Topic Tuesday // Your role in creating community for LGBTI people // 23 May

[Shaz51]

I've learned a lot following along here tonight.-- me tooo @Former-Member, @Former-Member, @Sally_Morris 

[utopia]

@BeHappy. I also say the wrong thing some times. I just appologise, correct my error and learn. Most people are accepting when we say sorry ( if they were offended) & learn.

[Sally_Morris]

@Former-Member This is a great question!!

Some may look at this like a scale - with Tolerance at one end - Acceptance in the middle - and Celebration in at the other end.

For a long time our community has talked about 'tolerance' of LGBTI people - and for many being 'tolerated' does't feel good enough - so langauge has move towards 'accepting' LGBTI people as a part of our society - and this is probalby where most of us sit at the moment.

However - I am an adovate for celebrating all the diversity and differences within a community - and really seeing the value and worth that all these differences hace and bring to our community.   

Celebrating isn't necsessarily about making all our private business public - because everyone has different levels of comfort about this - but about honoring the role that diversity has in making a community a wonderful place.   

... though maybe im a idealist!

[CherryBomb]

With only five minutes left, I'm interested in what people's main take away was for tonight? 

[Sally_Morris]

@Former-Member I think if people can try to be friendly and reach out to people who they may notice are feeling shy, isolated or excluded that can make a really big difference to both that person as well as making a more welcoming community space!  It is really the little things that count

[Queenie]

Thank you @Sally_Morris for sharing your remarkable insight. Learned a lot tonight!

[BeHappy]

Thanks @Sally_Morris

My main take away was use more neutral language, and to slow down! If I get it wrong, dust myself off, apologise, and try again.

[Sally_Morris]

I would just like to remind everyone about QLife - a great resource for both LGBTI people as well as their freinds, family and community folk who are looking for extra support!

QLife

Phone and online chat

3pm to midnight

1800 184 528

www.qlife.org.au

[Queenie]

My main takeaway was it's ok to have a community not including family members. Acceptance is paramount.

[CherryBomb]

Great! Thanks SO much to @Sally_Morris for tonight. I've learnt alot!

Can we give @Sally_Morris a virtual round of applause??