Motion Bank · By topic

LGBTQ+ debate motions

These motions go beyond the legal-rights debates of past decades into harder questions of strategy and culture: assimilation against radicalism, representation in media, and how movements handle internal disagreement.

248 motions, newest season first, verbatim from tournament records. Info slides are included where the tournament released one. For keyword search and shuffle drills, use the searchable bank.

2026 (1 motions)

  • TH, as the transgender rights movement, W actively decentre the physical body in constructions of identity.

    SLS Parliamentary Debate 2026 · Round 4

2025 (9 motions)

  • This House Prefers a World where the LGBTQ+ movement pursued the liberationist approach rather than the assimilationist approach.

    Copenhagen EUDC 2025 · Round 7

    Info slide

    Since the 1990s, the assimilationist approach to LGBTQ+ advocacy emphasised that queer identity and relationships are "just like" their heterosexual counterparts, and that therefore LGBTQ+ people should have access to existing social institutions such as marriage and family life. The liberationist approach to LGBTQ+ advocacy would have argued that these institutions are inherently restrictive and should not be central to a person's life.

  • THBT queer advocacy groups should prioritize empowering individuals to pursue non-state-dependent relationships (e.g. chosen families, live-in relationships, co parenting, etc.) over campaigning for state-recognized unions (e.g. marriage, adoption, etc.)

    Guangzhou UADC 2025 · Octofinals

  • THBT the LGBTQ movement should adopt a gender-abolitionist approach as opposed to a gender-pluralist one.

    PAUDC 2025 · Round 5

    Info slide

    A gender abolitionist approach is one that seeks to eliminate the social, legal, and cultural significance of gender. A gender pluralist approach seeks to recognize and protect a multitude of gender identities

  • That we regret the queer movement's emphasis on highly specific rather than broad labels to reflect individuals' sexual and gender identities.

    Melbourne Easters 2025 · Round 5

  • That it is in the interests of the CCP to substantially liberalise its position on Queer rights.

    Melbourne Easters 2025 · Round 5

  • THS queer opacity in aesthetic expression.

    Hangzhou NEADC 2025 · Grand Final

    Info slide

    Queer opacity is a concept that values the unknowability or indeterminacy of queer identities, resisting the demand to be fully understood or made legible within dominant social norms.

  • THBT it is in the interest of queer folks to commercialize queer-dominant spaces (drag shows, pride marches, gay bars, trans nightclubs)

    Ziauddin University DC 2025 · Semifinals

  • THW aggressively queer the works produced by queer-phobic artists as opposed to denouncing or boycotting them entirely (JK Rowling's Harry Potter series, F.Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Chris Pratt's Marvel movies, Matt Damon's Good Will Hunting, and more).

    Ziauddin University DC 2025 · Semifinals

  • THP LGBTQ+ characters whose identity is central to their portrayal (e.g. Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson in Heartstopper, Elio in Call Me By Your Name), rather than as an incidental trait (e.g. Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn 99)

    Novice WSDC 2025 · Under-16 Finals

2024 (4 motions)

  • That in the aftermath of the repeal of Section 377A, the LGBTQ+ movement in Singapore should actively prioritise fighting for reforms that impact the Trans community, at the exclusion of fighting for gay marriage.

    Jakarta Australs 2024 · Round 4

    Info slide

    The repeal of Section 377A was a landmark victory for the LGBTQ+ movement in Singapore, marking the culmination of a decade of advocacy. Section 377A had criminalised consensual same-sex relations between men. The success of its repeal, while celebrated, was not a complete triumph - the government also amended the constitution to prevent legal challenges to the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

  • TH prefers LGBTQ+ arts and media that are optimistic and heartwarming (e.g. Heartstopper, Red White & Royal Blue, HOT TO GO! by Chappel Roan) over ones that are pessimistic and despressing (e.g. Call me by your name, Banana Fish, They Both Die in the End, Heather by Conan Gray).

    Asia Pacific WSDC 2024 · Round 4

  • THBT queer movements in liberal democracies should reject marriage as an institution

    Malaysia National Schools WSDC 2024 · Open Quarter Finals

  • This House believes that the LGBTQ+ community should actively embrace and adopt the nuclear family

    Asia World Schools Debate Open 2024 · Open Semifinals

    Info slide

    A nuclear family is a family model composed of two partners with children

2023 (5 motions)

  • This House believes that the LGBTQ+ community should actively embrace the nuclear family ideal

    WSDC 2023 · Semifinals (impromptu) · World Schools Debating Championships

  • This House believes that the queer community should focus on 'normalisation' instead of focusing on the uniqueness of the queer community

    Northeast Asia BP 2023 · Round 4

    Info slide

    Normalisation involves promoting the narrative that queer people want to be 'normal' by getting married and having kids.

  • THBT the LGBT movement in Taiwan should aggressively encourage closeted individuals to come out at 'Dà Zòng Jiǔ'.

    NEADC 2023 · Round 3

    Info slide

    'Dà Zòng Jiǔ (大縱酒)' is a queer gathering held on a monthly basis in Taiwan. It has evolved into one of the most significant and biggest pride events with active participation from Twitter users within the LGBT community. Centered around extensive drinking, this event serves as a space where individuals from the LGBT community come together to enjoy alcohol and socialize with other people, alongside K-pop dancing, flirting/kissing people, and cosplaying.

  • THBT the use of satire in LGBTQ+ messaging and protests has done more good than harm.

