The Frontline

The Frontline
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The Frontline

Presented by ILGA-Europe, an umbrella organisation for over 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) organisations across 54 countries, The Frontline is a podcast about LGBTI activism and lives in Europe and Central Asia. Deep-diving and analysing from a unique and informed perspective, The Frontline aims to bring you to the core of queer activism and give you an understanding on the complexities of what's happening, why it's happening, the wins and the losses, the challenges and commonalities, and the extraordinary ways in which the work of those on the frontlines continues in a rapidly changing world. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

  1. Italy’s Surge in Anti-LGBTI Violence

    JAN 30

    Italy’s Surge in Anti-LGBTI Violence

    A wave of anti-LGBTI attacks over the past month has sparked mass protests in Italy, as hate-fueled rhetoric from political leaders fuels an increasingly hostile climate. In this episode of The Frontline, we speak with leading activists about the growing crisis. Over the past month, Italy has seen a surge of LGBTI-phobic violence. There have been no less than four hate-motivated attacks in the last four weeks, while hate messages have appeared on the doors of the Cassero LGBTQIA+ centre in Bologna. The attacks have prompted large protests in both Rome and Milan, demanding the government to take urgent action. But all this is taking place at a time when openly LGBT-phobic rhetoric is used by Italy’s leaders, while legislative protection for LGBTI people in Italy is seriously lacking. In this episode activists from Italy speak truth to the alarming rise in hate attacks and how the government is failing to acknowledge the anti-LGBTI motives of the attackers, while at the same time creating a fertile ground for such attacks. Joining us to explore ways forward for the LGBTI movement, and what the EU should be doing, are Roberto Muzzetta from Arcigay, the largest LGBTI organisation in Italy, and Silvia Magino from Associazione Quore, which works with the community in Turin, and Rosario Coco, President of Gaynet, and Italy-wide association working on training and communication on LGBTI issues. Tune in now to stay informed on the situation in Italy, the actions activists are taking in response, and their demands, as the country’s leadership continues to politicise anti-LGBTI sentiment within the European Union. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    43 min
  2. How to Remain United in a Divided World

    JAN 24

    How to Remain United in a Divided World

    The LGBTI activist movement has long been a beacon of social justice, achieving remarkable successes through solidarity and a shared sense of purpose. But in today’s polarised world, where political scapegoating and the divisiveness of social media test the very fabric of unity, how can we continue to stand together? In this episode of The Frontline we revisit an inspiring panel discussion from last October’s Annual Conference in Bucharest. The conversation, moderated by Simona Muršec from Ljubljana Pride, with Matt Kennedy from Trans Equality Together in Ireland, Nari Alibekova from TransDocha in Kazakhstan, and Simon Blake from Stonewall in the UK, explores how activists can build bridges across diverse identities and experiences to strengthen solidarity in the face of external challenges.delves into how we can embrace opportunities to build bridges across diverse identities and experiences. Discover the strategies, insights, and courage needed to nurture the unity that remains the cornerstone of the LGBTI movement. Tune in and be part of the conversation shaping the future of queer solidarity. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    37 min
  3. Beyond Cancel Culture

    JAN 10

    Beyond Cancel Culture

    In this episode of The Frontline, we explore a crucial question: What happens when the righteous anger driving social justice movements turns inward, targeting our own communities? Within the LGBTI movement, how has cancel culture influenced our work and relationships—and how can we move beyond it while staying true to our values? Sabah Choudrey’s inspiring talk at the ILGA-Europe Annual Conference in Bucharest last October unpacks this pressing question. Drawing from adrienne maree brown’s transformative book, ‘We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformational Justice’, Sabah examines the rise of cancel culture, explores compassionate alternatives to "calling out," and discusses how to address harm with accountability and care. This episode invites you to step back from the fast pace of activism and the reactivity of social media to reflect on how we can create healthier, more supportive activist spaces. If you’re ready to rethink justice, accountability, and the future of our movements, this episode of The Frontline is not to be missed. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    35 min
  4. TikTok and the Political Earthquake in Romania

    12/05/2024

    TikTok and the Political Earthquake in Romania

    Just under two weeks ago Romania was thrown into political turmoil that may have far reaching effects for Europe and the world, and for LGBTI people and other minorities in the country. In the first round of the country's Presidential election, nobody saw the victory of far-right, Russia-leaning Calin Georgescu, who was barely on the radar of the polls. Then, last Sunday, in Romania’s parliamentary elections saw mainstream parties gaining enough seats in parliament to form a government, although the far right has gained substantial ground in the legislature. Meanwhile potential breaches in campaign finance laws and unfair practices exploiting the use of  TikTok’s algorithms were credited to have boosted Georgescu, giving him enormous exposure despite the fact that he was relatively unknown. The European Commission have said they will be investigating whether there was unlawful TikTok interference. So, as Romania gets ready for the nail-biting second round of its presidential election, what does all this mean for LGBTI people in the country? How are activists reading the conflicting results of the presidential and parliamentary elections, amid viral anti-LGBTI TikTok videos and the bombshell rise of Calin Georgescu who has previously said he wants to ‘ban homosexuality’? And what does this mean in terms of elections everywhere?   To discuss the questions and implications, we’re joined on The Frontline by Vlad Viski, President of Romania’s community-based LGBT organisation MozaiQ and Stefi Ionescu, board member of ACCEPT Association, which advocates for the human rights of LGBTI people in Romania.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    27 min
  5. LGBTI Activism: The Courage to Seek New Strategies

