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

In Uzbekistan, a small underground group of LGBTI and human rights activists commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia for the fourth time, in 2014.

They advised that, due to the dangerous situation for sexual and gender minorities in the country, it was not possible to mark the Day openly. We have removed all identifiers for security reasons.

Under Article 120 of the country’s criminal code, same sex relationships between men are illegal in Uzbekistan. The country continues to face considerable and sustained criticism for its human rights record. Freedom of expression is systematically curtailed in Uzbeikistan, where state authorities also routinely monitor dissent.

In Cameroon, despite laws criminalising same sex relationships and a recent uptick in violent hate crimes against LGBTI communities, various actions were held in commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014.

Sexual, gender and human rights communities came together to coordinate a meeting which brought together religious and political leaders to discuss homosexuality. An exhibition on human rights violations was organised, featuring paintings of recently deceased Cameroonian LGBT activists; other works included representations of recent cases of abuse, including the collective rape of a Lesbian woman, the arbitrary arrest of 6 men and the expelling of female students from secondary school on suspicion of homosexuality.

Portraits of deceased LGBT activists

The international focus issue around ‘freedom of expression’ was marked by a specific outreach to journalists, to raise their awareness on the current coverage of LGBT issues by the media and provide recommendations for improvement, including on how journalists can resist social and peer pressure to put up a homophobic facade even if their personal views are much more progressive.

Activists also offered media and legal affairs training specifically for lesbian communities, to empower them more in the LGBT community.

A community evening for 200 people was also held on May 17th which included information on HIV testing and treatment, resulting in 56 tests being done during the event. The programme also featured the raising of a Gay flag, the election of Miss and Mister IDAHO, music and danse.

On May 18th, the IDAHOT program met the Candle light memorial day. The programme featured for the first time a dialogue between LGBT activists and religious leaders

Candlelight memorial

A group of sexual, gender and human rights activists presented their Annual Report on the State of Homophobia in Burundi, together with a film screening at the country’s only LGBT centre. Meanwhile, a different organisation, in one of Burundi’s rural towns, also organised a community meeting and event around the IDAHOT 2014.

Further details are limited for potential security reasons. In Burundi same sex relationships between men, and between women, are outlawed and punishable with up to two years imprisonment.

Despite laws criminalising same sex relationships, and a reputation for being one of the most inhospitable places for LGBTI people to live, a well-attended symposium took place to discuss and affirm LGBTI rights in Jamaica, around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014.

The group J-Flag of Jamaica organized a symposium, on the theme of Personality, Religion and Sexual Citizenship, in the week around May 17, 2014. The event, held in Kingston on Friday May 16, facilitated discussion on what citizenship means in Jamaica for LGBT people in Jamaica today, and on the way to a more inclusive Jamaica.

Events organised for IDAHOT 2014 in Jamaica.

The following themes were developed during the session:

• Man to Man Is So Unjust: Disclaiming Sexual Citizenship in Fundamentalist Jamaica – Prof. Carolyn Cooper, Senior Lecturer, Department of Literatures in English, UWI Mona
• Equal Rights and Justice for All: (Re)Imagining and (Re)Presenting Inclusiveness – Dr. Karen Carpenter, Clinical Sexologist/Psychologist, Caribbean Sexuality Research Institute
• Where Are You From?: Moving from Shame in Search of the Divine – Georgia Love, Training Coordinator, WMW Jamaica (formerly Women’s Media Watch)
• It’s Not About Them, It’s About Us: How Can the Church Turn the Tide in the Sexuality Debate – Rev. Margaret Fowler, Minister, Hope United Church

IDAHOT 2014 in Kingston, Jamaica.

To see the photo album of events this year, please click here.

Cyprus’s first ever LGBT Pride March was held at the end of a two week festival this year, which started on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. A very much unprecedented level of mobilisation took place this year, with an extensive series of creative and diverse events held.

This year’s IDAHOT commemorations come very soon after the Northern region of Cyprus decriminalised homosexuality – a change which made same sex relationships no longer outlawed in any country in Europe.

Led by the group Queer Cyprus Association, this years events were also joined and supported by Accept (from Southern Cyprus) and the LİSTAG Family Group from Istanbul.

First Pride Cyprus. Source: Queer Cyprus

Queer Cyprus also organised an open air festival, designed to reclaim public space for expressing and celebrating differences. The festival was called ʺGayri-resmi geçitʺ in Turkish (ʺRecklessʺ in English). During ʺRecklessʺ, local activists also launched the film festival ʺQueer Shorts and Documentariesʺ with the screening of the film My Child, directed by Can Candan. Members of the film team were also present during the parade and later at the festival.

