Let's talk about various issues related to identity and relationships. Also, let's talk about how young people are considered to be less capable of processing or expressing complicated issues.... Discussion that exists in society about gender and identity is partly inadequate and partly simplified = uninteresting because it does not raise specific dilemmas and situations that often disappear under the guise of (respectful, but still) silence. Same silence that later on covers bullying, discrimination and shaming if not addressed early by the very participants of the public discourse, young people, in their own language and on their own premises. Young people need more space to formulate questions themselves, not to answer those given by adults around them. Problems of low interest in LGBTQ+ are matter of incorrectly formulated questions, and way too much focus on educational profile that reduces the young people's own capacity to shape their agenda. It may have less pleasant texts and less well-designed formats, but it will give young people the feeling of power over their voice and tools of communicating their thoughts and decisions to the world. The idea for the Quee Café panel talk comes from young people in our association, in collaboration with young people from other countries that met together during the project Discriminhate Nobody supported by the Erasmus+ program. Now with support from Helsingborg city, they were encouraged and able to test their ideas in an open talk with each other, and the city. Queer Café is about creating a comfortable environment to discuss various issues related to identity and relationships. This is just a first attempt and a tryout. Discussion that exists in society is partly inadequate and partly simplified, thus uninteresting because it does not raise specific dilemmas and situations that often disappear under the guise of (respectful, but still) silence. Young people need more space to formulate questions themselves, not to answer those given by adults around them. According to the young people themselves that we met, problems of disinterest in LGBTQ + are the question of incorrectly formulated questions, and too clear an educational profile that reduces the young people's own capacity to shape their agenda. It may be less well formulated, a bit more shy and reserved, put in a bit less well-designed formats, but it gives young people the feeling of power over their voice and tools of communicating their thoughts and decisions to the world. The debate was shared online and anyone interested could register, get the link to the event and participate digitally. Due to participants' safety reasons though the leaders of the initiative decided to disable comments for the material. Participants themselves have an opportunity to give feedback, also organize more events for several similar panel debates on topics getting attention among young audiences. On a larger scale, they could imagine that the young people who are most active in online discussions, organize a club for regular meetings, as well as annual events / conferences without talking about their visions and interpretations of identity, relationships, treatment and others and LGBTQ + issues. That is outside of our power and we hope, this debate is to be continued... Here is the link to the final product of the project. that was inspired by the Erasmus+ project and made possible thanks to the support from the social services of Helsingborg city.