    Malaysian National Schools WSDC 2023 · Round 3

    Info slide

    Individuals participating in the NYC drag march were reportedly chanting the phrase "We're here, We're Queer, We're coming for your children" while marching in the rally. This statement was derived from a previous performance by the San Francisco Men's Gay Choir as a form of satire and protest. Some prominent members of the community, including the organisers for the rally, have voiced their support for the sentiment, saying that outrage is misplaced as the phrase was taken out of context.

  • TH, as a queer adult that was raised in a conservative family, would attempt to distance from the family rather than attempt to change the minds of the family

    Philippine Schools DC 2023 · Quarterfinals

2022 (1 motions)

  • THR the dominance of queer representation in media revolving around the concept of 'coming out'

    Asia Pacific WSDC 2022 · Round 2

2021 (53 motions)

  • THBT LGBTQ+ movement in East Asia should actively criticize Danmei, rather than co-opting them

    Asia Queer Open 2.0 2021 · 1

    Info slide

    Danmei (耽美) is a genre of literature and other fictional media originating from East Asia which features romantic relationships between male characters. Usually the stories of Danmei are written, and read by female audiences.

  • This House believes that the queer community should oppose the glorification of white gender-fluid icons (e.g. Harry Styles, Ruby Rose, Troye Sivan, Nico Tortorella, Sam Smith, etc.)

    ABP 2021 · 3

    Info slide

    A person who identifies as gender-fluid has a gender identity and presentation that varies over time. A gender-fluid person may identify as male, female, agender, or any other nonbinary identity or combination of identities. Gender fluidity does not affect sexual preference or orientation

  • Assuming it were possible, that, as the European Union, we would sanction EU members states that do not ensure protection of the LGBTQIA+ community

    NLUJ PD 2021 · 4

    Info slide

    Eastern EU member states with right-wing governments have campaigned against gay rights as a central part of their ideology e.g. Poland's President Andrzej Duda campaigned against an "LGBT ideology" and wanted to ban teaching of gay rights in schools. Hungary proposed a constitutional amendment to require children to be brought up with a "Christian" interpretation of gender roles, and a law that would effectively ban adoptions by same-sex couples.

  • This House believes that the LGBTQIA+ community should support queer coding in art

    Young Thinker's Trophy 2021 · 2

    Info slide

    Queer coding is the subtextual coding and interpretation of a fictional character as queer. While the character's sexual identity may not be explicitly confirmed, they may be coded through the use of traits and steroetypes recognised by the audience. Examples include but definitely not limited to how Sherlock and Watson / Batman and Robin are presented in recent versions, some more glamorous villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, etc.

  • THBT the Queer community should push for separate religious spaces for the community

    SMU Hammers 2021 · Novice_Semi

  • THW ban labeling of preferences in gay hookup and/or dating apps

    SMU Hammers 2021 · Open_Octa

  • THBT the LGBT+ movement in the developing world should pursue an incrementalist approach to social change as opposed to a radical approach

    Regatta IV 2021 · Open_Semi

    Info slide

    Incremental approach is a gradual method of achieving social change by targeting local courts, lobbying for municipal/city ordinances, establishing local movements, etc. A radical approach advocates for the rapid transformation of national attitudes and discourses on issues by pushing for institutional and systemic changes (i.e. filing petitions in Supreme Courts/Challenging Supreme Court Rulings, large-scale protest movements, calls to oust anti-LGBT+ politicians, etc.)

  • TH, as an LGBTQ+ person in a homophobic state, would seek change through not being publicly vocal

    Wolce Pre-Asians 2021 · ProAm_Final

  • TH, as the LGBTQ+ movement, regrets the decline of queer-only spaces (e.g. Soho in NY, Le Marais in Paris, Chelsea in London)

    Wolce Pre-Asians 2021 · ProAm_Final

  • TH, as Vanessica, would date Benny B. Bronson

    International Zoo Open · 1

    Info slide

    Your name is Vanessica and you work as a florist. You have developed a strong friendship with a sentient, talking bee, Benny B. Bronson, and have developed feelings for Benny. You are now running a florist together. You've recently broken up with your boyfriend Lenny.

  • This House regrets the overwhelming trend that protagonists in LGBTQ+ films and dramas (e.g. BL series) are played by heterosexual actors or actresses.

    Strait Debate Open 2021 · 1

  • TH, as the queer mutant, W rather be a villain than a hero.

    Oceania Queer Open 2021 · Open_Final

    Info slide

    You are a queer mutant gifted with the ability of shape shifting. This can be used for good or evil effectively.

  • This house opposes live-action porn

    Oceania Queer Open 2021 · 4

  • TH Regrets the narrative of "happily ever after" for queer romantic relationships within popular media.

    5th Linkbate Debating Championship 2021 · U16_Final

  • THBT it is in the interest of the LGBTQIA+ movement to oppose the queerbaiting of movie characters when they were otherwise considered straight.

    5th Linkbate Debating Championship 2021 · Open_Semi

    Info slide

    Queerbaiting is a marketing technique for fiction and entertainment in which creators and directors hint at, but don't actually depict same-sex romance or other LGBTQIA+ representation. An example would be Watson in Sherlock Holmes.