First ever Pride march in Cyprus. Source: Queer Cyprus

Famagusta Youth Center and Eastern Mediterranean University were also heavily involved in the May 17 commemorations this year.

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014 was the reason for various mobilizations in Argentina, across the country, in one of the biggest national movements around May 17, 2014, in the world.

The Argentine Federation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, together with ATTTA presented in the National Senate two initiatives, one for the creation of a National Programme for Comprehensive Health Care for trans communities, and one for the assignment for improved citizenship rights for trans communities. They also presented the agenda for the sexual diversity month across the country and an art exhibition of the internationally successful project, “I’m not a Joke”, by Venezuelan artist Daniel Arzola.

Also in the city of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Homosexual Community (CHA) and the theatre director Alejandro Modarelli presented the premiere of the play “Flowers on the Rust” which addresses the raids on the Argentine LGBT community during the dictatorship (1976 – 1983).

Around IDAHOT 2014, two LGBT rights bills were introduced into the Argentinian Senate.

Sigla organization also coordinated several activities including the third edition of the event, “Tango Against Homophobia” in which they showed dancing actions in more than 60 of the countries in the world which criminalize same sex relationships, and wherein: “You can not dance the tango in freedom.”

In the planetary city LGBTI Association 1969, which relates to the Workers’ Party, held a cultural event which was attended by renowned artists from amongst the LGBT community. On May 16 in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral, the organization MST Diversity performed with a hundred people a kiss-in, against LGBT discrimination by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Buenos Aires obelisc was also considered for events on May 17th. Independent activists from the LGBT community organized a “mass hugging” against LGBT criminalization worldwide.

Activists take to the streets in Argentina for IDAHOT 2014 to affirm equality and human rights for all.

The capital of the province of Buenos Aires, La Plata, also held a celebration organized by Franja Morada Diversidad, which organized various events including movie debates, academic debates and a cultural festival in the public square, Islas Malvinas.

The province of Santa Fe, in collaboration with local organizations, declared May 17 as the “Provincial Day Against Discrimination Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” In the city of Rosario, the organization Kunst-Unidos Todos AC, performed the opening of the exhibition “My Jauregui” on May 16. The exhibition was performed by nine artists from different disciplines who have dealt creatively with the figure of Carlos Jauregui, a well-known LGBTI activist. Carlos Jauregui was the first president of the CHA since its founding in 1984 until 1987. In 1991 he founded GaysDC, organization he conduct until he passed away in August 1996.

Argentinian activists show solidarity with people living in the 80 countries in the world which criminalise same sex relationships.

Meanwhile, in the northwest of the country, in the province of Misiones, Misiones LGBT Association together with the Equal Opportunities Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Rights in the Province of Misiones, together with other organizations, raised the rainbow flag for first time in the province of Misiones, on 17 May in the square of Mitre and Uruguay Avenues.

In the north, in Salta Province the second meeting “I am in your eyes” was held in order to promote and share information about LGBTIQ rights. The event was organized by the Municipality of Salta and ATTTA organization.

Street art for the IDAHOT 2014 in Argentina.

In the south, in the city of Bariloche, LGBT organization Colectiva Generando Generxs Bariloche created a mural in one of the neighborhoods of the city to raise awareness of the importance of non-discrimination. In the adjoining province, Neuquen, the organization Mesa Nacional por la Igualdad organized a solidarity collection of clothing and footwear with a cycle of “Cinema for Equality” with the premiere of the film “Stranger on the lake.”

Finally it should be noted that Fundación Huesped and ATTTA held the launch of the campaign Expectations starring trans women to publicize the inequalities to which this population is exposed.

For the first time ever, communities in Liberia commemorated the IDAHOT with a Freedom Festival under the theme ‘Freedom of Expression’ which included a whole series of activities such as speeches, creative sessions, a fashion show and poetry competition.

On Saturday May 17, 2014, Stop AIDS in Liberia (SAIL) with support from ACTION AID Liberia, under the EPR project, held a Freedom Festival as an event marking the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia under the theme of Freedom Of Expression. The occasion brought together 50 participants, including members of the LGBT community and its partners. The action had three major objectives:

-To create an enabling environment where members of the LGBT community can express who they are (from a creative approach using Songs, poetry, drawing, dress code, fashion, games and a final plenary session).
-To give members of the LGBT community the opportunity to share their stories how homophobic sentiments can have an adverse effect.
-To the present the film “Call Me Kuchu” which served as a basis for a interactive discussion among LGBT members themselves.

