What do we need to feel competent working with LGBTQ+ people?

Sexual and gender diversity is not a marginal topic. In schools, healthcare, social services, psychological and counseling practice, HR and other institutions, professionals encounter LGBTQ+ people, their families, communities and specific life situations. Yet systematic education that combines professional knowledge, ethics, sensitive communication and practical skills is often lacking.

If this topic interests you, join our panel discussion to explore what LGBTQ+ competence means today and why good intentions or general tolerance aren't enough. We'll discuss what emerged from mapping needs among target groups, what uncertainties practitioners most commonly describe, and what education that is professional, affirming, interdisciplinary and applicable to everyday professional work might look like.

We'll also present the upcoming lifelong learning course at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University called Inclusive Practice in Working with Sexual and Gender Diversity, which brings together perspectives from research, psychology, social pedagogy and medicine. Rather than one-off recommendations, this course offers a broader framework for working with stigmatization, minority stress, gender and sexual diversity, institutions and concrete dilemmas from practice.

The event is for professionals and the general public, people in helping professions, education, healthcare, social services, the non-profit sector, HR, media and everyone interested in creating safer, more sensitive and more competent environments for LGBTQ+ people.

Panel speakers – the teaching team of the upcoming course: Michal Pitoňák – social geographer, researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University. He has long focused on LGBTQ+ topics, minority stress, stigmatization, mental health and health inequalities. He is chair of the Queer Geography association and expert guarantor of the upcoming course focused on affirming practice and LGBTQ+ competence.

Marcela Macháčková – psychologist who brings psychological and counseling perspectives, particularly questions of safe communication, support, practice uncertainties and sensitive handling of identity, coming out, relationships and vulnerability.

Teodor Brzák – social pedagogue working on education, youth support, school environments and institutional work. He'll focus on how LGBTQ+ topics appear in schools and social-pedagogical practice and why it's important to work not only with individuals but also with their environment.

Matěj Kučera – physician bringing healthcare perspectives, focusing on trust, communication and respectful care for LGBTQ+ people. He'll explore why healthcare needs to understand the specific needs of sexually and gender diverse people without reducing them to their identity alone.

Moderated by: Agáta Hrdličková – facilitator of gender-inclusive sex education, co-director of Gender Studies and coordinator of the Ucimolgbt.cz project

Admission – free

Accessibility – suitable for teenagers, wheelchair accessible

Vibe check – quiet event (no loud music, shouting etc.), requires audience interaction or participation, seating available, indoor venue

Trigger warnings – discussion may touch on sensitive topics related to stigmatization, discrimination, minority stress, psychological burden and LGBTQ+ experiences in schools, healthcare, social services and other institutions. Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, intersexphobia, inappropriate or harmful professional approaches and effects of rejection on mental health may be mentioned. Topics will be discussed professionally, in respectful language and without sensationalism.

Organized by – teaching team of the upcoming Charles University Faculty of Humanities course on affirming practice and LGBTQ+ competence We are an interdisciplinary teaching team of the lifelong learning course at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, focused on affirming practice and LGBTQ+ competence. We combine research, psychology, social pedagogy and medicine to strengthen professional, ethical and sensitive work with sexual and gender diversity in practice.