Football v Homophobia and the Fare Network are providing a small grants programme for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (IDAHOT).  The small grants are for grass roots clubs, fans’ groups and organisations wishing to undertake actions to tackle discrimination against LGBT people in football on or around 17 May 2015. Small grants of €400 are available and can be applied for by any organisation anywhere in the world, by completing the online application below. Ten grants will be made available in total for actions which further the aims of Football v Homophobia, namely to:

1. Make existing football structures safe, welcoming and inclusive for LGBT people
2. Create opportunities for LGBT people to engage with football
3. Improve representation of LGBT people throughout football

The deadline for applications to the small grants programme is 1 May 2015. All successful applicants will be informed of the outcome by 5 May 2015. Successful applicants will be expected to complete an evaluation form describing measurable outcomes of their action for which funding has been granted and include photos of their action. Evaluation forms will be emailed to all successful applicants alongside notification of success and must be completed and returned by 19 June 2015.

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia was commemorated with three different events in Bulgaria: A discussion with MEP Candidates, a Live Art Installation, and a Bike Rally in Sofia on May 17.

Discussion event focuses on European elections

For IDAHOT 2014 in Bulgaria, a key discussion event took place with the participation of Victor Lilov, MEP candidate from Reformatorski Block (Reform Block Coalition) and Genady Kondarev, one of the founders of Zelenite Political Party (the Greens), on a broad range of issues concerning LGBTI people. Another MEP candidate, Ilhan Kyuchuk, representative of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, who was unable to attend personally, also sent a letter of clear commitment to work in support of LGBTI equality if elected to the European Parliament. The same commitment was shared by Victor Lilov, while Genady Kondarev reaffirmed that commitment to LGBTI rights has been on his party agenda since its founding. The event was co-organized by Bilitis and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee.

Live art installation satirises ‘gay propaganda’

A “Live Art Installation” in front of the National Parliament also served to mock institutionalized homophobia and transphobia by creating a live chain of people wearing T-shirts with different letters, making up the phrase “gay propaganda”. The art installation ridiculed the laws which obstruct LGBTI people’s freedom of expression, known as anti-gay-propaganda laws. The art installation was designed by Deystvie LGBT Youth Association, and supported by Bilitis. Some of the participants also wore beards as a sign of celebration of Conchita Wurst’s Eurovision win. The latter was very negatively presented in the Bulgarian media.

Source: Bilitis

4th Bike Rally Against Homophobia & Transphobia

The 4th Annual Bike Rally Against Homphobia and Transphobia in the central part of Sofia also took place, organized by Deystvie LGBT Youth Association, and supported by Bilitis. Christiana Daneva from Bilitis, member of the board of EGLSF since March 2014, took part in the rally and expressed the support of EGLSF.

A coalition of LGBTI and other civil society groups came together in the capital, Phnom Penh, on May 16 – 17, to commemorate Gay Pride, and the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) Cambodia 2014.

For a full report of IDAHOT 2014 in Cambodia you can download this report (pdf, 2.6mb) produced by CamASEAN.

The series of events was facilitated by CamASEAN, and convened by CamASEAN Youth’s Future, Rainbow Cambodia Advocate Team (Rainbow CAT), Cambodia LGBT Legal Support (CLGBT), Cambodia Women and Choices (CWC), Cambodia Children and Choices Project (CCP), Life is Learning Club (LLC), Cambodian Center for Human Rights (Donor), East West Management Institute (Donor).

Over 100 people attended, and events were marked by the participation of high profile public figures and media interest.

Events included workshops and presentations aimed at raising awareness of, and acceptance towards, LGBTI communities within Cambodian society. Amongst the highlights were presentations by local community leaders accepting same sex couples, and the sharing of experiences of individuals living in rural settings. A legal analysis presentation by Cambodian law university students, reviewing the impact of Cambodian legal environment towards LGBTI people, as well as dancing, singing and sports activities, also marked the commemorations.

Photos from IDAHOT 2014 in Cambodia

A village leader sharing his experiences of how to accept LGBT people and giving advice to LGBT people and their families of how to seek legal support from authorities. May 18, 2014. Source: CamASEAN

LGBT friends expressing their pride with the rainbow flag. May 17 – 18, 2014. Source: CamASEAN

Dancing, singing and sporting to end Pride and IDAHOT celebration. May 18, 2014. Source: CamASEAN

Select media coverage

National television network Hang Meas TV covered the commemorations in this news broadcast:

Gay Pride and IDAHOT Cambodia News from Hang Meas TV 17th & 18th May from srorn on Vimeo.

