Embedded Files
What are the main challenges and their impact for festival makers who work around Queer topics or on the promotion of Queer rights and visibility of Queer communities? The following list is a compilation of main challenges that have been gathered during online conversations of an Alumni working group.
Community resistance and push-backs from conservative or anti-Queer groups
Impact: Protests, hostility, public criticism.
Threats and incidents of violence, harassment, or discrimination of queer attendees
Impact: Fear followed by absence of Queer audiences
Risk of being perceived as tokenizing queer communities, critique of not going beyond surface-level inclusivity.
Impact: Alienation from target groups.
Legal and political landscape might limit the organisation (including lack of public support or funding), and can even pose legal risks.
Impact: Anti-queer laws restrict public displays of queerness (hinder visibility) or impact the safety of both the event and attendees.
Building trust and relationships with local queer communities and making them feel welcome.
Impact: Absence of target groups.
Communicating the festivals Queer focus in a representative and accessible way vs. limitations due to conservative contexts in which certain language might be restricted.
Impact: Miscommunication leading to a limited reach of target groups.
Serving psychological needs of staffs and attendees in emotionally charged/ traumatic environments
Impact: Without awareness for psychological needs, a festival can produce triggers, re-traumatizing situations, creating emotional burnout, mental health challenges and frustration.
Receiving coherent media representation (experience of an oftentimes misrepresentation or simplified coverage)
Impact: This can harm reputation not only of the festival, but of the Queer community in general and backlash queer advocacy efforts.
Fighting against stereotypes both within and outside the Queer community.
Impact: Can create division where united forces are much needed.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse