IMPORTANT ISSUE: QUEERNESS AND THE RIGHT TO AUTONOMY AND SELF-DETERMINATION

Each of us has a right to bodily autonomy and have the power to make our own choices about our bodies, gender expression, and sexuality, and to have those choices supported by everyone around us, and by our societies at large. Yet, millions of queer people are denied their right to say yes to the choice of a partner in marriage. Many are denied this right because of race, gender, and sexual orientation, as if their bodies do not belong to them. Depriving queer people of bodily autonomy causes and reinforces inequalities and violence, all of which arise from gender discrimination. Queer people must freely exercise their inherent right to choose what they do with their body, to ensure its protection and care, to pursue its expression. The right to autonomy of their bodies means that they have the power and agency to make choices, without fear of violence and discrimination. So, since claiming bodily autonomy is fundamental to the enjoyment of all other human rights, such as the right to health or the right to live free from violence and discrimination, society is obligated to extend all the support to queer people.

Prepare a counter-narrative campaign.

You may recall what a counter-narrative campaign is (you can find a description and example here). Get a group together and get to work.

After reviewing and understanding the example on the handout, take a look at the picture with the TERRAM PACIS’ Queer love graphic. Your group must use this TERRAM PACIS’ Queer love graphic to raise awareness about how society is obligated to extend support to queer people for them to carry out their choices in a meaningful way. That is:

The graphic is your medium. So, you have to create a message about bodily autonomy for queer people to prevent discrimination and violence against them.
To create your campaign, please use the campaign log-frame by answering the provide questions.

In case of double, please consult the handout to reflect on the best ways to answer each question.

Campaign’s name

What is the name of your counter-narrative campaign

Campaign’s audience(s)

Describe your audience characteristics. That is, who are the people that your campaign is targeting. Where and when are they engaged on social media?

Campaign’s impact(s)

What is the behavioural or social change the campaign aims to contribute to. That is, the long-term results you want to achieve with your campaign.

Campaign’s goal(s)

Describes how or by which means your campaign will contribute to achieving the expected impact.

Campaign’s objective(s)

How many people you aim to reach with your campaign? How many social media posts or campaign content you aim to produce?

Campaign’s content

Create the content of your campaign: create your message; add the message to your medium; select a messenger (optional); and develop your call to action.

Campaign’s dissemination

Which social media channels will you use to run the campaign. That is, how will you create visibility, or by which means will you spread the content of your campaign?

Campaign’s evaluation

Which methods will you use to assess whether you are achieving set goals and objectives? Which type of monitoring and evaluation indicators do you aim to use?