Equality
International Day Against Homophobia
16 January 2010
This year the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia will be celebrated on 17 May.
Events and initiatives will take place in many countries and on many different issues. All these activities are a strong signal to decisions makers, public opinion, civil rights movements, and human rights defenders, throughout the world that the fight for our Rights as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, people is vibrant!
The Day has been officially recognised by Mexico, Costa Rica, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, the European Parliament, and the list keeps getting longer every year.
- There are still 77 countries where being gay is a crime and many religious movements perpetuate the negative connotations demonstrating the harsh world that many gay people have to suffer while trying to lead a 'normal' life. In some countries people dare not show their face, as the likely consequence will be a severe beating or worse.
Appeal against Transphobia and for the respect of Gender Identity
Although the Day itself is open to any kind of activity by all organisations, it also aims to use the extra public, political and media attention that it provides to highlight each year one specific aspect of the struggle for sexual rights. This year, the IDAHO Committee decided to put this emphasis on the often neglected issue of Transphobia.
At international level the IDAHO Committee identified as targets the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, that still officially classifies Trans people as “mentally disordered".