Topic: Narrative pitfalls
Avoiding negative narratives is in our DNA and we normally know how to achieve it successfully, but even when we think we are communicating in positive terms, there might be issues lurking beneath the surface. Here are common pitfalls to avoid when communicating about Conversion Practices:
Avoid framing LGBTQI+ people only as victims.
This plays into the narrative that LGBTQI+ people are weak, that the majority of people don’t support them, that they are isolated.
Instead, use stories of resistance, joy, and survival alongside stories of harm.
Avoid the “bootstrap” narrative.
In most cases and especially to counter the “victim” narrative, it is tempting to highlight the capacity of LGBTQI+ to overcome hardship and trauma. Stories of resilience are always very empowering, and popular with all audiences. Nevertheless, putting all the emphasis on personal achievement reinforces the liberal narrative of individualistic agency, undermining the importance of the collective and obscuring the need for systemic, rather than individual, responses to Conversion Practices.
