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Tag: IDAHOT

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  • David Cameron Wants To Make UK Number 1 For LGBTI People Again

    Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he wants to make Britain number 1 for LGBTI people once again.

    Photo: Crown copyright Credit: Georgina Coupe

     

    Speaking at an IDAHOT reception yesterday evening Prime Minster David Cameron said that he wanted to make the UK the number 1 place for LGBTI people to live again, after the UK slipped two places behind Malta and Belgium.

    Speaking to an invited audience at 10 Downing Street ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Mr Cameron said,

    “Last year, I’d have been able to say how proud I was to be Prime Minister of what was officially the best country in Europe to be gay, bisexual or transgender – but that’s no longer the case.

    “Malta has overtaken us! I don’t know quite what happened – I’ve got to get out to Malta and find out because I want this top spot back again.

    He went on to praise LGBTI community leaders and thanked them for their continuous help and for keeping up the pressure on the Conservative government on issues that affect the community at large, saying that politicians were like computers and if you put rubbish data in you’d get rubbish results out.

    The PM continued,

    “I want to thank you for all the work that you do, because in many ways politicians are a bit like computers: you don’t give us the information, we can’t act. Rubbish in, rubbish out.

    “We need quality information and quality facts, and I think we’ve showed in the Coalition government over the last five years and I hope in this majority government too that we take these issues seriously.

    “We want to solve the problems, whether it’s legislation, whether it’s practise, whether it’s culture, or whether it’s talking around the world.”

  • What Is IDAHOT?

    What Is IDAHOT?

    May 17th is an important day for LGBTI people across the globe.

    CREDIT: nito-bigstock
    CREDIT: nito-bigstock

     

    On May 17th 1990, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declassified homosexuality as a mental health disorder. It was a landmark moment for the global gay community – as medical professionals no longer viewed people with sexualities different from the mainstream to be mentally ill.

    It was the first time that a world-wide organisation made the claim – many other countries own medical counsels had declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder many years earlier.

    For instance, in 1968 the UK’s government declassified homosexuality as a mental illness.

    IDAHOT stands for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. It was created in 2004 to bring attention to discrimination, abuse and the experience of LGBTI people across the globe. The day is celebrated in 130 countries. There are a reported 1,600 events organised to mark the day.

    It is not a centralised campaign, meaning that people from around the world are encouraged to celebrate the day in any way that they wish.

    Originally the day was known by the acronym I. (International) D. (Day) A. (Against) HO. (Homophobia). In 2009 the word transphobia was added, making it: IDAHOT, however it is still pronounced “Idaho”, like the US State, by most people.

    In 2015 Biphobia was added – but the acronym has not been changed which the organisers of the day have called “an imperfect solution, but a necessity for communications consistency.”

    Use the comment section below if you’d like to add to this article.

     

     

  • UK Football Club, Sunderland To Fly Rainbow Flag For Gay Rights

    Sunderland Football Club Backs IDAHO

    Sunderland AFC is marking the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) by flying the rainbow flag at the Stadium of Light today.

    The flag-raising is a mark of recognition of IDAHO Day, which calls for respect for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

    The Deputy Mayor of Sunderland will also raise a rainbow flag at the Civic Centre to show the city’s support.

    Sunderland AFC’s commercial director Gary Hutchinson said: “The club is very proud to support IDAHO Day. The Stadium of Light should be a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community and IDAHO offers a great platform on which to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion.”

    Ryan Houston, Chairman of Sunderland Pride, said: “It’s fantastic to see a group like SAFC supporting International Day Against Homophobia Biphobia and Transphobia. As such as powerful figure within the City, it’s great to see their attitude towards equality and diversity being showcased with an event such as this.

    “IDAHO(BIT) is being celebrated across the world from Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May, and I am delighted to see support to the events we are hosting within the City.”

  • IDAHO in London

    Join in with Pride and IDAHO London on May 17th, 5pm in Trafalgar Square.

    From 17:00PM – to 20:00 there will be an outdoor event in Trafalgar Square, London to mark IDAHO, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2013.

    Wendyl Harris from Pride in London said,

    “We are honoured to join the global community marking this important international event. Homosexuality remains a criminal offence in 76 countries around the world, and punishable by death in a further 8 countries, yet many of our LGBTQI friends oversees will be celebrating IDAHO and looking to London for inspiration. IDAHO’s theme this year is marriage equality which compliments this year’s Pride Parade on June 29th: Love (& Marriage)

  • UK Tops The List Of Best Place For LGBT People To Live In Europe

    UK Tops The List Of Best Place For LGBT People To Live In Europe

    To mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (17 May), ILGA-Europe launches its Rainbow Europe package reviewing the human rights situation and assessing what life is like for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2013.

    Best places to be gay in Europe 2013

     

    At the national level, we see that developments are at times taking completely opposite directions. Some countries are moving towards marriage equality, better protection mechanisms against discrimination and violence, ensuring easier and more humane procedures for legal gender recognition. However these advances are often accompanied by a social backlash, including increased violence. In other countries, the most worrying development is the introduction of more restrictive and discriminatory measures such as the laws banning ’homosexual propaganda’.

    The UK managed to achieve 77% towards what the ILGA describes as ‘Respect of human rights – full equality’

    At the bottom of the list is Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia with just 8% and 7% respectfully.

    Best places to be gay in Europe 2013

    Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:

    “Our Rainbow Europe package clearly shows that full respect of LGBTI people’s human rights remains a long-term aspiration rather than a goal which will be reached in a near future. Not a single country in Europe fulfils 100% requirements of our Rainbow Map. In many countries, the fight is still for fundamental civil and political rights that most of us living in democratic societies take for granted. And it is particularly worrying that some of these countries are in the EU.”