An LGBT International Development Network

-Emilia Rastrick, RPCV, Kyrgyzstan

Have you ever considered how you could support LGBT people in developing countries? Ever wanted to discuss these issues with other like-minded gay, straight, or supportive people? Do you find that working in the field of international development as an LGBT person provides challenges that straight people just do not understand? Me to…

Presently, I am working to develop networking opportunities for LGBT people who work in the international development field. The initial idea behind starting this group is to open up communication and to build a network of LGBT people who work in the international development arena in order to:

1. Provide a professional forum to discuss best practices and challenges associated with addressing LGBT issues and possibly integrating those issues into mainstream development programming.
2. Learn from LGBT organizations that work internationally, and specifically in developing countries, about their current and future programming to possibly mainstream these programs.
3. Provide an open forum to discuss the challenges and advantages for LGBT employees in the international development arena.

Granted these are only rough ideas and need discussion amongst a larger group. To that end, we are looking to have an initial meeting in September with interested people in Washington D.C. to establish a more defined agenda, establish goals, and to plan initial events and networking. The Executive Director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), Paula Ettlebrick, is extremely interested in the program and wants to be included in the planning.

I am doing this for personal and professional reasons. I know that on one level I need to find a way to reach out to LGBT people in developing countries, because despite our problems in America, they are minimal compared to those of gay and lesbian people we have served with overseas. Also, I work at a philanthropic consulting firm that works internationally with both LGBT and economic development organizations, but treats these as mutually exclusive areas. I would like to see some interaction in that programming. Also, on a personal level I need this dialogue to understand the challenges other LGBT people are facing who work in international development.

Please let me know if you are interested in being part of these discussions.

Emilia Rastrick, Email: meelie72@yahoo.com.