  • THO retrospective representations of BIPOC characters in film or tv adaptations (eg brigerton, shadow & bone the tv show, etc)

    Ramaiah Round Robin 2021 · 2

  • TH as a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group in East Asia Would set up expanding awareness, acceptance, and adoption f marriage of convenience as a top priority

    China Queer Open 2021 · Open_Semi

    Info slide

    A marriage of convenience is a marriage CONSENSUALLY contracted for reasons other than that of love and commitment. Instead, such a marriage is entered into for personal gain, hiding one's homosexuality, etc. Among all married sexual minorities in China, about 15% of individuals are in such marriage

  • TH celebrates the hypersexualisation of queer people

    China Queer Open 2021 · 2

  • TH prefers to live an average anonymous life in South Korea over being a K-Pop star

    WUDC 2021 · Open_Semi

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ movement should use the narrative that queerness is part of neurodiversity

    Mayon Open Debate Cup 2021 · Open_Quarter

    Info slide

    Neurodiversity refers to the idea that differences in cognition, learning and socialization are normal and should not be considered "disorders". Examples of neurodiverse states include (but are not limited to) ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, etc.

  • THR the narrative of Sexual Positivity within the LGBT+ Movement

    Alex Trebek Random Pro Am · 4

    Info slide

    Sex-positivity is an attitude towards human sexuality that regards all consensual sexual activities as fundamentally healthy and pleasurable, encouraging sexual pleasure and experimentation. The movement generally makes no moral distinctions among types of sexual activities, regarding these choices as matters of personal preference.

  • THW rather be Spot than Adam

    ESL Round Robin · 4

    Info slide

    Adam is a man in his fourties of median income with a stable job, who lives in a liberal democracy with his loving wife and 2 children. Spot is Adam's dog, who is young and healthy.

  • This House, as the LGBTQIA+ community, supports queer coding in art

    Borneo British Parliamentary Debate Championship · 3

    Info slide

    Queer coding is the subtextual coding and interpretation of a fictional character as queer. While the character's sexual identity may not be explicitly confirmed, they may be coded through the use of traits and characteristics recognised by the audience. The queerness in a queer-coded character is intrinsic to the plot and is a natural part of a character's identity .Examples include, but are definitely not limited to, the portrayal of Scar, Jafar, and Ursula in Disney, to Sheldon Cooper in the Big Bang Theory, Xena, possibly to Batman/Robin and Sherlock/Watson as well.

  • THBT the lgbtqia+ community should actively de-glamorise coming out

    Queer Round Robin · 4

  • This House supports the further rise of conservatism in mainstream LGBTQIA+ discourse

    Queer Round Robin · 2

  • This House believes that the LGBTQIA+ community should celebrate the rise of the amateur porn scene (e.g. OnlyFans, etc.)

    Queer Round Robin · 1

  • THW not support the retrospective representation of BIPOC characters in film or tv adaptations (e.g bridgerton, shadow & bone the tv show, etc.)

    National Law School Parliamentary Debate · Open_Quarter

  • THBT it is the duty of the LGBT community to adopt a ""gaysplaining"" stance instead of a combative stance with heterosexual individuals in the face of potentially homophobic attitudes

    Brasil Queer Open · Open_Final

    Info slide

    "Gaysplaning"" is the attitude of, in the face of potentially homophobic attitudes, explaining and teaching patiently to heterosexual people, even if well informed, why this attitude disrespects the LGBT community.

  • THBT the use of acronyms to refer to non-cis-heteronormative individuals (eg, LGBTQIA +) should be replaced by the single term ""queer"".

    Brasil Queer Open · 5

  • THR the use of ""Queer Coding"" in LGBTQI + representation in the media

    Brasil Queer Open · 3

    Info slide

    Queer Coding refers to the identification of ""LGBTQI + traits"", characteristics that define the community and each one of its aspects. These characteristics are used in the indirect representation of LGBTQI + characters in series and in the media, but it also permeates the daily life of the queer community (eg, gay men who love pop stars).

  • THR the fictional creation of LGBT couples among celebrities who have never taken on this relationship

    Brasil Queer Open · 1

    Info slide

    the fictional creation of LGBT couples by fan clubs is a modern phenomenon driven by social networks. The creation of these ""shipps"" - a term used when people cheer for a couple - is promoted on platforms such as Twitter, fanfiction sites and Tumblr, and examples of idealized LGBT couples are Camren (Camila Cabello and Lauren Jaregui), Larry (Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson) and Kaylor (Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss)

  • THBT LGBTQIA+ activists in post-colonial states should promote the narrative that their former colonisers have an obligation to victims of homophobia and queerphobia (e.g. pushing countries to open their borders to all LGBTQIA+ asylum claims and offer significant reparations)

    BRAC Genders · Gold_Final

    Info slide

    Many cultures were often more tolerant of sexual and gender diversity prior to colonization. Former British colonies, for example, are more likely to have laws that criminalize homosexual conduct.

  • That we support the research into allowing parents to genetically ensure that they will have an LGBT baby.

    Loquitur · 2

  • TH, as a minority artist in creative spaces that are widely prejudiced and toxic toward your identity (e.g. LGBT people in hip-hop, women in film directing), would not reference such identity in your art.

    Colgate Open · 1

    Info slide

    In the film industry, women in high ranking creative roles (directing, writing, producing, cinematography) experience widespread sexism, gender violence, exclusion and discrimination.

  • THBT queer artists should prioritize depicting happy, than tragic LGBT experiences in their art

    MINT · 1

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ movement should prioritize narratives highlighting the unique experiences of each sector (i.e. experiences of gays being distinct from those of lesbians) rather than highlighting unified struggles

    MINT · Open_Final

  • TH, as a newly turned 18 yo, would burn the envelope rather than open it

    Imperial Open · Open_Quarter

    Info slide

    You live in a world where, upon reaching one's 18th birthday, every human receives a sealed envelope in which is written when and how they'll die. These envelopes (by the rules of BP debating and info slide) are never wrong about anyone.

