Because women are usually underrepresented in the IGLYO activities, one of the Board’s objectives was to find ways to encourage them to get envolved more often and more efficiently. Also, during the Annual IGLYO Conferences, women clearly expressed their wish to have their own conference and discuss issues directly faced by them, due to the fact that the Women’s Space seminaries were always insufficient (as time frame) and were a good opportunity for starting heated discussion.
IGLYO hoped, and still hopes, that it can change this fact. It is important that women be always present in large numbers and become all the more visible through their activities targeting the LGBT communities.
The idea of a Women’s Conference organized by IGLYO has been there since 1984, but due to the little funds which were allocated, as well as to many other problems which came up later, this event was postponed each year.
The first Women’s Conference IGLYO took place between 10-17 September 2000 in Berlin and was attended by 25 lesbians from 11 countries. The German capital was not randomly chosen, Berlin being the meeting place for East and West, with a very rich history of feminist movement—the city were lesbian groups are very visible and very active.
Coming from an Eastern European country, one of the last to still have active anti-gay laws, I thought the issues brought under discussion were as new to my viewpoint, as they were interesting.
The first day, Minority Day, was dedicated to discussions on minority and stereotypes issues. Heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. Minorities within the LGBT minority: lesbians of different races, different religions, and so on. What does double discrimination mean? What role do prejudice and stereotypes play in our lives? Are lesbians a minority within the LGBT community? Do lesbians feel discriminated by gay men? Are there differences between Eastern and Western LBT? Discrimination? How could we reunite the two halves of the European continent?
Health Day was one of the most interesting and most educative days, taking into consideration the fact that women’s health in Romania is generally not considered to be a priority and their education still has to be radically improved in this respect.
During the first part of the day themes such as cancer, feeding disorders, sexually-transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental health (depression), were discussed. Causes, symptoms, treatment. Information addressing women in general and lesbians in particular.
The second part of the day was dedicated to topics such as self-harm (physical and psychological) and relationships between lesbians—violence and abuse. What does self-harm mean, and what are its causes? Why do we accept the “role” of a victim in a relationship? Why do we abuse our partner?
Transgender Day. Concepts and prejudices. How accepted/discriminated are transsexuals in society and LGBT community?
On Friday, the last day before
evaluation, a lecture on the feminist and lesbian movement along time was
held. This history, unfortunately, did not include Eastern Europe due to
lack of information on this topic. Women’s rights in the past and present.
The progress that has been made, and what the feminist movement revolution
meant in the context of world history. The participants from Eastern Europe
presented the women’s situation during the communist regime.
This conference was more
than necessary, and it should take place each year. The recommendations
made for the coming year are the natural consequence of what happened in
Berlin. Next year’s attempt will be the involvement of as many women as
possible, from diverse group, taking as a priority the minorities within
the LGBT minority.