Sunday 5 December 2010
Programme of the preconference, including some presentations
09.30 -09.45Opening and Welcome
Linda Baumann, ILGA
Overview of the programme and expectations
Patricia Curzi, Women’s Project Co-ordinator, ILGA
09.45 – 11.00 Self-definition from around the globe
Moderator: Jennifer Joseph, ILGA, Philippines
9.45 – 10.10Framing Visibility: Coming Out and the International LGBT Spectrum of Progress
Lynn, MEEM, Lebanon
Read presentation: www.bekhsoos.com/web/2010/12/framing-visibility-coming-out-and-the-international-lgbt-spectrum-of-progress-2/
10.10 – 10.40Playing with transformation without losing its identity
Eva Lee, Common Language, China
10.40- 11.00Open floor for discussion
11.00 – 11.30 Coffee Break
11.30 – 13.00 Self-definition from around the globe
Moderator: Raquel Perez Andrade, ILGA, Peru
11.30 – 12.00African misconception and prejudice over homosexuality issue
Naome Ruzindana, Horizon Community Association and CAL, Rwanda
12.00- 12.30The fun of living different spaces: Raquel Perez Andrade
12.30- 13.00Open floor for discussion
13.00 -14.30 Lunch
14.30 – 15.00 Creating Ourselves Through Action and Identity, Living and Language
Haven Herrin, Soulforce Q, USA
Read Presentation: www.soulforce.org/blogs/what-isnt-a-queer-issue
Open floor for discussion
15.00 – 16.00 Ways forward
Moderator: Ruth Baldacchino, ILGA Board Member
Achievements and challenges ILGA Women’s Secretariat
Maria Sjödin, ILGA Women’s Secretariat, RFSL
The outcome of ILGA Women’s Project survey: overview and outlines for the future
Patricia Curzi, Women’s Project Coordinator, ILGA
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee Break
16.30 – 17:00Key outcomes of the preconference
Conclusions, recommendations, statements
Concluding remarks on the Pre-conference day
As from 20:00
Informal gathering of lesbian and trans groups
Objectives of the Women’s Preconference
Why a preconference only for women?
It is important to keep on having a non-mixed, dedicated space for lesbians , which has been the case ever since the first ILGA conferences. This corresponds to the needs of a minority within a minority to have their own space: lesbians within the male gay-dominated movement. This is also true for trans people and the desire to share experience and ideas and to be comfortable enough to raise concerns.
The last preconference
The theme of the 2008 women’s preconference was ‘Lobbying: Integration the lesbian movement within an International Human Rights perspective’ with a focus on UN. Lesbian groups seem to have more difficulties that gay groups to be involved in the international arena. After the pre-conference and thanks to the coordination between groups, ILGA organised panels at the United Nations and attended various UN events with activists from all over the world to further dialogue on lesbian issues. This theme was organised also taking into consideration ILGA’s plan to be more present in UN scene.
The preconference in São Paulo
ILGA is planning to hold a one day pre-conference on 5 December 2010 with the following theme: “Self-definition for visibility: Tommy boys, Lesbian men, Trans, Female Masculinities, femininity and feminist expression”.
The pre-conference will address a double issue: invisibility and the need to define oneself. The term “lesbian” is more and more challenged since it has a very political, Western oriented meaning from the early ‘80s. In some regions of the world the terms used are taking into consideration various aspects of the persons’ social, cultural and political background. Some even use definitions that seem contradictory from a language point of view, such as lesbian men in Southern African countries or Tomboy and Tomboy’s girls in Southern Asian countries.
Discussions will explore the need to “name” oneself, in order to be visible; and at the same time the difficulty to underline one single aspect of the person (woman, lesbian, trans, men, religious, social, ethnic origin, etc…). Invisibility, which is used individually by many lesbians to protect themselves, has a negative effect on the community itself whose basic human rights, such as the right to health, are being totally ignored. Positive examples will be described on how some groups have managed to name and recognise themselves as part of a community, by being able to include in the terminology they are using various facets of their own identity.
Following member’s feedback from the 2008 world women preconference, this year ILGA has also planned sharing some time with the trans groups, in the form of informal gathering.
What do we wish to achieve with the preconference?
It is important to have this type of discussion in ILGA where we have about 600 LGBTI organisations from all over the world, and where “lesbian” may not have the same meaning. We need to agree, if not in a name, at least in a wider concept and meaning of the definitions broadly used.
The aim is also to share, learn from each other’s experiences and by so doing, empower (capacity-building) the people present at the conference.
Lesbian groups can identify objectives and strategies for effective collaboration and integration within the broader LGBTI movement. The increased solidarity and awareness will help to ensure greater success in meeting lesbian’s needs and demands, and building more successful coalitions for equality and justice. This will contribute to increased involvement and visibility of lesbians within ILGA and an immediate impact of the pre-conference could be achieved during the ILGA Conference on the following days. The discussions and the involvement of lesbians at the pre-conference could influence the discussions and decisions at the ILGA conference.
In the long term we aim to encourage more lesbians to be involved in ILGA’s work. By showing positive examples, lesbians will be more at ease in working within mixed LGBTI organizations.
In addition to the preconference theme, some time will be dedicated to the presentation of the outcome of the ILGA women’s survey which is closing ILGA women’s project programme. With the outcome of the survey, we hope to integrate the expectations of ILGA members for future activities.
Patricia Curzi
Women’s Project Coordinator