- Conference
- Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual & Transgender Conference 2005
- Date
- 29 July 2005
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference recognises that space is not made safe merely by declaring it so. Women disproportionately suffer inequality in our society and this has an impact on their self-confidence, on their ability to act as their own agents and on their perceptions of security. Because of such factors, women who attend conference experience the ‘space’ of conference differently.
Conference re-affirms the need to hold caucuses, acknowledging the existence of the differing experiences of LGBT women and GBT men within our safe space. This ensures that, in at least one point in the proceedings, there will be a time in which a woman who may feel deterred from expressing herself in a larger forum will have a less intimidating space in which to do so.
Conference believes that this recognition of the need for a space apart even within ‘safe space’ must also include any social event that might be planned specifically for LGBT women. Without wishing to deter proposals for women’s social events Conference asserts strongly that any event that is stated to be a women’s social event should be for women only. This means that only women should be there, with the exception of facilitators and service providers.
Conference requires the National LGBT Committee to:
1.Consider the above when drafting a policy for adoption by national LGBT self-organised group;
2.Inform regional LGBT co-convenors and their regional officers of the importance of any such policy and to request confirmation that it will be applied in their region;
3.Notify the National Executive Council that such a policy has been adopted;
4.Report to Conference 2006 as to what was done, what responses were obtained and seek endorsement of the adopted policy.