    11/15/2024

    LGBTI Activism: The Courage to Seek New Strategies

    This summer in Bulgaria, as two new anti-LGBTI laws were fast-tracked in advance of forthcoming elections, a cross movement effort came together to try and stop it. With rising levels of backlash and political scapegoating, how do LGBTI organisations relate to the greater struggle for democracy, freedom and equality? How do we avoid playing into political division in our quest for success? And in a world where there are no easy wins, what does that success look like? In this episode of The Frontline we’re looking at discussion that took place during the ILGA-Europe annual conference in Bucharest in October, where over 400 activists joined us to look at ways forward for LGBTI activism at this critical time in the world. For our panel on finding the courage to seek new strategies in current political contexts, ILGA-Europe’s Advocacy Director, Katrin Hugendubel is joined by Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General responsible for the International Dimension of Justice Policies, Rule of Law, and Equality in the European Commission, Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo, General Rapporteur for LGBTI rights at PACE in the Council of Europe, Denitsa Lyubenova, lawyer from the LGBTI organisation Deystvie in Bulgaria, and Magda Rakita from Fundacja Interakcja in Poland. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    48 min
  6. Navigating Team Wellbeing Part 2: Fostering a Healthy Environment

    07/31/2024

    Navigating Team Wellbeing Part 2: Fostering a Healthy Environment

    In the second of a two-episode mini-series, we dive further into an important topic for LGBTI activists: what happens when concerns around wellbeing shift from the individual to the collective in our organisations. Joining us are three expert guests who bring diverse perspectives and deep experience in this field: Nino Kharchilava from WISG, Georgia, who will share her insights on wholistic security and care management; Suranee Abesurya, the Executive Director of Rainbow Mind, UK, bringing the perspective of clinical professionals; and Elvira Meliksetyan, a wellbeing trainer from FrontLine Defenders, who brings hands-on professional knowledge in fostering organisational health. In this part we discuss the solutions and strategies that can be implemented to foster a supportive and healthy environment for everyone in our organisations. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    28 min
  7. Navigating Team Wellbeing Part 1: Understanding Organisational Health

    07/31/2024

    Navigating Team Wellbeing Part 1: Understanding Organisational Health

    In the first of a two-episode mini-series, we’re dive into a super important topic for LGBTI activists: what happens when concerns around wellbeing shift from the individual to the collective in our organisations. Joining us are three expert guests who bring diverse perspectives and deep experience in this field: Nino Kharchilava from WISG, Georgia, who will share her insights on wholistic security and care management; Suranee Abesurya, the Executive Director of Rainbow Mind, UK, bringing the perspective of clinical professionals; and Elvira Meliksetyan, a wellbeing trainer from FrontLine Defenders, who brings hands-on professional knowledge in fostering organisational health. In this episode, we start at the very beginning, by looking at what organisational wellbeing actually means, and exploring how we identify group wellbeing needs. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    36 min
  8. Intersectionality and the LGBTI Activist Movement

    06/21/2024

    Intersectionality and the LGBTI Activist Movement

    Intersectionality is a buzz word that’s often used in the LGBTI activist movement, but what is true intersectionality and how do we fold it into the work we do? How do create the change we want to see in society, so that the less privileged within our communities are recognised, valued, included and heard, and where the specific issues that affect those on the intersections are addressed? Over the past decade, ILGA-Europe’s staff has gone on a learning journey on how to be an organisation that truly adopts an intersectional approach in all our work. In this episode of The Frontline, we’re talking about that journey in real terms. What actually is intersectionality? How do we learn about being truly intersectional and practically put it to use? How do we open ourselves to take on board and learn from critique? And how do we learn from the mistakes we often make? These are some of the questions in this special episode, presented by Valeria Santostefano, a former team member with ILGA-Europe who was active in the intersectionality portfolio, and who has recently joined the team to support internal learning. Valeria is joined by the former Executive Director, Evelyne Paradis, who has been part of the learning for 15 years, and the new Executive Director, Chaber who is taking the work, and the continual learning, forward. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

    45 min
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About

Presented by ILGA-Europe, an umbrella organisation for over 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) organisations across 54 countries, The Frontline is a podcast about LGBTI activism and lives in Europe and Central Asia. Deep-diving and analysing from a unique and informed perspective, The Frontline aims to bring you to the core of queer activism and give you an understanding on the complexities of what's happening, why it's happening, the wins and the losses, the challenges and commonalities, and the extraordinary ways in which the work of those on the frontlines continues in a rapidly changing world. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    The Frontline
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Brian Finnegan
  • Show Website
    The Frontline

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