INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, BIPHOBIA, INTERPHOBIA & TRANSPHOBIA.

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On Sunday 17 May 2020, we will observe INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA,
BIPHOBIA, INTERPHOBIA & TRANSPHOBIA – A worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities.

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, BIPHOBIA, INTERPHOBIA & TRANSPHOBIA was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender, intersex people, and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

It was originally known as International Day Against Homophobia, the founders then established the IDAHO Committee to coordinate grass-roots actions in different countries, to promote the day and to lobby for official recognition on May 17. That date was chosen to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.
For many years, in Germany, May 17 had been unofficially labeled as a “Gay Day.” Written in the date format 17.5. This was related to Paragraph 175 of the Penal Code, the rule dealing with homosexuality. Paragraph 175 was a provision of the German Criminal Code from 1871 to 1994. It made homosexual acts between males a crime.

The first International Day Against Homophobia took place on May 17, 2005. The same year, 24,000 individuals, as well as organizations such as the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC- ), the World Congress of LGBT Jews, and the Coalition of African Lesbians, signed an appeal to support the “IDAHO initiative”. Activities for the day took place in many countries, including the first LGBT events ever to take place in the Congo, China, and Bulgaria.

It was in 2009, that transphobia was added to the name of the campaign, and activities that year focused primarily on transphobia (violence and discrimination against transgender people). LBT organisations then launched a new petition in cooperation with it, this was supported by hundreds of NGOs from 75 countries, including France. It was that year that France became the first country in the world to officially remove transgender issues from its list of mental illnesses.
IDAHOBIT is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal.

Many African countries are still in the process of achieving equality through the decriminalizationn of LGBTQI. We are aware of many countries where being ourselves to choosing whom we love, is a crime and is punishable by death. This is why IDAHOBIT is so important as it reflects the progress our community has made and shows accurate proof of why such archaic policies should be abolished. It s also a day for activists from other countries who might have more freedom to be, can assist in creating platforms, and provide support to the communities living under threat.

In Africa, we will be following @AFROQUEERPODCAST, as they are hosting the AfroQueer IDAHOBIT Festival, via their Instagram page.
The festivities will start at 1 PM East African Time. The festivities will be featuring creative Queer artists from the continent and beyond. Expect music, poetry, and talks from various artists including Dope Saint Jude, Alasarah, and many more.
More information on Afriqueerpodcat- https://afroqueerpodcast.com
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