offer a limited number of scholarships each year, so that more members can attend our summer conference. Our goal is to make the conference as accessible as possible. To apply, please fill out this form and we will be in touch.

Please note that scholarships will be offered for registration only this year, and if selected, you'll receive a promo code to use for registration. Priority will be given to anyone attending the conference for the first time. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is May 15, 2023. [If you are not selected, you will still have the chance to register with early bird pricing.]

InterConnect receives no funding from anyone outside of our membership. That means that every dollar we can give as a scholarship comes from the donations of our members. If you are able to contribute to help more members attend this conference, please include a donation with your registration. Thank you so much for helping us help more members attend this conference.

2023 Summer Conference

Minneapolis, MN