EU leaders mark the International Day Against Homophobia And Transphobia

Today, Monday 17th May 2010, the 6th International Day Against Homophobia And Transphobia marks the exact 20th anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s decision to remove homosexuality from its list of illnesses on the 17th May 1990.

Leaders from the European Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission have issued strong messages condemning homophobia and transphobia. It is the first time that three top-level EU leaders have addressed homophobia and transphobia jointly and unequivocally.

Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, the EU institution representing 27 national governments, has issued a written statement affirming the EU’s commitment to refuse discrimination on any grounds, and affirming that “discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation has ceased to constitute a political cleavage, and is enshrined in the EU’s founding act and statement of values.” [Direct link to PDF of the full statement by Herman van Rompuy]

Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, issued a video message reaffirming the commitment of the European Parliament to combat any form of discrimination, including homophobia. The President of the European Parliament declared: “Homophobia is a clear breach of human dignity that questions fundamental rights; and thus, it must be strongly condemned.” [Direct link to video message from Jerzy Buzek]

Viviane Reding, Vice-president of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, also issued a statement condemning homophobia and transphobia as “a blatant violation of human dignity”, “incompatible with the principles on which the EU is founded”. [Direct link to video message from Viviane Reding]

Co-presidents of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, Ulrike Lunacek and Michael Cashman welcomed the initiative, and congratulated all 3 EU leaders on their renewed commitments.

“We are indeed very pleased that the highest authorities of the 3 core EU institutions have come out against homophobia today. Their statements are exemplary, and clearly show one thing: in 2010 in the European Union, the fundamental rights of everyone, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, have ceased to divide mainstream political parties and can be considered an integral part of the European Union’s foundations recognised across the mainstream political spectrum.”

Edited To Add: The IDAHO website has been hacked, apparently, and can now be found at this address instead: www.dayagainsthomophobia.org.

Links in this post have been updated.

—————

Cross-posted at The F-Word

—————

Previous related posts:

• 17 May is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (May 9, 2010)
• International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – May 17 (May 16, 2009)
• May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (March 21, 2009)
• International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) (May 16, 2008)

17 May is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated around the world on 17 May each year. The day of protest began in 2004, and has been held every year since. This year, IDAHO events will be held in more than 60 countries. IDAHO aims to call respect for LGBT people worldwide and to highlight that homophobia and transphobia are shameful and must be fought against openly.

As part of IDAHO, actions will take place around the world. For example, a week-long programme of events will take place in Turkey, including queer pride marches and an international congress. A pride march will be held in Cambodia; there are events in Israel, Romania and Germany.

More than 150 events mark IDAHO across France, including a national conference on Religions, Homophobia and Transphobia, with high level representatives of the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim faiths, and the launch of a National Campaign against Homophobia in all secondary schools across the country. Check out the Campaign website for more info on this.

Meanwhile, here in the UK, there is once again an impressive programme of action on the IDAHO menu with events in Coventry, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich, Taunton and Bristol, to name but a few; whilst in Scotland, events are confirmed for Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Check out all the details on the IDAHO website.

In London, the Central London Humanist Group and the Gay And Lesbian Humanist Association are organising a Kiss-in & Hug-in Against Homophobia and Transphobia as part of the Great Global Kiss-in (an official project by IDAHO and Gays.com) – there are more details on the London Kiss-in & Hug-in Against Homophobia and Transphobia Facebook page.

And in Sheffield, the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health and Sheffield City Council are arranging a One Minute ‘Noise’ on Monday 17 May. A number of key speakers will be present to pledge their support and call for an end to homophobia and transphobia worldwide. This event will take place at The Peace Gardens commencing at 5.30pm, the one-minute noise will take place around 6.00pm and everyone is welcome to attend. As the theme is ‘Sheffield In The Pink’ the organisers are encouraging people to bring pink flags, streamers etc, or wear an item of pink clothing to the event.

All these activities and initiatives are a very strong signal to all – decisions makers, public opinion, civil rights movements, human rights defenders, etc – throughout the world that LGBT peoples’ fights for our rights should not be dismissed or ignored.

—————

Cross-posted at The F-Word

—————

Previous related posts:

• International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – May 17 (May 16, 2009)
• May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (March 21, 2009)
• International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) (May 16, 2008)

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – May 17

Via IDAHO:

Each year, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (the “IDAHO”, as it is usually called), will see actions and initiatives take place in many countries and contexts and on many different issues.

All these activities and initiatives are a very strong signal to all, decisions makers, public opinion, civil rights movements, human rights defenders, etc. throughout the world that our fights for our Rights as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, intersex, etc… is vibrant!

The Day provides all different kind of actors with a very powerful opportunity to express their demands and to advocate for their case. Each year also, the IDAHO aims at using the extra public, political and media attention that it provides at all levels to highlight one specific aspect of the struggle for sexual rights.

This year, we chose to highlight the often neglected but important issue of Transphobia.

Read the Appeal in English (PDF)

SIGN THE APPEAL

See the list of personalities already supporting the Appeal (PDF)

See the list of organisations that already support the Appeal (PDF)

Read our full media briefing (Word document)

Read our Media Release (PDF)

—————

Cross-posted at Questioning Transphobia

May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Via IDAHO:

Each year, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (the “IDAHO”, as it is usually called), will see actions and initiatives take place in many countries and contexts and on many different issues.

All these activities and initiatives are a very strong signal to all, decisions makers, public opinion, civil rights movements, human rights defenders, etc… throughout the world that our fights for our Rights as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, intersex, etc… is vibrant ! The Day provides all different kind of actors with a very powerful opportunity to express their demands and to advocate for their case.

Each year also, the IDAHO aims at using the extra public, political and media attention that it provides at all levels to highlight one specific aspect of the struggle for sexual rights.

This year, it was decided to put this emphasis on the burning and often neglected issue of transphobia.

We have therefore extensively consulted with Trans people groups at various levels and from various contexts to identify a focus that could be common to most organisations involved in campaigning on Trans issues. We have thereafter devised jointly an Internation Appeal to reject transphobia and respect gender identity

Indeed, every day, people who live at variance to expected gender norms (transgender, transsexual, transvestites,…) face violence, abuse, rape, torture and hate crime all over the world, in their home as well as in the public arena. Though most cases of violence never get documented, we know that in the first weeks of 2009 alone, Trans women have been murdered in Honduras, Serbia and in the USA. Trans men are equally victims of hate crimes, prejudice and discrimination despite their frequent social and cultural invisibility.

Therefore, organisations of Trans People and Human Rights defense organisations have come together to launch an International appeal to respect gender identity and reject transphobia.

If you are an organisation, entity, local authority, celebrity or personality, and want to support this Appeal, please inform us by sending us an email. Your name will be added in the list of « first signatories » that we will present to the press and the wider public when we launch this campaign on the 2009 edition of the IDAHO, around May 17th.

This Appeal will then be accessible to sign online on this site by the wider public.

INFORMATION
The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia
A global movement against all discriminations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

it may seem that these days sexual orientation and gender identity is getting less and less of an issue and people who live their gender identity and their sexuality differently from the majority enjoy comfortable and secure social and political spaces to do so.

When you have a closer look though, you will witness that there is increased homophobia and transphobia in a majority of places ; and the XXth century was actually one of the most homophobic periods ever in History.

Everywhere homosexuality and gender variance is being discriminated against ; in more that 80 countries in the world, same sex relationships are criminalised and in 7 of them, death penalty can be enforced.

Intolerance, prejudice, hate, ignorance and fear still largely prevail in individuals, groups, States, international institutions, etc…

This is why this international day to fight against homophobia and transphobia and for sexual freedom was created