Warm Up Questions

The warm up questions are designed to get the conversations going. They are less LGBTQIAP+ specific, but can be approached from an LGBTQIAP+ viewpoint.

1. What is your favourite thing about yourself?

2. If you could tell the whole world one thing, what would it be?

3. What one thing would you most like to change about yourself?

4. What do you wish you could tell your younger self?

5. If you could write a new law, what would it be?

6. Would you rather be alone all the time or with other people all the time?

7. What does community mean to you?

8. What does it mean to love someone?

9. How would you describe unconditional love?

10. Have you ever struggled to find a toilet you were comfortable using?

11. Have you ever been mistaken for someone else?  How did it make you feel?

12. What is your favourite thing?  How would you feel if someone you didn’t know mocked it?

13. What’s the most extravagant thing you’ve ever done for someone you cared about?

14. Would you rather punch your best friend in the face or give all your money to your worst enemy?

15. Have you ever tried to tell the truth but no one would listen?

16. What is the most remote location you think you could live in?

17. Have you ever excluded someone? How did you feel?

18. Describe yourself in ten words or fewer.

19. If you had to describe yourself with three objects, what would they be?

20. Which colour best describes you?

21. How do you react when you meet someone with the same interests as you?

22. Why might people want to dye their hair?

23. Do you find it easier to forgive or forget?

24. Do you think it’s right to cut people out of your life if they have hurt you?

25. Are you the kind of person who will gladly go out in the rain in order to see a rainbow?

26. Do you think stereotypes are useful?

27. Do you feel like you fit into any stereotypes?

 

 

Religion and Discrimination

These questions are probably the toughest in the pack. Remember that for people on both sides of the argument, this can be very emotional to talk about. Try and use these questions to encourage healthy debate, but be aware that the conversation may become one-sided, and people could feel under attack. Please see the Facilitator's Notes page for some tips on how to manage this.

28. Do you think people have the right to discriminate against LGBTQIAP+ people on religious grounds?

29. Do you think it’s right that some religious groups are seen as homophobic/transphobic?

30. What do you think God(s) or higher powers would want to say specifically to LGBTQIAP+ people?

31. Do you think it’s ok that people interpret religious scriptures differently?

32. Do you think debating different interpretations of religious scriptures is useful?

33. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about God(s) or higher powers?

34. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about spirituality?

35. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about love?

36. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about the Bible or other religious scriptures?

37. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about prayer?

38. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about social action?

39. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about community?

40. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about living out their faith?

41. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about justice?

42. What do you think LGBTQIAP+ people can teach others about hope?

43. Do you think any of the people written about in the Bible/other religious scriptures might have been LGBTQIAP+, and why/why not?

44. Do you think people should be challenged about homophobic, transphobic or offensive things they said or wrote years ago?

45. Do you think the world is a hard place for LGBTQIAP+ people?

46. How would you respond if someone said they didn’t like people of the same orientation as you?

47. Would you intervene if you saw homophobic/transphobic bullying taking place?

48. Do you think positive discrimination is right? (e.g. when LGBTQIAP+ people are given more advantages/opportunities than straight/cisgender people)

49. What do you think might be issues that LGBTQIAP+ couples face?

 

 

Gender and Intersectionality

These gender and intersectionality-related questions are important to discuss even if they appear not to apply to anyone involved in the discussion. If there are trans people or non-binary people, people of colour, disabled people, or people of faith present, this may be a good opportunity for them to share their experiences, if they are willing, and for others to listen.

50. Do you think gender is still important?

51. How important is your gender identity to you?

52. Do you think there should be expectations on people because of their gender?

53. How often do you discuss gender with your friends or family?

54. Do you think gender-neutral pronouns like they/them, zie/zir, and sie/hir are important?

55. How important is your gender presentation to you, i.e. the gender that people assume you are when they see you?

56. Why do you think some people like to do drag?

57. Can someone be a feminist if they don’t support trans women?

58. Do you think you can tell someone’s gender just by looking at them?

59. Do you think certain kinds of clothes are gendered?

60. Philadelphia Pride have added black and brown stripes to the Rainbow Pride flag to recognise the contributions that people of colour make to the LGBTQIAP+ community. Why do you think this is important?

61. How do you think being a person of colour might impact someone’s experience as an LGBTQIAP+ person?

62. How do you think having a disability or disabilities might impact someone’s experience as an LGBTQIAP+ person?

63. How do you think having a faith/religion might impact someone’s experience as an LGBTQIAP+ person?

 

Pride, Allies, Representation, and Coming Out

This section is the most diverse in terms of topics. Remember the Rainbow Glossary is there to help you out if there are any unfamiliar terms.

64. The pink stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Sex. What does sex mean to you and why do you think it was included?

65. The red stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Life. What does life mean to you and why do you think it was included?

66. The orange stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Healing. What does healing mean to you and why do you think it was included?

67. The yellow stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Sunlight. What does sunlight mean to you and why do you think it was included?

68. The green stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Nature. What does nature mean to you and why do you think it was included?

69. The turquoise stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Magic and Art. What do magic and art mean to you and why do you think it was included?

70. The indigo stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Serenity. What does serenity mean to you and why do you think it was included?

71. The violet stripe on the original Rainbow Pride flag represents Spirit. What does spirit mean to you and why do you think it was included?

72. Do you see Pride more as a celebration or a protest?

73. Do you think people should use the word “queer”?

74. Do you think everyone has a responsibility to educate themselves about LGBTQIAP+ issues?

75. How important is your sexual orientation to you?

76. Do you think LGBTQIAP+ issues should be talked about in primary schools?

77. Do you think that LGBTQIAP+ people should be the ones educating others about related issues?

78. How could people be more inclusive of people who are different to them in day-to-day life?

79. Do you think the media does a good job of portraying/representing LGBTQIAP+ people?

80. Do you think straight/cisgender people should be allowed at Pride events?

81. Why do you think the rainbow was chosen as an LGBTQIAP+ symbol?

82. What do you think of the split-attraction model (where people might use different words to describe their sexual and romantic orientations, like homoromantic asexual)?

83. Why do you think some people prefer to stay in the closet?

84. Do you think someone’s gender identity/sexual orientation can change over time?

85. Do you think there should be spaces that are just for LGBTQIAP+ people, without allies?

86. What can allies do to help LGBTQIAP+ people?

87. What does it mean to be an ally?

88. How helpful is it when a celebrity/famous person you admire comes out?

89. How helpful is it when a celebrity/famous person you can’t stand comes out?

90. Is identifying as LGBTQIAP+ a form of labelling?

91. Who has the authority to decide what terms such as LGBTQIAP+ mean?

92. When should we stop adding letters to LGBTQIAP+?

93. Do you think famous LGBTQIAP+ people have a responsibility to talk about their sexuality/gender?

94. How important do you think it is for LGBTQIAP+ people to be able to label themselves?

95. What are the best ways to acknowledge and discuss the different experiences within the LGBTQIAP+ community?

96. Why has awareness of intersexuality grown slower than some other aspects of the LGBTQIAP+ community?

97. When one part of the LGBTQIAP+ community gets more attention than another, how could we respond?

98. Do you think you can tell someone’s sexuality just by looking at them?

99. Do you think that “gay” should be an umbrella term for anyone (regardless of their gender, or attraction to any other genders as well) who experiences attraction to people of the same gender as them?

100. Are there any fictional characters who you imagine to be LGBTQIAP+, even if it’s never stated?

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