Arctic LGBTQI+ Statement

Over the past decades, activists, human rights organizations, academics and others have worked hard for the advancement and recognition of equal rights for LGBTQI+ communities in the Arctic. Whilst the situation for Queer individuals and communities has significantly improved recently, the outcomes of this process vary widely across the different regions of the Arctic and the work is far from completed.

A general lack of a public and open dialogue on queer identity and related issues, the invisibility of queer statistics and demographics, the loss or neglect of traditional concepts of queerness such as “two spiritedness” and episodes of discrimination are only a few examples that many Arctic Queer individuals and communities face today.  This affects those living in the region, Arctic indigenous peoples as well as researchers and visitors.

We seek to bring together activists, first-hand experience holders and rightsholders, supporters, decision makers, academics and artists to openly discuss queer identity, queer rights and related issues in the Arctic. 

We seek to explore how the diverse Arctic understands gender and sexuality, including the intersections between indigenous and Western/colonial worldviews, from local, global, current-day and historical perspectives.

We seek to highlight the need for advancement of this topic in both research and public awareness, as well as the need for prominent platforms for effective communication and outreach.