This is an exciting week for OutRight - OutSummit, our annual convening for the human rights of LGBTIQ people, is taking place on December 9-11, starting each day at 10am ET / 3pm GMT / 6pm EAT. The date intentionally coincides with Human Rights Day, marked annually on December 10, because even today, in too many places, the human rights of LGBTIQ people are not recognized as such.
We were saddened not to be able to meet in person this year, but the virtual format brings advantages of its own - over 1000 people (and counting!) from all over the world have registered to take part! Our communities continue to face amplified effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including scapegoating and attempts to pass restrictive legislation under the guise of public health protection, making OutSummit an even more important and urgent space. I'm so pleased that so many people will be able to join.
We will open on Wednesday with sessions on the continuing devastating impact of COVID-19 on LGBTIQ communities around the world and on tackling sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts (so-called “conversion therapy”).
Our keynote speaker, trans rights activist, TED speaker, and Filipino American supermodel Geena Rocero will also take the stage.
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.
On Friday our second keynote speaker Hamed Sinno, front-person of the Lebanese-American indie-rock band Mashrou' Leila, will take the stage.
Other sessions will tackle topics from religiously based discrimination, to corporate responsibility for promoting LGBTIQ equality, and many others.
As ever, we would not be able to organize this important event without the generous support of partners and sponsors. In particular, we would like to thank the Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice and the Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic at the City University of New York School of Law, our partners in organizing OutSummit over many years. We also owe a big thank you to the Summit's founding sponsor, The Small Change Foundation; and to this year’s event sponsors, which include The Procter & Gamble Company, Dell Technologies, Levi Strauss & Co., Microsoft, The Walt Disney Company, Herman Miller, Inc., Verizon, and Nomura Holdings America.
All of us at OutRight look forward to welcoming you at OutSummit later this week! If you have not registered yet, you can do so here. Please spread the world to your contacts who may be interested in attending.