  • THBT non-Western LGBT+ activists should prioritize fighting for socio-economic rights (e.g. employment equality, anti-workplace discrimination) as opposed to focusing on civil liberties (e.g. marriage, adoption, ownership of properties, etc.)

    SLIDE UP: Southern Luzon Inter High School Debate Encounter XII · Open_Quarter

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ movement should emphasise family values as a part of their activism, rather than adopt the view that family values do not matter.

    Guangdong Debate Chamllenge · 1

  • THW remove tax-exemption privilege from private schools that are guilty of discriminating LGBT students

    Dialectics · 3

  • You are a cis-het male actor offered to portray a homosexual man in a BL movie/series. TH, as the actor, would reject the offer

    Dialectics · 3

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ movement should actively normalize behaviours stereotypically applied to the community (e.g. promiscuity, flamboyance, polygamy) rather than dispute whether these stereotypes are applicable

    Vilnius Open · 2

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ community should abandon the narrative of "coming out" in favor of "letting in".

    Bicol Intervarsity · Open_Final

    Info slide

    "Coming out of the closet" or "coming out" is the process that LGBTQ+ individuals go through as they work both to accept their sexual orientation/gender identity and share that identity openly with others.. The Netflix's Queer Eye star, Karamo Brown, argues that the LGBTQ+ community should instead use the phrases "letting people in" or "letting in". This term advocates for LGBTQ+ members to prioritize inviting other people into their own lives as a form of empowerment.

  • This house prefers the use of informal evaluation rather than KPIs for employees.

    Justice Tarkunde PD · Open_Semi

    Info slide

    There are two common methods of performance evaluation in the workplace. The first is informal evaluation, which often examines whether an employee's general work ethic is meeting expectations (e.g. finishing work in agreed timeframes), and is flexible in its approach. The second is using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which is based on objective results-driven data (e.g. bringing in a certain amount of money), and is often more rigid in its approach

  • THBT academics should not teach and publish content on places and peoples with whom they do not personally identify (e.g. white academic publishing on South Asian history, non-queer academics writing on queer history)

    Christ University Parliamentary Debate · Open_Semi

  • THR Netflix remakes of cartoons for adult audiences (eg. Riverdale, Avatar the Last Airbender)

    Bulacan High School Public Debate Championship · Novice_Semi

  • THBT film directors should never cast non-LGBTQ+ actors as characters who are LGBTQ+.

    HK WSDC · Novice_Quarter

  • TH, as the LGBTQ+ movement, regrets the dominance of the narrative that queer people are "born this way".

    Pan American Queer Open · Open_Final

  • In countries where same-sex marriage is legal, THS the establishment of "Gaybourhoods" by the government.

    Imperial Pro Am · 3

    Info slide

    A gaybourhood is a neighbourhood with generally recognised boundaries which is inhabited predominantly by LGBTQ individuals who voluntarily choose to live and/or work there

  • TH, as the LGBTQIA+ movement, would reject legalisation as an avenue of emancipation

    DTU PD 2021 · 5

  • THBT the queer community should actively promote queer theology at the expense of critique to religion

    Uhuru Worlds · 7b

    Info slide

    Queer theology is a theological method that has developed out of the philosophical approach of queer theory. Queer theology begins with an assumption that gender non-conformity and gay, lesbian and bisexual desire have always been present in human history, including the Bible.

  • THBT shipping of non-canonical queer characters is a step back for genuine queer representation in media

    Debatable Open · Open_Octa

    Info slide

    1. Shipping - short for relationshipping, is the act of rooting for romantic relationship between two fictional characters, often by a loyal subset of viewers, readers of said fiction eg: Johnlock - sherlock holmes and john watson from sherlockholmes; merthut - merlin and arthur from merlin, etc. 2. Canon- as in literary canon can be narrowly defined as that which is accepted as authentic, or official in the context of the literary piece / writing of a particular author, which are considered by scholars and critics in general to be the genuine creation of that particular author; this is based on some already deduced rules intended to be applied on the future pieces in the same genres.

  • THBT the LGBTQI Filipino movement and its allies should co-opt religious groups in the fight to pass SOGIESC - based anti-discrimination act

    Debatable Open · Open_Octa

    Info slide

    Senate Bill No. 1934 or the proposed SOGIESC - based anti-discrimination act was passed early last December 2020 by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality chaired by Senator Hontiveros

2020 (33 motions)

  • THBT it is preferable to be single, than pursuing a successful long-term monogamous relationship

    Doxbridge Online Open 2020 · Open_Final1

  • THBT local queer activist groups should aggressively push for the redefinition of Hijras as ordinary individuals with no unique supernatural powers

    Asia Queer Open · 3

    Info slide

    In India, most native individuals believe that Hijras (local transgender individuals) are endowed with the power to curse people. Hijras commonly use their curses as a tool to demand for money, by cursing individuals and requiring a payment for said curses to be lifted

  • TH prefers representation of queer characters in media whose stories do not centre around their queerness.

    Asia Queer Open · Open_Final

  • This House Believes That minorities should not attempt to reclaim slurs that have been directed against them

    Trinity Online Open 2020 · 2

  • Regardless of whether or not sexual identity is a choice, TH regrets the born this way narrative

    Astana Debate Union Open 2020 · 7

    Info slide

    For the purposes of this debate, 'born this way' can be understood to be the idea that a person's sexual identity is inherent to them and immutable.

