TransWeek 2026 Keynote: Out, About, and Aware: Staying Safe While Living Authentically

Out, About, and Aware: Staying Safe While Living Authentically Sarah Moore Everyone deserves to go out, socialize, travel, date, and enjoy life without fear—but transgender and gender-diverse people often face unique safety concerns that others never have to consider. This talk focuses on practical, non-judgmental strategies for staying safer while still living fully and authentically. Drawing on real-world experience from law enforcement, emergency response, and violence-prevention work, this session explores situational awareness, risk recognition, and harm-reduction approaches tailored to transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals. Topics include navigating nightlife and social spaces, traveling alone or with friends, online to in-person meetups, alcohol and substance-related vulnerabilities, and trusting your instincts without blaming yourself. Rather than focusing on fear or restriction, this workshop emphasizes empowerment, planning, and community support. Attendees will gain tools to assess environments, make informed choices, support one another, and respond effectively if something feels “off.” The goal is not to limit joy—but to help ensure that joy comes with confidence and safety.