LGBTI communities and their allies came together to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Lesotho, for only the second year running in 2014. Over 200 people came together for a march through the the centre of the capital, Maseru, as well as for speeches, discussions and performances, in a series of events co-ordinated by the Matrix Support Group.

A full gallery of pictures and short essay about the events can be found at The Hub – a locally based social justice project, and 76 crimes blog also published a write-up of the events here.

200 LGBTI activists, supporters and allies march through the streets of Maseru, May 17, 2014. Source: The Hub

This years IDAHOT actions were particularly notable for their vibrancy – with many participants dressed in rainbow colours – as well as for the fact that Lesotho is one of around 80 countries in the world which criminalises same-sex intimacy.

Local activists note that in practice the law is not enforced as such, but is used as a tool to intimidate and coerce members of local LGBTI communities. More information can be found in this brief report.

The Matrix Support Group has been working since 2008 (and was formally registered in 2010, by the Lesotho Law Office), to empower local LGBTI communities, and to support responses to the country’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

More Photos from IDAHOT 2014 in Lesotho from The Hub

This year’s IDAHOT was marked by a big wave of mobilisation in the South Pacific island of Fiji – where all events keyed into the 2014 focus on Freedom of Expression. FEMLink Pacific, a grass roots women’s radio station had a day of broadcasts around the day, featuring the participation of 30 rural women’s leaders, amongst many other highlights. Haus of Khameleon, Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni and Drodrolagi Movement organized a “Family Fun Day OUT!”.

FemLINK Events

The IDAHOT inspired events were built around FemTALK 89FM’s “Rainbow Connections” radio programmes, which were launched in February 2014 and are produced and hosted by SOGI activists including The Haus of Khameleon, Oceania Pride and Rainbow Women’s Network. 28 participants including rural women leaders, members from Oceania Pride, Haus of Khameleon and the Rainbow Women’s Network came together through FemLINKPACIFIC’s rural community media network and affirmed that regardless of sexual orientation, ethnicity and religion, everyone’s development priorities are the same.

The theme for their community radio 10th anniversary campaign was “Communicating Peace, Development, Diversity, Security and Freedom” which connected with the IDAHOT 2014 focus on Freedom of Expression.

The programmes covered issues ranging from Gender Equality in Disaster Risk Management and Responses, Economic security and equality in decision making, access to services, and disability rights. A youth speak out session also discussed current youth priorities, including mental health and well being.

In Fiji, IDAHOT 2014 was merged with the 10th anniversary celebrations of FemLINK – a grass roots feminist community media project.

Family Fun Day Out

Haus of Khameleon, Emerging Leaders Forum Alumni and Drodrolagi Movement held a “Family Fun Day OUT!” to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014. The call for the event said “The daily struggle that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) communities encounter in our endeavours for Equality, Diginity and Humanity would not be as substantial to the movement if it weren’t for the firm and unwavering support of our loved ones – families (chosen and biological), partners and friends.”

The Family Fun Day OUT involved activities for children, games, music, creative expressions and a candle light vigil followed by an after party.

From the Source: One of the many photos from today as we mark a belated International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia at the My Suva Park. Vinaka shukriya and thank you to all those who brought their friends and families along and made today so special and memorable! More photos coming later. ‪#‎IDAHOT‬ ‪#‎Fiji‬

In a write up of the event in The Fiji Times, organiser Kris Prasad said: “This is a belated celebration. We were supposed to have the fun day on May 17, on the actual International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia but couldn’t because of bad weather… This day really is to bring everyone together. Our previous events to mark May 17 were always on the serious side. We wanted to have a family fun day so we can enjoy fun activities with our friends and family, and especially the children.”

Media Coverage

• The Fiji Times: LGBT Community Hosts Fun Day

Polish LGBT communities are currently facing big challenges. There has recently been a sustained upsurge in attacks on LGBT communities from the Polish Church hierarchy, as well as from neo-fascist groups, which are acting to silence communities, and have also started to “guard” people against the “gender ideology” they say is being imposed by activists. In this context, activists in Łódź, Poland had organised a colorful action to protest against the Anti-LGBT attacks in Polish society. And a local radio station held a program in celebration of IDAHOT.

