What is #SaferToBeMe?

With the failure of the U.K. Government to launch their 'Safe to be Me' conference in 2022 and subsequent  boycott by LGBTQI+ organisations, due to the government's conflicting U-turn on LGBTQI+ conversion treatments to exclude transgender and non-binary people from their proposed ban, ReportOUT took action. Aside from withdrawing from the original conference which was later cancelled, ReportOUT decided to offer a replacement event, which we have called 'Safer to be Me.' with the hashtag of the day: #SaferToBeMe

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Our #SaferToBeMe Symposium is a partnership between ReportOUT and the University of Sunderland. It will bring together global activists, practitioners, and academics, to discuss the most pressing issues facing global LGBTQI+ human rights, and LGBTQI+ progress toward fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

After the Symposium has ended, we plan to develop a legacy through the creation of a Global Knowledge Exchange Forum to push for the human rights, and development needs, of sexual and gender minorities across the globe, and to bring specialists together to do this.

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Our Symposium objectives are to:

• Bring together the resources and skills of a partnership approach.

• Organise a stream of pre, during, and post-symposium events related to global LGBTQI+ human rights and development needs.

• Compose a space to bring together academics, practitioners, and activists, to foster dialogue and networks.

• Generate the beginnings of a Global Knowledge Exchange Forum dedicated to global LGBTQI+ human rights and development needs.

• To offer a much needed global discussion about LGBTQI+ human rights, and development needs, after the failure of the boycotted Safe To Be Me Conference.

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We recognise that we cannot offer something of the scale of the original conference, however, we have been bold in our thinking and we hope you love our plans. We look forward to seeing you there!