Infiltrating Safe Spaces: Exploring the LGBTQ+ communities experience of cis-gendered attendees occupying LGBTQ+ safe spaces in the UK.

Drag events, where men impersonate the female form, are embedded into the LQBTQ+ community and were historically attended by gay males. These events have created safe spaces to explore and highlight concepts such as gender, identity, sexuality and politics and where attendees can celebrate queer culture. With the wider acceptance of queer culture and the LGBTQ+ communities, there are still issues regarding the infiltration of cis-gendered persons in LGBTQ+ spaces. . This project builds on the existing research carried out and published.
The overall aim of this research is:
To explore the LGBTQ+ communities experience of cis-gendered attendees occupying LGBTQ+ safe spaces in the UK.

The following objectives to meet the overall aim of the study have been identified:
1. To establish an understanding of the LGBTQ+ safe spaces and the perceived implications of cis-gendered persons attending LGBTQ+ spaces and venues through a critical literature review (currently in progress).
2. To explore the LGBTQ+ community in the UK's understanding of safe space and what they consider a safe space through an online qualitative survey (completed, 557 respondents).
3. To understand the views of cis-gender persons attending LGBTQ+ safe spaces through an online qualitative survey (completed, 557 respondents).
4. To critically evaluate the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community who have experienced cis-gender persons attending LGBTQ+ spaces in the UK applied using a critical incident technique (CIT, to be completed).