Equality NOVA Meetups

Courageous Conversations for Change

Mission:
To convene courageous, inclusive conversations that deepen understanding, elevate marginalized voices, and inspire collective action within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Through thoughtfully themed salons, we bring people together in small groups and full-room dialogue — fostering connection, reflection, education, and pathways toward social change.

Topic for Meetup:

## The Military & LGBTQ Service Worldwide

Focus: Perception of how LGBTQ individuals experience military service, in different national contexts, and the implications for equity, rights, and recognition.

• Which countries allow open service by LGBTQ people? Do you think it makes them stronger or weaker?
• How do institutional cultures (military, corporate, non-profit, educational) reinforce or challenge norms around gender, sexuality and identity?
• What has been the perceived legacy of policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the U.S., and similar bans elsewhere?
• If someone serves openly in military or otherwise, what changes in policy, culture or perception might they face — and how could those changes ripple into workplaces, families or public life?
• What role can advocacy, international pressure, or alliances play in reforming military inclusion policies?
• Group Discussion: If you were designing a “service institution” (military or otherwise) from scratch that was fully inclusive of LGBTQ people, what would be the three most important features you would build into it (policy + culture + practice)? Why?

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What is it?

A salon (as we're using the term) is a thoughtfully curated gathering-usually in an intimate or semi-formal setting - where people come together not for a speech, but for real conversation, listening, and collective reflection. It's a space of exchange: participants share stories, explore different perspectives, dig into complex question, and work toward insight or purposeful action.

The tradition of salons dates back to Europe—especially France in the 17th and 18th centuries—where intellectuals, writers, artists, and philosophers met in private homes to debate ideas, share creative work, and challenge prevailing norms. These salons were hubs of Enlightenment thinking and helped foster what we now call the public sphere of civic dialogue.

Over time, salons have evolved: today, they often focus on social justice, identity, public policy, art, or community building, while retaining their spirit of intentional dialogue and collective inquiry.

In practice, a modern salon balances depth and accessibility: it typically begins with small-group breakout discussions, then moves to a full-group sharing session, and concludes by naming “next steps” or actions. The facilitator or host establishes ground rules—listening, respect, “I” statements, confidentiality—to help ensure that all voices feel safe and heard. Salons do not aim for consensus so much as greater understanding, new connections, and ideas to seed further collaboration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_%28gathering%29