In a welcoming statement Mr. Stephen K. McGill, Executive Director of Stop AIDS in Liberia, told a gathering of LGBT members and allies that it was significant in that activities can be held to increase awareness on the effects that homophobic sentiments can have on LGBT people. He further noted the fundamental rights to which all are entitled must be claimed and adhered to without any violation.

Communities in Liberia commemorate IDAHOT for the first time ever – May 17, 2014.

In a statement about the background of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, he highlighted that in 2009 a global agenda was created to put an end to the many violations and abuses LGBT people were encountering on a daily basis. He said homophobic situations have caused people to lose their lives, family and freedom to express themselves without any form of discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Luckmore Jalisi who is the youth advisor at ACTION AID Liberia concluded by saying the current wave of new Anti-Gay Laws across Africa must stop and that national governments must protect every citizen regardless of who they are or how they identify.

An interactive session was also held among participant attending the program. The purpose of the group exercise was to give participants a chance to express their creativity, by spelling the word Freedom of Expression on flash cards using the rainbow colours, and also to participate in photo shots, with anti-homophobic messages, created by members of the LGBT community.

The day culminated with a fashion festival where people in the LGBT community came together to parade a runway in different styles. A poetry competition was also held. Prizes were presented by Weng and Maryelea of ACTION AID Liberia for the fashion and poetry session respectively.

The freedom festival ended with a photo shoot and opportunity to socialise.

Russian LGBT activists and allies in 16 cities took action for the IDAHOT 2014 despite considerable social and legal pressure, attacks and threats from opponents. 15 people were detained on May 17, all of whom are now released (June 4, 2014). Two actions were targeted by neo-nazi groups. No serious injuries occurred this year and local groups underscored the bravery and resistant spirit of LGBT communities in the country.

In most Russian cities rainbow flashmob events (coloured balloon releases) went quite well, with a considerable 150 people showing up in St. Petersburg. However, during or because of the flashmobs the police detained activists from Moscow, Murmansk, Perm and Vladimir. Two people in Moscow, 1 person in Murmansk, 11 people in Perm and 1 person in Vladimir were detained on May 17. They are now all released.

While most events in the 16 cities went without any incidents, 4 of these cities witnessed arrests. The organizer of a Rainbow flashmob event in Murmansk, Violetta Grudina, was detained before the event actually started. She was accused of “propaganda of homosexuality”. The police stated that by publishing information about LGBT events in the social network (Vkontakte), she “committed propaganda of homosexuality among minors”.

Russia, image by St Petersburg Times

On May 17 in Perm, several members of the group LGBT-Perm were also detained. An activist of another LGBT group (Raduzhniy dom), Julia Babintseva, who wasn’t detained on May 17th, was not charged with anything yet, however, she got a call from the police. Moreover, representatives of the police visited her parents. All this situation strangely resembles the situation in Samara, where after the Day of Silence LGBT activists started to get calls and then charges, all happening as a form of systematic intimidation.

The National articulation group, Russian LGBT-Network, provided legal support to Violetta Grudina and Julia Babintseva. The Chairman of the Network, Igor Kochetkov, states that “Solidarity was one of the main messages of the May 17th this year and we are ready to support everyone who suffers because of the unlawful actions of the police”.

Further Information

• Russian LGBT Network:Police getting more and more interested in the activity of LGBT activists.
• To see photos from the rainbow flashmob event in St. Petersburg, organized by “Coming Out” Organization: click here.

IDAHOT 2014 in Belize comprised a pathbreaking series of events, featuring a special message of support from Belize’s First Lady, Kim Simplis-Barrow. 150 people, including Belizean Senator Lisa Shoman, and top US and UK diplomats, gathered for events. Actions included prayers, emotional speeches from the community, a candle-light event, exchange of flowers, and an original video release, “Love Conquers Hate”.

Belize is one of the 81 countries in the world in which same sex relationships are still criminalised. Although some voices for change are beginning to break through into the mainstream, major right-wing and Evangelical groups have also been on the rise in Belize, where levels of violence against LGBTI people are high, and frequently go unpunished.

This year, a number of concerned groups and individuals banded together to form the IDAHOT Belize Committee, which organised this year’s events.

The May 19, 2014 media release from IDAHOT Belize now follows in full:

Press Release 19th of May 2014

On the 17th of May 2014, Belize’s LGBT community celebrated The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) along with the rest of the world. More than one hundred and fifty LGBT individuals and their allies gathered at the House of Culture in Belize City, including Chargé d’Affaires Margaret Hawthorne from the USA embassy and Deputy British High Commissioner, Grace Chun. The event opened with prayers, offered by Rev. Karen Turner, who deputised for Bishop Phillip Wright, in remembrance of those who have been lost in the struggle, either as the victims of violence perpetrated because of their gender or sexual orientation or because of stigma and ignorance of HIV/AIDS.

