LGBT Humanists has announced its first national conference in nearly a decade, to take place in Leicester on 21 June 2019 – coinciding with World Humanist Day and the larger Humanists UK Convention that weekend.
The conference will bring together leading names in the world of LGBT rights activism to discuss how humanists and all people of goodwill can work to challenge the persistence of homophobia in the 21st century, examine the unique challenges faced by ethnic minorities and ex-religious people within the LGBT community, and look ahead to the future of LGBT rights activism and the challenges head.
The conference’s speakers include Laura Russell, policy head for Stonewall; Linda Riley, longtime publisher of DIVA magazine; Daniel Assaya, head of engagement and policy for House of Rainbow; Phyll-Opoku Gyimah, who runs the successful UK Black Pride event; Aliyah Saleem, co-founder of Humanists UK programme Faith to Faithless; Jenny Bartle, Humanists UK trustee and LGBT Humanists board member; and Ste Richardson, an ex-Jehovah’s Witness and Faith to Faithless activist. The panel will also be joined by Andrew Copson, the former chair of LGBT Humanists (and now Chief Executive of Humanists UK and President of Humanists International), and Humanists UK Director of Community Services Teddy Prout.
Tickets to the conference are on sale now on the Humanists UK website, either as part of the Humanists UK Convention, or separately for just £29.
Commenting on the event, Teddy Prout for Humanists UK said,
‘We are very proud of the event that LGBT Humanists has put together and the work that this section continues to do to advance LGBT rights to this day. Whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool activist, or simply engaged by the issues facing this community, this event is an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come and look ahead to the challenges we still must face.’
Those staying on for the Humanists UK Convention, which begins on the evening of Friday 21 June, will be treated to a night of comedy from some of the UK’s most talented comedians, ahead of a weekend of discovery and entertained headlined by Humanists UK’s President, Professor Alice Roberts.
Notes
LGBT Humanists is a section of Humanists UK. Originally founded in 1979 in response to the Gay News blasphemy trial, LGBT Humanists has been a section of Humanists UK since 2012. It has always fought for greater recognition of humanism, and has taken a leading role in successful LGBT rights campaigns, arguing from a rational, empathetic, and thoroughly humanist point of view. Its current campaigning priorities include seeing the abusive practice of ‘gay conversion therapy’ banned.
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.