  • THS the establishment of LGBTQIA+-only schools in conservative areas

    Restricted Mara Open · 4

  • TH, as the LGBTQ+ community, supports Queer baiting

    India Debate Open AP 2020 · 6

    Info slide

    Queer-baiting is a marketing technique for fiction and entertainment in which creators hint at, but don't actually depict, same-sex romance or other LGBTQ+ representation.

  • THP the removal of sex and gender markers (e.g., on government forms, IDs, and other areas of legal recognition) as opposed to the inclusion of nonbinary, "X", and other gender or sex markers

    Womxn and Gender Minorities Online Debate Open · 2

  • A 'sham marriage' (also known as xinghun or co-operative marriage) is a marriage between a gay man and a lesbian woman for the purposes of creating the appearance of being straight and evading the social stigmas of being gay or being 'left on the shelf'. They are particularly common in China. That, as a homosexual person in China, would enter into a sham marriage.

    Jurassic IV 2020 · Open_Quarters

  • THS the trending of pairing differently-abled people

    GGDSD PDC 2020 · 4

    Info slide

    Matrimonial and dating sites like iMilap.com and Disabled Matrimonial.com provide a platform for persons with disabilities to meet and marry other persons with disabilities. The website of DisabledMatrimonial.com states, "Marriage remains a challenge due to various reasons including lack of an appropriate channel for finding a suitable life partner, ignorance of family members and attitudinal barriers in the society. At DisabledMatrimonial, we aim to provide an absolutely free, highly secured platform where persons with disabilities interested in marrying other persons with disabilities come together for finding a suitable life partner."

  • THBT the LGBTQ community should actively boycott the Harry Potter series.

    Feminism Open 2020 · 3

    Info slide

    J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter franchise, was accused of making "anti-trans comments" on Twitter in June. She also came under fire for her support of a researcher who lost her job due to her transphobic tweets. The Harry Potter universe has long been a safe haven to those who don't fit into the mainstream, with fandoms acting as a sanctuary for those with marginalized backgrounds, like queer people and people of color.

  • Th, as the LGBTQ+ movement, regrets the advocacy strategy of strongly encouraging people to declare their sexual orientation (e.g: national coming out day)

    East Coast Asians · 3

  • THBT comedians from minority communities should not base their comedy on stereotypes and slurs about their own groups.

    IBA DU Nations League · Open_Final

  • THBT video games should regularly reassign random gender and race identity to player avatars

    Alternate Pre-ABP · 1

  • THBT LGBTQIA+ activists in religiously conservative countries should seek to actively solicit support, funding, and endorsement from religious entities

    Taiwan Online Debate Open · Open_Quarter

  • That, as Billie Eilish, we would release a Christmas album

    Pop Culture Grand Prix · 3

  • That the Pokemon anime should soon replace Ash as the show's main protagonist

    Pop Culture Grand Prix · ESL_Final

  • TH Prefers Western entertainment (TV Shows, Movies, Theatre) which assumes fluid sexuality (How to Get Away With Murder, Imagine Me & You, High Fidelity, Game of Thrones, Trinkets) for its characters rather than centering a narrative of non-hetero sexuality (Love Simon, Carol, One Day at a Time, The Half of It)

    Yale NUS Pro Ams 2020 · Novice_Semi

  • That, as the queer (LGBTQIA+) community, we would reject the 'born this way' narrative.

    Karachi Debate Open · 2

  • THBT the LGBTIQIA+ community should actively encourage non-hetero individuals in conservative countries to live dual identities

    The Halycon Debates · 4

    Info slide

    For the purposes of this debate, a 'dual identity' refers to a non-hetero individual who is openly gay only in the presence of certain environments or groups (ex: close friends, gay friends, etc.).

  • THR the emphasis placed on sexual acts/intercourse in determining one's sexual orientation within the LGBTIQIA+ community

    The Halycon Debates · 4

  • THR the emphasis on sex and sexual acts in the LGBTQIA+ community

    Visayas Debate Open · Open_Octa

  • This House Believes That youth-based political parties in developing countries should include the fight for queer rights in its manifesto

    Japan BP Open · Open_Final

  • As LGBTQIA+ community in conservative areas, THW discourage our opened identity member from having relationship with closeted individuals

    JOVED · 1

  • THW Prefer To Live In A World Where Everyone Is Born With A Fluid Sexuality

    Asian High School Debating Championship · Novice_Final

    Info slide

    THBT Indonesian workers are justified in using in-person tactics (eg: large public gatherings, protests, picketing) to protest the Omnibus Law during the pandemic

  • THBT gay and lesbian communities should actively advocate against the idealization of monogamous romantic relationships

    JPDU Autumn Tournament · 3

  • THBT LGBTQ+ characters in pop culture and films should only be played by LGBTQ+ actors

    DAV Debate Open · 3

  • Assuming conservatives would accept the RUU-PKS bill afterwards, This House Believes That progressives should agree to explicitly draft the exclusion of sexual minorities from the scope of the law.

    Alsa Ecomp UI · HighSchool_3

    Info slide

    RUU-PKS is a bill that aims to comprehensively define which sexual conduct is legitimate and, more importantly, which should be regarded as a crime. The opposition to this bill comes from conservative groups/parties. (for example: PKS, ironically). one of the leading argument was that RUU-PKS is a bill used to further justify and promote consensual same-sex relationships in the eyes of the law.