Opening the event was a deeply heartfelt video message of support from Kim Simplis, Special Envoy for Women and Children, who, for the second year running has made her views clear about the need to embrace kindness and end bullying and discrimination against the LGBT community in Belize. Her video presentation can be viewed here:

Kim Simplis Barrow Address May 17 2014 from Seifuddin Munoz on Vimeo.

The very positive spirit of the evening continued when over a dozen speakers from around the country made statements of hope for the future of Belize, one where children would not have to live or die in fear because of who they are or who they love. Senator Lisa Shoman, human rights defender, remembered when she stood at the same location in 1981 to celebrate the independence of Belize and her feelings of elation, but as the years went by she realised that not all Belizeans were truly free and that it was time for that to change so that LGBT people can enjoy the same freedoms and rights that independence promised all Belizeans, without discrimination.

Memorable statements of the evening included Mia Quetzal, who said, “The reality is that transgender persons are frightened to do daily activities, such as: walk to a store, take public transportation or even visit other areas of the country. Most trans persons are unable to access public health services, obtain an education, partake in public activities or lead an optimistic way of life and enjoy a love life.”

Chargé d’Affaires Margaret Hawthorne said, “Diversity is one of the most striking and defining aspects of Belizean society. However, and unfortunately, during my tenure in Belize I also learned that tolerance is not always extended to all Belizeans and not all Belizeans are free to live as they choose. On this day, we acknowledge and remember the incidents of discrimination and acts of violence towards members of the LGBT community and their allies around the world. Despite these dire situations, the implementation of the International Day Against Homophobia should not rest only on a “victimisation” philosophy, but should also be seen as a great opportunity to highlight positive aspects of homosexuality and celebrate the contribution of lesbians and gays to the rich diversity and accomplishments of Belizean society.”

Guadalupe Huitron, of PASMO said, “I’ll never forget the first time someone told me that it was illegal to be gay in Belize. The first time I sat with someone as he cried because others insulted the gender of his significant other. The first time my friends and colleagues reported that their lives were being threatened because of who they loved. The pain I have seen firsthand and the discrimination against those I care about and respect reminds me that hate regardless of who it is directed towards is simply not acceptable.”

During the event a video of an anthem, created by LGBT people in Belize, was launched. ‘Love Conquers Hate’, can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp8Sgt98Y5M

The uplifting and celebratory evening was rounded off with a symbolic gathering of attendees, exchanging gifts of flowers and lighting candles.

IDAHOT was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policy makers, opinion leaders, social movements, the media, and the public in general to these issues, and to promote a world of tolerance, respect and freedom regardless of people’s sexual orientations or gender identities.

As much as the event on May 17 was against violence and oppression, it is also a day to promote freedom, diversity and acceptance. The date of May 17 was chosen as an international marker to commemorate the decision taken by the World Health organisation in 1990 to take homosexuality out of the list of mental disorders.

The entire event was sponsored and supported by Belizean individuals, businesses and organisations such as Heineken, Karl H. Menzies Company Ltd., Travellers Liquor, D’s Creations and PASMO all of whom are united in the belief that the time is now for hatred, intolerance, bullying and violence to end.

The event was organised by a committed group of LGBT people in Belize, who formed the IDAHOT 2014 Belize Committee. Committee member Paul Schmidt said “We were delighted and somewhat stunned by the outpouring of support in the community, which enabled this event to be successful, enjoyable and safe for all attendees. We hope that events like this will help young LGBT Belizeans and their loved ones to feel supported and not alone. Belize is one of many countries that continues to permit discrimination against LGBT individuals both legally and societally, through stigma and sadly, often through intimidation and violence. This has had tragic results with individuals and families across the country living in fear or bereavement, having suffered the loss of loved ones unnecessarily. This stigma affects parents, siblings, children and communities. This event allowed Belizean LGBT people and their allies stand united for change.”

Other Actions

The United States embassy in Belize also released a statement in honour of May 17, ahead of the IDAHOT 2014.

Media Coverage

• Belize Channel 7 News: Special Envoy On Human Rights for LBGT
• Gay Star News: First Lady of Belize Calls for End to Anti-Gay Violence
• Mamba Online: BELIZE 1ST LADY BACKS GAY RIGHTS, DESPITE GAY BAN