A rainbow kite flying event to celebrate gender and sexual diversities, an evening of storytelling and discussion, and actions by the staff of Credit Suisse marked the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia 2014 in Singapore

Kite Flying for Harmony

‘Kite Flying for Harmony 2014′ made for a wonderful and colourful start to the IDAHOT commemorations in Singapore this year. The event took place in Marina Barrage on Saturday, May 17 from 2.30pm to 6.30pm. The organisers, Move Community, explained that the kite flying day was organised to help foster social harmony, friendship and healthy living among LGBTI allies & communities in the country. Under the slogan “Flying Rainbow, Connecting Lives”  participants designed and made their kits, and wrote their ‘harmony statements’ on their kites, with guidance and support from Singapore Kite Association (SKA).

“Flying Rainbow, Connecting Lives” – community activists fly rainbow kites for IDAHOT 2014 in Singapore

Community Book Reading

Later on in the Day, at 7.30PM, at Books Actually, LGBTI communities and allies gathered together for another IDAHOT event – readings of “I will Survive Homophobia” and “Calling It Out – Singapore”, which were organized by Oogachaga.

“I will Survive Homophobia” is a collection of stories that brings together real-life experiences of love, grace, faith, dignity and courage from 21 ordinary gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Singapore who have survived extraordinary circumstances.  Calling it Out, on the other hand, is a campaign against homophobic bullying in schools.

The director of Oogachaga, Leow Yangfa, also honored the Day by expressing his view on homophobia and transphobia through an op-ed that was published by Yahoo Singapore on May 17.

Credit Suisse

The staff of Credit Suisse Singapore also joined the IDAHOT 2014 commemorations, with a series of internal events focused on LGBTI rights around the world and on the 2014 global focus on Freedom of Expression.

Several groups came together for different events around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, in the Motswana capital, Gaborone. Actions included a one-day queer theatre festival, a press conference and panel discussion, poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling, as well as a march and candlelight vigil.

Various groups come together for diverse IDAHOT 2014 series

The Botswana Network On Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) and Rainbow Identity Association (RIA), and their partners, commemorated IDAHOT 2014 through various activities spread through three days – as outlined in their press release, published ahead of the day:

“Day one of the commemorations will start with a press conference and followed by a panel discussion under the theme ‘Is Botswana a Homo-transphobic Country, Perspective from affected communities).’ The second day will be a night of spoken word against Homophobia and Transphobia on the 16th of May (from 1800hrs) at Thapong Arts Centre (opposite Village Clinic) at Village, Gaborone. It is at this space that the LGBTIQs will express themselves artistically through poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling. The last day will be celebrated by having a power march from Game City Supermall to Kgale Hill at 0800am. Once at the hill, a candlelight vigil will be conducted and multi-lingual prayers will be recited by different attendants. The festivities will continue from 1400hrs with an Expression show held at Somarelo Tikologo Ecological Park.”

First “Queer Shorts” series held in Gaborone

Katlego K Kol-Kes staged her 3rd IDAHO event in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 17 2014. The Queer Shorts Showcase is posited to be an annual event, and 2014 marked the inaugural staging. Featuring 5 short productions by Katlego K Kol-Kes, Queer Shorts Showcase, expressed LGBT themes through various means. Kol-Kes was joined by 3 other directors from Gaborone with the sole mission of addressing the 2014 IDAHO theme: Freedom of Expression.

The productions were all between 10 and 15 minutes long. These productions are: Under My Roof (Institutionalised Homophobia), Horses, Rivers, Mountains, Men (Discovery/Coming Out), Butchered (Romantic Drama), A Real Woman (Defining a Trans* reality), and Sakeng (Male Privilege and Responsibility). With a company of 20, comprised of dancers and actors, the inaugural Queer Shorts Showcase promises to be an enlightening and entertaining evening of theatre and activism.

Queer Shorts Poster

Media coverage

• Star Africa: ‘Botswana agency bars gays from donating blood‘