  • This House Believes That the state should not enforce anti-discrimination laws to discriminative acts applied by religious institutions to their own members (i.e. refusing to provide sermons for gay marriage even when the state acknowledges marriage equality, etc.)

    Alsa Ecomp UI · HighSchool_Octa

  • THBT individuals with same-sex attraction who are open about their sexual orientaton should be reluctant to date closeted individuals

    Europe Queer Open · 1

  • THR the prominence of declaring one's sexual orientation (EG national coming out Day) as a tactic for acceptance by the LGBT community

    Europe Queer Open · Open_Semi

  • THBT LGBTQIA+ movements should be exclusively led by LGBTQIA+ individuals from working-class backgrounds.

    Duke Pre-USUDCs · 1

  • TH prefers a world with less LGBT representation in pop culture over a world in which the majority of representativeness involves tropes such as "bury your gays" and male feminization

    III Rio Sao Paolo · 2

2019 (15 motions)

  • Infoslide: For the purposes of this debate, you are an out gay/lesbian individual in a Western liberal democracy.

    Munich Research Open 2019 · Open_Semis

  • THBT being single is preferable to being in a relationship.

    Cornell Novice Nationals 2019 & Cornell IV 2019 · 4

  • TH, as the LGBTQ+ community, would boycott RuPaul's Drag Race.

    NAW*DC · Open_Semis

  • THBT all undocumented minors should be granted permanent residency.

    Muslim Interscholastic Tournament · 5

  • THBT LGBTQ+ activists in non-Western countries should use and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and individuals using their local historical terms (mahjie, hijra, etc.) instead of Western terminology (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender etc.).

    USUDC 2019 · Open_Final

    Info slide

    Many non-Western countries have historically had well-documented and widespread presence of LGBTQ+ communities, e.g. hijra (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), jathil (Indonesia), calabai (Bugis), mahjie (Singapore). While these groups were generally recognized by society, they occupied and were prescribed specific cultural and social roles, e.g. hijras were intersex or transgender individuals who are believed to occupy a supernatural role in Hindu mythology. Motion: THBT

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ movement should not have focused on military inclusion as a major policy initiative.

    Northams 2019 · 4

  • THBT the LGBTQ+ Community should include Side B Christians

    DU IV 2019 · Open_Semi

  • THW never enter into a relationship with a closeted individual

    Munich Research Open 2019 · Open_Semi

    Info slide

    For the purposes of this debate, you are an out gay/lesbian individual in a Western liberal democracy.

  • THR the use of identity-based self deprecating humour by minority entertainers in popular culture

    UBC IV 2019 · 2

  • That the queer community should actively embrace religious organisations and queer religious individuals in its leadership positions and advocacy.

    Easters 2019 · Open_Final

  • THB LGB people should emphasize their same-sex attraction

    Joynt Scroll 2019 · 1

  • THS companies' usage of the Rainbow in products and ads during Pride Month

    9th Zamboanga Debate Open · 2

  • THBT the LGBTQIA+ community should abandon shaming as a strategy in dealing with critiques

    Philippines Intervarsity Debating Championship 2019 · Open_Octa

  • TH, as the Philippine LGBTQIA+ movement, would prioritize the use of local queer terminology (e.g., bakla, babaylan and binabae) over those that originate from the West (e.g., transgender and genderqueer)

    Philippines Intervarsity Debating Championship 2019 · Open_Octa

  • THBT the transgender community should actively seek to separate themselves ( their issues and their collective identity) from the LGBTQ+ community

    JPDU Spring Tournament · 2

2018 (9 motions)

  • This House regrets the glorification of entertainers by the LGBTQ+ community

    UBC IV · 3

  • This House opposes Twitch's decision to ban sexually suggestive content on their platform

    Novi Sad Open 2018 · 3

    Info slide

    Twitch is the most popular live streaming gaming platform globally. Recently Twitch announced that they would ban sexually suggestive content (e.g. attire, behavior, language etc.) on their platform. Motion: This

  • This House believes that the LGBT movement should embrace the message that sexuality is a choice

    HWS IV 2018 · 3

  • THBT LGBT+ Pride campaigns should focus on direct protest rather than celebration

    Seattle IV 2017 · 2

  • THW fabricate evidence in order to prove that historic icons had been gay.

    The Nixor College Debating Championship 2018 · 4

  • Supposing feasibility, This House Supports the establishment of a Queer Republic

    Nottingham Trent Open 2018 · Open_Final

  • TH, as an African-American queer person, would not support No Justice No Pride.

    Luzon Intervarsity 2018 · Open_Quarter

  • THBT the LGBTQIA+ movement should advocate for greater inclusion of heterosexuals in their spaces (e.g. organizations, parades, establishments, etc.)

    Luzon Intervarsity 2018 · 4

  • TH, as a rich white gay man, would refrain from assuming prominent leadership roles within the LGBT movement

    Philippines Intervarsity Debating Championship 2018 · 4

2017 (11 motions)

  • TH supports the establishment of a gayborhood in Riga

    Riga Mini, 2nd edition · 4

  • THBT minority groups should not reclaim slurs that have been directed against them.

    2017 Pan-American Universities Debating Championship · 6

  • This House Would Fully Subsidize Gender Reassigment Surgery For Pubescent Teenagers Regardless of Parental Consent.

