Queer Displacements Conference
2025 Queer Displacements
Regional challenges, global solidarity, practical solutions
focus on the Asia and the Pacific
3-5 September 2025 | Victoria University | City Tower
Naarm (Melbourne) Australia
About the Queer Displacements conference
The Queer Displacements Conference, held biannually since 2019, is the first and only event in the Asia-Pacific region that focuses on the intersectional challenges and solutions for LGBTIQA+ forcibly displaced people. It offers a unique platform to foreground the voices and lived experiences of LGBTIQA+ people, building awareness, solidarity, and alliances to achieve justice, protection, and sustainable solutions.
Designed with a methodology that centers lived experiences beyond storytelling, the conference provides full scholarships to LGBTIQA+ displaced individuals, ensuring their participation shapes the discussions and outcomes. Combining presentations and stakeholder engagements, it promotes action-oriented results within a trauma-informed framework.
Building on the success of previous conferences, the 2025 Queer Displacements Conference will focus on the Asia-Pacific region, where the intersection of forced displacement and criminalisation of LGBTIQA+ identities presents significant challenges. Many countries in the region host large refugee populations while criminalising LGBTIQA+ identities, making safe identification and refugee status determination extremely difficult. The conference will explore innovative solutions through leadership, advocacy, and regional collaboration.
Join us!Â
- 3 September: pre-conference for LGBTIQA+ forcibly displaced people only
- 4-5 September: main conference days
All speakers and attendees, by registering to attend the conference, agree to abide by the Conference Code of Conduct. Download the full conference program to read it.
Book your tickets
All prices are GST exclusive and in AUD. Registration is for the pre-conference and 2 main conference days, in-person attendance. One-day registrations are not offered. Unfortunately, online attendance is not possible.
Explore side events
Workshop: Critical Storytelling As Trans & Queer Refugee Activism
by A/Prof Debanuj DasGupta, University of California Santa Barbara
The workshop will explore how to develop creative writing, mapping based short story telling sessions that attends to layered everyday aspects of the lives of queer and trans refugees. The learning outcomes are transferrable for those engaging with refugee lived experiences in research and advocacy.
Who should attend: post-graduate students, early career researchers, refugee advocates (both with and without lived experience) and others willing to learn how to engage with storytelling in ethical ways.
3 September 2025 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Out of Iraq Film Screening
Join us for the fundraising film screening of the award winning documentary Out of Iraq!
This screening is one of the official side events of the 2025 Queer Displacements Conference.
In 2004, Ramadi was the most dangerous place on earth and the last place anyone would expect to find love. But that’s what happened between an Iraqi translator working for the U.S. and an Iraqi soldier.Out of Iraq is the story of their unwavering love, against all odds.
The film screening will be followed by the panel discussion with Dr. Michael Failla, who supported Btoo Allami and Nayyef Hrebid to find safety.
3 September 2025, 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Pre-conference day for LGBTIQA+ displaced people
Are you an LGBTIQA+ forcibly displaced person? Join a community forum to tell us what change you want to see in Australia, take part in 2 hands-on workshops (choose what matters to you) and connect with others who’ve been through similar experiences.
3 September 2025 12:30pm - 5:00pm
Who should attend
The Queer Displacements Conference is more than just a conference—it’s a space for voices to be heard, alliances to be built, and change to be made.
Everyone is invited!
Gratitude
We express our sincere gratitude to our sponsors and funders!
HUMAN RIGHTS SPONSOR
Pride Foundation Australia |
INTERSECTIONALITY SPONSORS
1. Asylum Seekers Resource Centre |
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2. The Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma |
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3. Settlement Services International |
Become our sponsor!
By sponsoring the Queer Displacements Conference, your organisation will connect with a unique network of migration and refugee leaders, policymakers, and grassroots organisations, while demonstrating your commitment to inclusion, equality, and justice. Build your visibility, strengthen your corporate social responsibility, and engage directly with marginalised communities to foster meaningful partnerships and solutions.
Volunteer with us
We are looking for volunteers to support various tasks before, during, and after the conference.
We are currently specifically looking for Social Media Content Creator.Â
Time commitment: 3-4 hours per week
Scholarships
We support LGBTIQA+ forcibly displaced people living in Australia and the Asia Pacific region to attend the 2025 Queer Displacements Conference.
Scholarships applications have now closed.
Watch keynotes from 2023
Watch selected presentations from the 2023 Queer Displacements Conference.
Focus on Afghanistan: Artemis Akbary
Focus on Latin America: Baby Salcedo
Global challenges: Kimahli Powell
Queer displacement in Asia: Ryan Figueiredo
Queer Categories and Colonial Legacies: Prof. Churnjeet Mahn
Writing from and about lived experience: Danny Ramadan
Explore past conferences
2023 Queer Displacements Conference
2023 Conference Booklet
2023 Queer Displacements Conference
2023 Conference Report
2019 Queer Displacements Conference
2019 Conference Booklet
2019 Queer Displacements Conference
2019 Conference Report