The project in a few words
The “Rural Queers” project is a youth exchange organized by Asociación Brújula Intercultural in Belorado, Spain, that aims to empower active citizenship among LGBTQIA+ youth and allies, with a special focus on youth from rural areas, villages, small-towns, and suburban neighborhoods.
Throughout history, rural spaces have held multiple meanings and served various functions for LGBTQIA+individuals and communities, ranging from sites for political organizing or sanctuary to sites of repression and violence for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Many popular representations of rurality as well as anti-LGBTQIA+ discourse citing “protecting rural values” suggest these communities intrinsically place a heightened value on “traditional moral standards”. Thus, communities in rural areas are associated with a lower tolerance for difference compared to urban environments. Some queer-identified individuals living in rural areas do experience antagonism, oppression, and violence matching the stereotypical representation of what it means to be queer in a rural community.
Main Objectives
- Ensure participation of LGBTQIA+ youth and allies from rural context, villages, suburban and peripheral areas;
- Offer a safe space where participants can share personal experiences and learn from others;
- Investigate the binomial of queer identity and rural areas in depth;
- Provide a safe space for the subversion of socially rooted stereotypes;
- Share information about LGBTQIA+ rights in different European countries, kinds of activism and the use of social media tools to raise awareness;
- Generate an impact around Belorado and, in general, around rural areas of the province of Burgos, through activities related to exchange, freedom of expression, respect of diversity and visibility of the queer community;
- Promote critical thinking around the representation of LGBTQIA+ in social media;
- Reflect on how the media influences the perception of ourselves and other groups;
- Analyse and create digital contents to implement different forms of activism through social media and in specific rural realities;
- Promote local, national and international activism and empower young people to defend their rights.
Who can apply?
Youngsters (18-25 years old) that…
- … have a strong motivation to learn and acquire new skills
- … are fluent in English as a working language (being able to understand and communicate in English for the entire project)
- … can commit to attending to the project for its full duration
- … are proactive and willing to learn more about the topic
- … are residing in Germany
- … We encourage the participation of participants with fewer opportunities. (Participants with fewer opportunities will be prioritised.)
Hosting Organisation
Brújula Intercultural is an association created in June 2017 in the province of Burgos (Spain) with the aim to promote mobility and learning opportunities among young people (between 14 and 30 years old) in the region. The mission of the organization is to provide non-formal education opportunities for young people in international contexts, involving as many as possible right from the planning stage and trying always to involve others that have never participated before.