    PEP IV 2017 · 1

  • When casting minority characters, THBT films should only cast actors from that same minority

    IIT Bombay IV · 1

  • This House believes that language should, to the greatest extent possible, be stripped of gender references.

    Penguin Invitational at Dominican University · 1

  • This House Would all movies and TV shows to introduce racial-blind casting for all characters

    NEAO 2017 · Open_Semis

    Info slide

    Racial-blind casting is the selection of actor regardless of the characters intial racial indentity, which may result in characters such as: African American Hermione Granger in Harry Potter Caucasian Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost In The Shell. Motion: Thi

  • THBT non-LGBT+ people should not play LGBT+ roles in TV/film (e.g. that a lesbian role should only be played by a lesbian)

    Sheffield IV · 4

  • THW allocate every adult a single tradable permit to have one child.

    Guangdong Debate Challenge 2017 · Open_Quarters

  • This house believes that LGBT groups should actively seek to include Side B Christians.

    Tallin EUDC 2017 · 8

    Info slide

    Side B Christians are Christians who identify as experiencing same sex attraction but nevertheless believe that homosexual sex is sinful and therefore attempt to remain celibate.

  • THBT it can be legitimate for a person to claim to identify as a race other than the one they were born into.

    Western Regionals 2017 · 7

  • THBT the LGBT movement should de-emphasize sexualization (e.g. gay pride parades, etc.) in order to prioritize traditional familial values in pursuing their goals

    BDC Pro Ams 2017 · Open_Semi

2016 (14 motions)

  • THBT governments with racially diverse populations should never record the ethnic or racial background of their residents

    Thessaloniki WUDC 2016 · 4

  • Assuming the technology to do so easily and safely exists, THW force everyone in society to undergo periodic sex changes.

    Thessaloniki WUDC 2016 · Masters_1

  • TH regrets campaigns by feminists to shut down female empowerment events exclusively for cis women, like Michfest.

    NorthAms · Open_Semis

    Info slide

    Every year in August since 1976, several thousand women have set up camps and lived in a matriarchal society at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. The festival included workshops, classes, free childcare, and teams to help disabled women participate. The Michfest, as it is called, was only open to cis women. Michfest is one of many such groups that has come under increasing criticism and protest from feminists and was forced to shut down after its 2015 event.

  • This House as the LGBTQIA Community Would Oppose Pornography

    Trinity IV · 4

  • This House believes that LGBT+ advocacy groups and lobbyists should publicly fight for reparations for the victims, and the families of victims, of the AIDS epidemic.

    John Smith Memorial Mace - English Leg · 3

  • THBT characters with disabilities in film and television should always be played by individuals with disabilities.

    Swansea Open · 3

  • In Northern Ireland same sex marriage is illegal. Northern Ireland only permits abortions if the continuance of the pregnancy is proven to threaten the life of the mother. THW automatically extend Westminster Policies on Human Rights and anti-discrimination issues to Northern Ireland. This includes, but is not limited to, same sex marriage and abortion.

    The Queen's Annual TRUST IV · 4

  • This House believes that film studios should seek to select racially diverse casts when converting books into films even if it differs from the author's original character description.

    UCL Clifford Chance IV · 4

  • Assuming they exist, THW prefer not to know the identity of one'a soulmate

    Hart House IV 2016 · 2

  • THBT western social justice groups (feminist advocacy groups, LGBT advocacy groups) should have a local agenda, as opposed to a global agenda

    North American Universities Debating Championships 2016 · 6

    Info slide

    Video on hillary on ellen's debate dance moves

  • THW rather be a part of "Club 27" thank live an average anonymous

    Belgrade Open 2016 · Open_Semis

  • This House believes that the state should promote the norm of the 'single life'.

    Oxford IV · 4

  • TH supports the use of referendums when deciding whether to permit same sex marriage

    Riga IV · Novice_Final

  • THBT minority comedians should not play up stereotypes based upon their own identity within performances

    Brandeis IV 2016 · Open_Semis

2015 (11 motions)

  • THBT Western States Should Create LGBTQ* Schools

    AIB Trinity IV 2015 · 5

  • TH, as the LGBT+ movement, regrets the decline of "gay areas" e.g. Soho, le marais and Chelsea

    Norton Rose Fulbright Warwick IV · 2

  • THBT The LGBT movement should abandon the born this way rhetoric

    Estonian Open · 3

    Info slide

    Some people believe that they were born LGBT, some LGBT people believe that it is a choice that they made. Currently, the LGBT movement uses being 'Born this way' as a way of legitimising equal rights.

  • THBT a referendum on Scotland's independence should include all UK citizens.

    English Open 2015 · 2

  • TH, as a Jeff Gordon, would publicly come out

    Tallinn Tech Open · 3

    Info slide

    NASCAR is a very popular US motorsport and has cult status, especially in the southern US. Jeff Gordon is one of the most popular and iconic NASCAR drivers. In the context of this debate he just won his 3rd Championship and his career will continue for another 10 years. Under the assumption, he is secretly gay.

