Diverse events took place in Porto and Lisbon around the IDAHOT 2014. Some highlights include a “Free Hugs” action against homobitransphobia in central Lisbon, a 3-day LGBT Film Festival, and a conference, under the banner: “The World is not a Rainbow: Geographies of Discrimination”. Vigils of remembrance for victims of LGBTI hate crimes also took place in both cities, as part of the IDAHOT Global Interfaith Prayer Initiative 2014.

Free Hugs event

The group, rede ex aequo, organised a Free Hugs event in commemoration of the IDAHOT 2014. The group hailed it a ‘big success!’, and you can find photos of the event on this facebook album.

LGBTI communities and allies come together to give free hugs for IDAHOT 2014 in Lisbon. Source: rede ex aequo

Conference
LGBTI activists and allies, and civil society and government representatives also came together for a conference, “O Mundo não é arco-íris: Geografias da Discriminação” (The World is not a Rainbow: Geographies of Discrimination). The event was organised by a coalition of groups, including ILGA-Prtugal, rede ex aequo, CNJ (Conselho Nacional de Juventude; National Youth Council) and the IPDJ (Instituto Português de Juventude e Desporto; Portuguese Institute of Youth and Sport). It was held on Saturday May 17, in the Palácio Foz, in Lisbon.

A full house to commemorate the IDAHOT and to hear Miguel Vale de Almeida, Mart and Ramos from ILGA Portugal, and Ana Monteiro from Amnesty International. ‪#‎cnj‬ ‪#‎idahot‬ Source: CNJ

State supports fight against homo/transphobia in schools

On Friday, May 16th, the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, organised the event “Luta contra a homofobia e transfobia nas escolas” (Fight against homophobia and transphobia in schools), between 9.30 and 12.30 in the auditorium of the Pedro Alexander Secondary School, in the district of Odivelas, in the wider Lisbon Metropolitan area. The event included the participation of the Secretary of State for Equality and Parliamentary Affairs, as well as the Secretary of State for Basic and Secondary Education. Representatives of ILGA Portugal, rede ex aequo and AMPLOS, were also present.

3-day LGBT Film festival

Rede ex aequo also organised an LGBT Film Festival during the 16th, 17th and 18th of May, with a special focus on engaging young people. As organisers explained: ‘the main objective of this event is to sensitise young people in general to questions related to homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism, especially in terms of that phase of “coming out to you, yourself” because, as we know, this time of coming to consciousness of, and accepting yourself, is special, delicate and often difficult for a majority of young LGBT people, still misunderstood and victims of prejudice and discrimination.

Poster for LGBT Film Festival – IDAHOT Portugal 2014. Source: rede ex aequo

Lisbon Muncipality supports IDAHOT 2014

Lisbon municipality sent out an official message in commemoration of the IDAHOT this year. Local activists advise that they are now entering the process towards official political recognition on the part of Lisbon city authorities, which must be passed by the local assembly. The message from May 17 is reproduced here in full (in Portuguese):

Amanhã, dia 17 de maio, comemora-se o Dia Internacional Contra a Homofobia e Transfobia.

Em 2005, esta data seria proclamada por ter sido o dia, em 1990, em que a Organização Mundial de Saúde retirou a homossexualidade da “Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados com a Saúde“. Todavia, passados 24 anos, a “disforia de género”, que cataloga as pessoas Transgénero, Transexuais e Intersexuais, ainda persiste nesta classificação internacional, pelo que continua a fazer todo o sentido assinalar esta data como um renovado momento de combate à discriminação por razão de orientação sexual ou identidade de género.

Em Portugal, segundo os dados da Agência para os Direitos Fundamentais da União Europeia (2013), uma em cada cinco pessoas inquiridas que estiveram empregadas e/ou à procura de emprego nos 12 meses anteriores ao inquérito sentiu-se discriminada nessas situações. No caso das pessoas transgénero, este número sobe para uma em cada três pessoas inquiridas. Cerca de dois terços das pessoas inquiridas afirmaram ter ocultado ou dissimulado na escola, antes de completarem 18 anos, a sua orientação sexual e/ou identidade de género.

Igualmente, as famílias LGBTI (Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Trans e Intersexo) continuam a não ser reconhecidas pelo estado português, sendo impedidas de adotar e co-adotar crianças em plena igualdade com as outras famílias e impedidas de recorrer à procriação medicamente assistida.

Por todas estas razões, gostaria de assinalar este dia, lembrando o muito trabalho ainda por fazer para combater esta discriminação, afirmando o compromisso do Município de Lisboa no desenvolvimento de políticas locais que promovam a plena cidadania das pessoas LGBTI.

No âmbito desta celebração, participarei na tertúlia “Lisboa Arco-íris”, promovida pelo Chapitô – Rua da Costa do Castelo, Nº 7, no dia 28 de maio, pelas 21h30 e convido à vossa participação.

João Carlos Afonso
Vereador dos Direitos Sociais
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Vigils of remembrance in Lisbon and Porto

Progressive communities of faith, and local LGBTI rights supporters, came together in both cities around May 17 for services of prayer, reflection and remembrance of the lives claimed hate crimes against LGBTI communities. These events formed part of the IDAHOT Global Interfaith Prayer Initiative 2014, which was co-ordinated by Gionatta group, based in Italy, and with the European Forum of LGBT Christians. You can find out more about the Prayer Initiative here.

Activists plant “rainbows in the garden!”

