The tactic has also been popular in Germany, Ukraine, Armenia and various other countries. And, in 2013, these actions inspired the worldwide focus campaign for IDAHOT – the “Global Rainbow Flashmob” with actions in 40 countries, spanning balloon releases, dance flashmobs, rainbow kiss-ins, chalk-ins and die-ins, and many more kinds of actions in support of LGBTI rights worldwide (You can watch the video compilation of the actions here).

Because rainbow flashmob events are not usually classified by authorities as “protests”, they can provide a way for communities to meet publicly and make a visible impact, without alerting authorities to the existence of the action first. In many cases, activists organise privately and do not release the time and place of the action publicly, until after the event.

We spoke with a group of activists from Ukraine, who have been bravely organising these events since 2011, despite widespread hostility to public actions in support of LGBTI rights in their context. They told us this inspiring story, which will maybe help others thinking about organising this event, or who are also organising in hostile contexts where safety is a key concern.

Where/how did the idea originate? What were the main assumption behind the idea, the main expectations?

Participants gather to release rainbow balloons – in Zaporizhia, Ukraine. May 17, 2014.

Holding flashmobs with the release of rainbow balloons is our tradition since 2011. The format of the event was chosen based on local realities: to conduct any kind of human rights rally or activity the organizer needs to apply to the city municipality, with the exception of flashmobs, because this format is new and yet not established in any Ukrainian official documents. If we decided to apply for the action officially, then, with 100% confidence, they would have banned its conduct under any pretext. In addition, we would have also provoked a surge of homophobic activity which could affect the safety of participants. So only with the flashmob format we have a legal opportunity to join IDAHOT.

The main expectations we had were to speak out for LGBT rights regardless of the political and social situation as well as to have fun. Another expectation was to set up a tradition of celebrating the 17th of May.

What were the risks/threats/obstacles involved and how did you mitigate them?

The anti-gay movement wasn’t so well organized in our city in 2011, because we weren’t visible before. Thus, while organizing our first rainbowflash – our first event aimed at society – we knew that we would face a number of challenges, but till the end we did not know which ones exactly. A few days later after this action, after the first articles about our event were published in the media, we saw growing anti-LGBT activity. The situation worsened in the next years, together with the strengthening of the national LGBT movement, holding Pride weeks, and the increased visibility of our organization, but also with appearance of the first homophobic draft laws in the parliament etc.

A participant writes a message of hope, to tie onto the balloon.

The more we were visible, the more homophobic discourse intensified in society – created by religious fanatics and nationalists, and approved by the authorities, thereby provoking hatred, discrimination and violence against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. But at the same time we previewed some safety issues. For example, we decided not to spread publicly the place and exact time of the flashmob. Participants and journalists were invited either personally or through our friends/supporters, taking into account all of the same safety concerns. Since 2012 we already had this challenge not to allow violence as we observed, for instance, homophobic groups in social networks which organized a campaign to encourage people who were ready to use violence against the LGBT community, in cases where they detected attempts to carry out human rights meetings. Groups of aggressive hooligans were also created to patrol popular public places in our city, during the whole flashmob day.

How did you get it done? How much time did it take? How much did it cost? How many people did it involve? What were the tactics that you used?

The same idea of every year’s performance was to voice and to discuss the current situation – to write on a piece of paper our dreams and wishes, tie them to the balloons, before we let them color the sky. This part of our flashmob remained unchanged. But every year we tried to add something new.

Balloons colour the sky in Ukraine. May 17, 2014.

For example, this year we recorded a video media message. Last year we lined up in a row, composing the media inscriptions “F*ck homophobia” and “Love is stronger than hate”. In 2012 we composed the letter Z with the balloons like in Gender Z (the mark of our city of Zaporizhia). The main event (communication, wishes writing, balloon release) was always about a half an hour of duration. After this part we organized a kind of picnic for the participants. The action didn’t require significant expenses, only costs of balloons, stationery and/or banners’ printing.

This activity gathered about 20 participants every year, those people who decided to be open, visible and brave, despite of the threats.

How do you rate the impact of this action, and how did you see its effects?

Every year the IDAHOT performance raises a huge discussion in society about homosexuality, gender identity, and LGBTQI’s position in Ukrainian society. It’s the most important impact – to increase visibility. We also observe a rise in supporters of our organization, including among journalists – one of the most powerful tools of shaping public opinion.

Watch the video of their IDAHOT 2014 action here:

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

The country’s first ever LGBTI pride march was organized in Moldova in commemoration of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, with the support of the UN Human Rights Office.

