When: Annually, May 17.
May 17 is the day to speak out against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and intersex phobia. This is the day known as the International Day Against Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans and Intersex Phobia. The day is also known as May 17 or 17May. The day is known by the name IDAHOBIT.
Speak up!
The slogan of this day: Speak up! It’s time to make a stand and time to say no to hate, discrimination and violence. It’s time to say no to these phobias. Yes, express your disgust in any way you can. Speak up (or speak out) against any form of discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
It’s also the day you can use to praise the gender diversity or celebrate gender diversity. This goes the same for gender expression and sexual orientation. It’s a day to show how proud you are. Not only of yourself. It’s also a good moment to show how proud you’re on others.
It's not a day for...
It’s not a day for hate, disinformation and deception. False statements are also unnecessary. This goes the same for lame and even sick jokes. Remember, these aren’t even jokes to begin with. They’re hurtful. Even when they’re packaged with some pretty words. In essence, they’re harsh kicks, towards the persons concerned, some of whom are already having a hard enough time. Think about that on this day.
News items
Don’t think about how tough cis persons have it. Don’t think about alleged ‘discrimination’ against straight persons, because that is not discrimination. When was the last time you saw a news item go by about a group of persons beating up a straight person because of sexual orientation?
On this day, don’t come up with words like, “There’s a Pride Month, right?” That’s right, there is a Pride Month. It is linked to events from the 1960s. When people were oppressed because of their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Only is it enough? Is a Pride Month alone enough to make everything stop? Again, the question about reports related to violence. How often do you read reports about a person being beaten up because of a sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression? That’s more realistic that question. It happens. Much more often. That’s what this day is about.
United States
Die fobiën kunnen leiden tot geweld. Denk niet dat opmerkingen maar opmerkingen zijn. Ze kunnen ertoe leiden dat mensen uit- of buitengesloten worden. Soms zelfs van bepaalde essentiële voorzieningen, zoals gezondheidszorg. Is dat niet realistisch? Kijk dan eens naar deze gegevens van de American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Het gaat hier om een overzichtskaart van staten in de Verenigde Staten waar de rechten van personen uit de LGBTQIA+ gemeenschap onder druk staan. Sterker nog, waar de rechten in sommige gevallen al geschonden zijn. Wil je een gedetailleerder beeld als het om transgender personen gaat, dan is dit een alternatief. Alle wetten die in behandeling, zijn afgewezen of zijn aangenomen gericht tegen transgender personen.
Great Britain, Hungary and Italy
Do not think for a moment that this is limited to just the United States. In Europe, too, regulations are targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. An absurd law passed in Italy in 2023, for example, targeting lesbian parents (source). How about a law passed in Hungary in April 2023 that allowed children to be taken away from same-sex parents? This was possible after other citizens reported those parents (source).
Then there is the way Prime Minister Sunak’s British government dealt with the country’s LGBT+ community. Transgender persons in the country were particularly taken to task. Added to this was the fact that care for minors was restricted to such an extent based on a very one-sided and flawed 2024 survey.
The Netherlands
Meanwhile, a country like the Netherlands is also no longer a guiding country when it comes to the rights of the LGBT+ community. Of course, in 1999, the Netherlands was the first country in the world to allow same-sex people to marry. It only took until 2014 for an inhumane law to be taken off the table, requiring transgender persons to undergo compulsory sterilisation. When the adjustment of the right to self-determination was proposed in 2021 with an amendment to the Civil Code, all seemed well. That was until conservative, extremely religious, radical feminist and radical right-wing elements and groups started getting involved. This was the beginning of more misery for non-binary and transgender people in the Netherlands. The law change was blocked thanks to a vote in parliament in April 2024. A majority in parliament comprising right-wing and radical right-wing parties did not want to pass the law.
Some are opting for the possibility of the introduction of a model as introduced in countries such as Sweden and the United Kingdom, to restrict and perhaps even ban care for underage transgender people altogether. Based on “coloured” research, laws were changed in those countries. While other countries expanded their legislation. The Netherlands fell in line with other countries in which right-wing radicals got the upper hand and the position of the LGBT+ community came under pressure. A day like IDAHOBIT is therefore very important. To speak out against hate and discrimination. In doing so, it does not matter if this hatred stems from a phobia. Hate is hate. It is not even resistance. It is much more than that. In any case, it calls for a day like today. Only it doesn’t stop there. After a day like today, there is another day. Even then, it is a good time to keep speaking out. Only today is a good time to do so en masse.
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