Topic Tuesday // Your role in creating community for LGBTI people // 23 May

@Queenie I am keen to your lived experience of community - what does 'community' mean for you?

hello @Queenie - welcome! It is always great to see people from the LGBTI community!!

Welcome @Queenie thank you for joining, I am looking forward to hearing a little bit about your LGBTI community experiences? 🙂

For me community means a place where I can be fully accepted for me as I am - without me having to try to 'fit in' to be accepted by others - somewhere I can be my authentic self

though I dont always see community as a 'place' as somewhere that physically exists - but community is more about how we interact with each other - with an open mind and an open heart

@CherryBomb, for me community can be defined as a group of people who come together and accept one other, regardless of differences of sexuality, gender, appearances, beliefs or abilities. Unfortunately for me, no family members can be included in my sense of "community" as they are not accepting of me as a lesbian.

@Sally_Morris can you tell us a bit more about how someone can use inclusive language? Like what words are ok, and not ok?

I reallllly love this question!!! Mostly because many people want the 'rules' of what is right and wrong - but it actually isn't that simple!

Language and terminology can have a profound impact on a person’s identity, self-worth and inherent dignity. The use of inclusive and acceptable terminology empowers individuals and enables visibility of important issues.

As many parts of the LGBTI community are still emerging and developing identities and so language can be fluid and constantly adjusted to best describe individuals or groups of people.

Language is constantly evolving and changing, words and what is seen as being the most appropriate or ‘correct’ language changes over time.

Correct’ language can also change from group to group and individual to individual. Acceptance of use of some words can vary significantly from person to person.

there might be some words that I think are ok, but another person may not agree.

Like the word 'Queer'

Queer is a word that is used in a wide variety of highly personal ways, and what Queer means to one person, may be different to what Queer means to another. Genderally . When a person uses this term to describe themselves or others, it is often helpful to speak with them about what ‘queer’ means for them.

Queer may be used by some people as umbrella term to refer collectively to ‘LGBTI people’ however it is important to know that not all LGBTI identify as Queer, and many LGBTI people may find this term offensive to use.

Thanks @Queenie. You raise a very important point - that for many people, family members cannot be included in community. Does this mean that community is something that you seek out? How do you find it @Sally_Morris @Queenie?

@Queenie What I love most about community is that is completely our choice as to who we choose to be a part of our space - we can have our 'chosen families' which may - or may not - include the familes we were born into.

For some though it can be really hard to find our communities when we aren't accepted by our families