Media Advisory: Global LGBTIQ Activists Will Meet Online for OutSummit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 December 2020
Media Contact: Daina Ruduša, commsteam@outrightinternational.org, +1 (917) 622-1865
OutSummit
A Global Convening for the Human Rights of LGBTIQ People
WHAT
OutRight Action International is proud to invite you to the sixth annual OutSummit, a global summit for the human rights of LGBTIQ people. OutSummit brings together LGBTIQ activists and allies from across the globe to share experiences, build networks, and come up with strategies to overcome the challenges we face in our respective contexts.
WHEN
9-11 December, 2020.
WHERE
OutSummit will be held virtually this year.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Hamed Sinno
Hamed Sinno (he/they) is a New York based musician, poet, vocal instructor, and social justice advocate. They have been the writer and front-person of the Lebanese-American indie-rock band Mashrou' Leila since 2008. They write and lecture about the convergence of music and social justice, and teach singing from their studio in New York.

Geena Rocero
Trans rights activist, TED speaker, and Filipino American supermodel Geena Rocero (she/her) is one of the first openly transgender models known across the world. Geena has been a groundbreaking force in raising awareness, visibility and prominence of trans rights. She is the founder of Gender Proud, a media production company that tells stories of the transgender community worldwide to elevate justice and equality.
WORKSHOPS
In recognition of the growing movement against racial injustice, and the fact that there can be no LGBTIQ equality without racial equality, we will host a plenary discussion called “Movements for Liberation: LGBTQ Activism and Racial Justice”. In celebration of OutRight's 30th anniversary, the second plenary session, “Resistance and Resilience: OutRight and the LGBTIQ Movement over 30 Years”, will dig into history of the LGBTIQ movement.
Other sessions will cover a range of subjects, including tackling sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts (also known as “conversion therapy”), navigating faith-based discrimination, standing up against the anti-gender movement, and many others.
WHY
67 countries continue to criminalize same-sex relations. Only five ban sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts (so-called “conversion therapy”), and even today, in 2020, there isn’t a single country in which LGBTIQ people live free from discrimination, violence or harassment. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected LGBTIQ people more severely than the general population. Around the world LGBTIQ people have faced a devastation of livelihood, rising domestic and family violence, scapegoating for the pandemic, an inability to access lifesaving care, and other challenges.
In this context, the need for a space for LGBTIQ activists, advocates and allies to come together, to share insights and best practices, and to strategize across civil society, state and private sector boundaries for the human rights of LGBTIQ people is even more important and urgent.
A full program of the day is available here. Journalists are welcome to register for a free media ticket here.
OutRight Action International works at a global, regional and national level to eradicate the persecution, inequality, and violence lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people face around the world. From its offices in 7 countries and headquarters in New York, OutRight builds capacity of LGBTIQ movements, documents human rights violations, advocates for inclusion and equality, and holds leaders accountable for protecting the rights of LGBTIQ people everywhere. OutRight has recognized consultative status at the United Nations.
Published on December 2, 2020 | OutRight Action International an LGBT human rights organization