On May 17 also, ILGA Portugal and authorities from the district of Misericórdia (Junta de Freguesia da Misericórdia) joined to organise the event “Arco-Íris no Jardim” (Rainbows in the Garden). The Royal Princes Garden in Lisbon (Jardim do Príncipe Real em Lisboa), hosted a rainbow market (from 11am to 8pm) of gourmet products, urban crafts, brick-a-brack, and information booths with material from LGBT associations.

A picnic was also held, of the group “Famílias arco-íris” (Rainbow Families), which is a project of the group CoLeGaS (Coro Lésbico, Gay e Simpatizante).

Also on the 17th, a public march was held by the group Gir@s, as well as a meeting of the group GRIT (Grupo de Reflexão e Intervenção sobre Transexualidade). There were also DJ sets from António Almada Guerra and D.M.A..

Every year, Brussels Pride is organised on the Saturday closest to May 17, to mark the importance of fighting homophobia, biphobia and transphobia even in contexts which might appear supportive of sexual and gender diversity.

100,000 attend Brussels Pride on May 17, 2014

This year, the event, labelled ‘PRIDE4every1″ gathered a 100,000-strong crowd, making it the biggest Belgium Pride march ever, and also the biggest single IDAHOT event this year.

In the Francophone provinces, IDAHOT has been marked for many years now with education campaigns for diversity, lead by regional educational authorities and the umbrella LGBT federation Arc en Ciel Wallonie.

The organisation Alliage had sent the 84 municipalities of the province rainbow flags to be raised on May 17 in a invitation to “show that the municipality is rich of its diversities and proud of them”. 33 of the 84 municipalities raised the flag. More information and details, including a map of the participating counties, can be accessed on the site of the organisation Alliage and a photo album has been set up on Facebook.

33 municipal authorities fly the rainbow flag in Belgium’s Francophone regions for IDAHOT 2014.

In the Flemish provinces, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia saw an unprecedented level of participation. Reporting from the Çavaria LGBT federation:

259 municipalities in Flanders and Brussels participated out of 327 (79%). Also, all the districts of the city of Antwerp participated as well as all the Flemish provinces. Besides flying the rainbow flag a lot of municipalities organized events for IDAHOT, had articles about it in their info magazines, and so on.

Our goal was to make lgbt issues visible from the biggest cities to the smallest villages. The physical presence of the rainbow flag at city halls, public libraries and other public buildings sent out the message that the local government is an ally for lgbt rights. However, the action was not only symbolic. We (or our member organizations) contacted every municipality in Flanders and Brussels, thus opening a channel for dialogue. Some municipalities that didn’t participate are open to working with us on lgbt inclusiveness.

You can find the most recent article (in Dutch) and photos here.

On IDAHOT and the Belgian Pride we also had a campaign about tackling homophobia in sports called Sports4Every1. 11 famous Belgian sportspeople spoke out against homophobia. You can find the pictures and videos they made here  . The campaign was commissioned by the Department of Equal Opportunities of the Flemish Government.

Additionally, the Belgian organisation Inderdaad will be organising a small action on Sunday 17th of May, in the city of Hasselt (Belgium). On the ‘Van Veldeke’ square, they will place a pop-up photo studio, where people can get a photo with a personal message to support LGBT people. Members of the organisation will encourage people on the street to visit the photo studio, and provide more information about the day and LGBT issues. Pictures will be printed immediately and will form a big ‘wall of support’. Also, the picture will be uploaded on their page afterwards. Inderdaad is a organisation for Youth under 30 in the region of Limburg, Belgium. Find more info about them on their website.

LGBT activism in Chile has increased substantially in recent years. The growth of LGBT organizations can be seen in the many events held for May 17, 2014 – with actions held across the country and tens of thousands of people participating in IDAHOT 2014 events in the capital, Santiago.

Chilean activists take to the streets of Santiago for IDAHOT 2014.

The organization Iguales Chile Santiago organized on May 17 together with the Municipality of Maipú an activity in the Plaza de Maipú in which they demonstrated with a 100 metre long rainbow flag, and held a series of “closet” discriminatory audio presentations, designed to sensitize people about what life in the closet is like for LGBT people.

On the other hand the MUMS (Movement for Sexual Diversity) organization, together with other groups, participated in a massive parade that was held in the city of Santiago de Chile and started from the Plaza Italia – with over 50,000 in attendance. It was conducted under the slogan “March Against Discrimination ” and participants were encouraged to use the hashtag #YOMARCHOEL17 to add their support online.

The organization MOVILH encouarged local authorities across the country to raise the LGBT rainbow flagm with more than 22 municipalities and five embassies participating – in a clear show of support from the communal governments, for inclusive and anti-discrimination policies in the country.

Local authorities fly the rainbow flag all over Chile for IDAHOT 2014.

The organiation It Gets Better (Todo Mejora) organised various activities for May 17 in the country including a media campaign to prevent homophobic bullying.

One of the many It Gets Better country affiliates – in Chile – takes action for the IDAHOT 2014.

The agenda of May also included the following activities:

• Art Auction to support programs for children and adolescents who suffer homophobic bullying and family rejection.
• The Interagency Gender Working Group of all UN agencies focused on suicide prevention and the homophobic bullying that affect children and adolescents presentation.
• Event with the High Commissioner of Human Rights, and the National Human Rights Institute focused on the effects of homophobia on children and adolescents, with the participation of more than 50 schools in different districts – principals, teachers and students.

From the government area, the Municipality Providencia held a working week of events that began on May 13 with an Opening Ceremony of the Week against Homophobia in presence of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Providence and ended on Friday May 23 with Forum called “Homoparenthood and AVP”.