• Phnom Penh Post: Equality far off for Cambodia’s LGBT community forced to undergo ‘curing’
• Phnom Penh Post: Equality Pride Week
• Radio Free Asia: Cambodian civil society organisations mark IDAHO-T
• Voice of America: Gay and transgender communities struggle for equality

Further information

• Cambodia LGBT website: www.cambodialgbt.wordpress.com
• CamASEAN website: www.camasean.org
• IDAHOT Cambodia facebook page: www.facebook.com/IDAHOTCambodia
• Cambodia LGBT legal support page: www.facebook.com/groups/legalcounselling
• Cambodian SOGIE on twitter: www.twitter.com/CambodianSOGIE

IDAHOT 2014 in Albania included the premiere of the first documentary on LGBT communities in the country, a Festival of Diversity and a set of panels, and the 3rd Annual May 17 Gay Ride through the streets of the capital, Tirana.

Alliance Against Discrimination of LGBT and Pro LGBT organized the Third Tirana Gay Ride Against Homophobia at the “Boulevard of Martyrs” on “Mother Teresa” Square. You can watch a video of the action here:

IDAHOT 2014 Bike Ride in Tirana, Albania

Two groups also held a premiere screening of the documentary “SkaNdal” – the first ever documentary about the LGBT movement in Albania (with English subtitles). LGBT community members appeared for the first time with their faces and names and shared their personal stories about how the LGBT movement has changed their lives. You can watch the video trailer here:

Documentary film screening in Tirana, Albania.

Pink Embassy hosted a “Festival of Diversity” between 12-17 May, similarly to previous years. Activities included movie screenings, an NGO fair, parties and conferences. The group focused on Freedom of Expression through a specific media campaign on free speech/no hate speech.

Pink Embassy, in collaboration with the Human Rights House in Albania and Open Mind Spectrum Albania (OMSA), and Affiliate of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI), also jointly organized the first LGBT Pride in Albania under the slogan: Say YES LOVE! About 60 activists from Albania as well as Macedonian human rights activists attended the event.

Say YES LOVE! Pride event in Tirana for IDAHOT 2014.

A video of Say YES LOVE! Pride can be viewed here:

Further information

• Historia Ime: IDAHOT 2014, ‘a three part journey to acceptance‘
• About the 3rd Annual Ride: www.tiranagayride.com
• Information on Pink Embassy events: www.pinkembassy.al

Egyptian activists marked May 17, 2014, with the “Everyone is Different” online campaign, as well as a day of action to support trans communities, sport activities, theatre plays, media productions, videos, articles and radio episodes about homophobia.

The campaign “Everyone is Different” started on May 11 and included a series of events until May 17.

The organizers started the week of events on May 11, the Egyptian Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. This day is highly symbolic because it marks the case of the Cairo 52 – a group of gay men who were arrested in 2001, after attending the Queen Boat nightclub. This year marked the 3rd year in which the EDAHOT was commemorated in the country, serving to remind people of the persecution LGBTI communities face in the region, historically and today.

Everyone is Different Campaign – E/IDAHOT 2014

The week of events also included several sessions and seminars in two major cities. These actions addressed topics including of the role of media in perpetuating homophobia and transphobia, and the persecution of LGBTI communities and other minorities.

A day of activities to support trans* communities, sport activities, a theater play, media production videos, articles and a radio episode about homophobia also marked the EDAHOT – IDAHOT 2014 period in Egypt this year.

Further information

• Bedayaa LGBT Organization: Facebook page.

This year three different organizations hosted IDAHOT actions in Turkey. Actions included the launch of an online LGBTI Magazine, a bike ride against hate, film screenings and a set of panel discussions.

Queer Adana hosted a Bike Tour against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Sexism in Adana on May 17, starting at noon. The Tour was followed by the TansX Istanbul Film Premiere Gala in Adana, which took place at the Seyhan Cultural Centre. Trans X Istanbul is a personal documentary film and part of the multi-platform project Trans X Turkey about the human rights situation of Trans* communities in the country.

Bike Tour against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia and Sexism in Adana, May 17

The Social Policies, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association (SPoD) celebrated May 17 by launching a new e-Magazine, named “Çark”! Çark Mag aims to popularise community issues and events, covering LGBTI nightlife and community friendly places, culture and art-related news, reviews, and interviews, and will also collect relevant news from Istanbul and other cities in Turkey.

SPoD also hosted a panel and reception together with the Consulate General of the Netherlands on May 17 in dedication to the worldwide IDAHOT celebrations.

Kaos GL Association hosted IDAHOT actions for the 9th time this year with a chain of panels and social events in May. The theme of the 9th year was “resistance”, in reference to the nation-wide protests that started in May 2013 in Gezi Park.

Istanbul Street Parade for IDAHOT 2014

Communities demonstrate in Istanbul as part of a month of commemorations

Further information

• Queer Adana: homepage
• SPoD: website
• Kaos GL: website