Poland’s statues dress as rainbows!

“If Tuwim Lived Today, He’d Be Against Homophobia”

Łódź is a city born out of diversity and tolerance from many different cultures. To underline this fact, the statues in the city, preserving the memory of great city figures, have been decorated with rainbows of flowers and balloons on May 16, with the motto “Speak out against hate!”. The message was that the great figures of the city, as well as common citizens spoke out against tactics which legitimize hatred and serve to silence LGBT communities.

Source: Fabryka Równosci

Factory Radio also streamed the program “Homophobia, the worst disease” by Chumbawamba. In connection with the 55 group, Student birthday Radio Żak Technical University of Lodz and the Jubilee 55-hour ramówką, the program was broadcasted on Sunday, May 18.

Source: Fabryka Równosci

Further Information

• You can find more information and pictures of the action on Fabryka Równości website or on their Facebook page.

In Israel, LGBTI organisations and allies came together for two events in Jerusalem, as well as two events in Tel Aviv and a radio interview to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, amongst other highlights.

Jerusalem

Coordinated by Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, there were two events planned prior to May 17 in commemoration of IDAHOT that were linked to the topic of freedom of speech. One was “Pride Shabbes” which took place on the 5-6th of May and is a joint pride event with a local Jewish congregation. The second was a LGBTQ week that has been organised at the Hebrew University on 14-15th of May.

The Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance (JOH) is an LGBTQ organisation based in Jerusalem. They provide direct services to LGBTQ people in the community and the area. For more details about the organisation, please visit their website.

Tel Aviv: Knowledge is Power!

Once again, for IDAHOT 2014, LGBTI communities and allies came together in Tel Aviv for the award of the prize of Outstanding academic or research paper on LGBTI-phobia. This event was supported by long standing organisers of IDAHOT events in Israel, Havana.

The programme also included discussions and panels on masculinity, health resources, working with high school students, as well as presentations on gender fluidity and trans communities. You can find the academic papers on the Havana website.

The event took place on May 15 at the School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University.

Knowledge Is Power, Tel Aviv. Source: Havana

The full programme was as follows:

15:30 / Registration
16:00 / Prof. Bilha Davidson-Arad – Head of the School of Social Work
Yadin Sapir – One of the organizers of the International Day Against LGBT-phobia in Israel
Yali Ben-Ami Vitenberg, Hoshen CEO
Dr. Gill Fishof- Coordinator of the Aguda’s Nir Katz Center Against LGBT-phobia
16:15 – 17:10 / Opening Lectures
Dr. Amit Kama – Outline of the LGBT Research Field in Israel
Uri Eick – Changing Attitudes of High School Students in Israel towards Homosexuality

Knowledge Is Power, Tel Aviv. Source: Havana

The LGBT Club of Tel Aviv University invited the Seminar participants to a social continuation at the pub ‘Rosh Pina” in Brodetzki Center, Ramat Aviv.

Youth movements rally to mark IDAHOT – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Israel

The event took place on Thursday, May 22, 2014, and was hosted by Youth Movements in Israel – IGY (the Israel Gay Youth), The Scout Movement, Hamahanot Haolim, The Youth Guard, and The Federation of Working and Studying Youth. It included a dialogue between youth organizations and movements and the main ceremony of the Gay Youth Council. Professor Yuli Tamir, former Education Minister and current president of Shenkar College, attended the event, as well.

Tel Aviv University promo videos:

Radio Interview

Additionally, May 16 in Israel also saw a radio interview, in English with Yali Kelrich (one of leading co-organizers of Havana this year), about the battle against discrimination towards LGBTI communities.

The interview was on TLV1 station, which is an English-language internet radio broadcasting from Tel Aviv. Founded in 2013, TLV1 seeks to provide listeners with a fresh and novel perspective on the daily agenda in Israel and its neighbors, and keeps its finger on the beating pulse of Tel Aviv. The interview was part of the show “Where cultures meet – Weekend Edition”.

You can find the interview here at 104 minutes in.