  • THW Create Special School for LGBT+ Youths

    UCT 150th Year Open · 1

  • Assuming the owners of Ashley Madison refuse to shut down the website, TH as the Impact Team would release the user data

    UCT 150th Year Open · 0

  • THS the July 2015 decision of the UK government to deny a visa to Tyler the Creator

    UCD IV · 2

  • This House believes that Western Liberal Democracies should boycott the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    Oxford IV · 4

  • THBT LGBTQ+ campaigns should criticise the nuclear family

    Birmingham IV · 4

  • THBT the T should leave the LGB

    BRAC Bank Great Gender Debates 2015 · 4

2014 (26 motions)

  • THBT the gay rights movement should abandon the claim that sexuality is not a choice

    Chennai WUDC 2014 · EFL_Semis

  • THBT Barack Obama should issue an executive order suspending all state bans on gay marriage

    Warwick IV · Open_Semis

    Info slide

    United States Presidents issue executive orders to help officers and agencies of the executive branch manage the operations within the federal government itself. Executive orders have the full force of law when they take authority from a power granted directly to the Executive by the Constitution, or are made in pursuance of certain Acts of Congress that explicitly delegate to the President some degree of discretionary power. For the purposes of this debate, the executive order in question can be assumed to be constitutional. e.g. in 2012, President Obama issued an executive order suspending the deportation of illegal immigrants who had served in the military or graduated from college. This effectively enforced the DREAM Act, whose passage through Congress had stalled. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld this as constitutional Motion: THB

  • TH, as a scientist who has developed a compound which when ingested causes a person to become bisexual, would infect the global water supply with the compound.

    Lancaster IV · Open_Final

  • THW allow adoption agencies to guarantee to biological parents that their child will not be adopted by a same-sex couple

    Bonapartiaans Debattoernooi · 1

  • THBT the LGBT movement should abandon the claim that sexuality is not a choice

    LSE Open · 4

  • THBT the LGBT movement should stop using the concept of "gay pride"

    Tornadu · Open_Quarters_Partial

  • THW prohibit religious organizations from speaking out against homosexuality

    Budapest Open · 1

  • THS the public outing of gay public figures.

    Leubke Cup (@ Brock University) · Open_Semis

  • THBT full gender emancipation requires the end of monogamy as a dominant social norm.

    HWS Round Robin · 4

  • This House Would ban gay conversion therapy

    Aberystwyth Open · 4

    Info slide

    Conversion therapy is a range of treatments that aim to reduce Same-Sex Attraction and increase Opposite Sex Attraction. Such treatments have been criticized for being pseudo-scientific, but proponents maintain that the treatments are successful, coining the term "Ex-Gay" In all western liberal democracies, Motion

  • THW ban research into the genetic origins of homosexuality

    NK Debatteren (Dutch National Championships) · 3

  • TH, as LGBT community, would out closeted politicians who are gays and publicly express homophobic views

    HSE Open · Open_Final

  • THBT gay judges or legal experts who meaningfully contribute to legalizing gay marriage are morally obligated to publicly reveal their sexual orientation.

    Cape Town Open · 6

  • TH, as the EU, would force its member states to rcognise gay marriages

    Kalliope Debattoernooi · 5

  • We should add the P of paedophilia to the LGBT movement

    Eloquentiatoernooi (Eloquence tournament) · 5.1

  • THBT LGBT should split into its constituent parts

    Durham Open · 10.1

  • THW create separate schools for LGBTQ youth

    Hart House IV · 4

  • THBT the trans movement should actively seek to separate themselves, their issues and their collective identity from the LGBTQ movement in their campaigns and in the public consciousness.

    Strathclyde Cup · 4

  • THBT the LGBTQ lobby should make up evidence that prominent anti-LGBTQ rights campaigners are, themselves LGBTQ

    Belgrade Open · 3

  • THW out closeted LGBT sports stars

    Bogwall (SSDC Novices) · 2

  • THBT homosexual football players from top western leagues should publicly declare their sexuality

    Skopje Open · 4

  • This house, as the gay community, regrets the existence of Grindr

    Oxford IV · 4

  • Assuming the existence of a gay gene, THW disproportionately favour embryos that possess it in IVF.

    Cambridge IV · ESL_Final

  • THBT the EU should issue a directive to all its member states to legalise gay marriage

    Yorkshire Novice Cup · 2

    Info slide

    An EU Directive is a non-binding requirement passed to EU member states to enforce a policy within a certain time frame. Not fulfilling this requirement will lead to heavy financial penalties.

  • THBT minority groups should not appropriate or reappropriate terms that have been used against them as slurs.

    McMaster Pro-Am · 3

  • THW Extend the UK DNA Database to the entire population

    Birmingham IV · 2

2013 (8 motions)

  • THB the campaign for marriage equality is a waste of the gay community's resources

    Trinity IV · 4

  • THW create separate state schools for those who are LGBTQ

    Budapest Open · 1

  • THW require internet users to disclose their identities

    Leeds Open · 1

  • THW make the next James Bond gay

    Southampton Open · 4

  • TH, which is a woman, would not make any cosmetic changes to her appearance, including but not limited to makeup, shaving, and plastic surgeries .

    Feminism and Gender Tournament · 2

  • THBT the LGBT rights movement should abandon the 'born this way' campaign. (Info: 'Some people believe that they were born LGBT, some LGBT people believe that it is a choice that they made. Currently, the LGBT movement uses being 'Born this way' as a way of legitimising equal rights.')

    Leiden Open · Open_Semis

  • THW require all social networks that offer services to minors to offer parents full unlimited access to their children's accounts

    Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) IV · 1

  • Should same-sex couples receive full adoption rights?

    German Regional Championships North-East · Open_Final

More topic collections

Or start from the full motion bank and the Worlds motions archive.

Motions are free. Judged rounds are the product.

Our students debate motions like these every week in full judged rounds, with oral adjudication and written feedback after every one.

Book a Consultation