About 300 participants – including some members of LGBTI communities in Eastern Europe, as well as diplomats and representatives of NGOs – took part in Chişinău’s “March for Equality”. Participants created a colourful demonstration, with rainbow flags and banners held against homophobia and transphobia.

The UN Human Rights Office supported the event, which was organized by GenderDoc-M, Moldova’s first LGBTI rights organization, as part of its equality and anti-discrimination work in the country.

Although LGBTI activists have tried to hold LGBTI pride events publicly in Chişinău for over a decade, this was the first time such an event has taken place with the full backing of public authorities.

First ever pride parade in Moldova, held on the IDAHOT 2014.

“The event marks an advance for Moldova’s rule of law, as public authorities successfully withstood negative pressure, and upheld the right of all people to equal use of the central public space,” said Claude Cahn, the UN Human Rights Adviser in the Republic of Moldova.

Public opposition to pride demonstrations remains high in Moldova and LGBTI rights are continuously disputed. According to opinion polls, opposition in the Republic of Moldova to peaceful public assemblies by LGBTI people is as high as over 90 per cent.

Following the march, Anastasia Danilova, the Executive Director of GenderDoc-M gave her remarks to the many participants, comprising members of the groups Non-discrimination Coalition, Amnesty International Moldova, Human Rights Information Centre, and representatives of UN agencies in Moldova, and from the Swedish, Italian and American embassies.

“We are happy that there are people in the Republic of Moldova who believe that homophobia and transphobia are unacceptable in our country,” said Danilova. “Today is a day of equality and freedom, the time to be ourselves has come!”

You can watch a video of the event here:

For more information:

• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: LGBTI Communities in Moldova March for Equality

Zimbabwe was one of various countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where the IDAHOT 2014 provided an entry point for encouraging discussion around sexual rights, with religious and political leaders, and on the part of the general public.

Communities gathered at the Dutch embassy in the capital Harare, where Richman Rangwani, a leading councillor with the country’s ruling Zanu-PF party, spoke out in defence of LGBTI rights.

During the event, Dutch ambassador to Zimbabwe Mrs Gera Sneller implored President Robert Mugabe’s government to “move with the times” through allowing the community to enjoy its full rights – reports New Zimbabwe.

Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, which organised the events in the capital, also released a statement on IDAHOT 2014, underscoring the Zimbabwean Constitution’s guarantees as to “rights to privacy, expression, assembly, association and conscience in the Bill of Rights”. The statement can be read in full here.

GALZ tweet ahead of IDAHOT 2014

For more information please see:

• Free Speech Radio News: Zimbabwe: Gay rights advocates mark Int’l Day Against Homophobia in hiding
• Bulawayo 24: Zanu-PF councilor backs gay rights
• Gay Star News: Zimbabwe ruling party politicians backs gay rights

In Azerbaijan, the organisation Nəfəs LGBT Azərbaycan Alyansı prepared two actions in order to commemorate IDAHOT 2014. The actions highlighted the importance of accepting LGBT people as part of society and also challenged violence and hatred against LGBT comunities with a European-wide campaign.

In 2001, Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe and committed to several obligations, and yet LGBT people still face significant discrimination, violence and isolation in society, and at the hands of the state. Therefore, activists set out this year to analyse legislation in terms of LGBT rights in Azerbaijan, and to propose new bills which also include raising the profile of national obligations which Azerbaijan has yet to fulfill, in front of the European parliament.

‘March for Equality’. Source: Nefes LGBT

Under the theme ‘We are as old as Gobustan!’, Nefes, the LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Netherlands, organised a gathering on IDAHOT on one of the oldest human settlements in Azerbaijan, Gobustan. With this event, the participants protested against prejudice within Azerbaijani society, and specifically against the framing of LGBT rights as a ‘European import’, by highlighting that LGBT communities ‘are as old as Gobustan’.

‘We Are as Old as Gobustan’. Source: Nefes LGBT

After a ‘March for Equality’ to the site, the participants release colorful balloons into the sky and rainbow flags were also proudly waved. LGBT people and their allies took part in the protest to say no to Homophobia and Transphobia, to show unity and to speak up for equality, and for an end to anti-LGBT violence.

They shared some pictures online, as well as a video of the #IDAHOT 2014 in Azerbaijan, which you can view here:

Hate Kills Campaign

Prior to May 17, Nefes had also launched a campaign to promote ‘Common Sense for Equality’. In every European country there is an inscription on cigarette boxes: ‘Smoking is harmful for your health and people around you’. The campaign invited people to replace the word smoking with ‘homophobia’ (or ‘transphobia’, ‘biphobia’, ‘hate’, etc). People with cigarette boxes in their hands from different countries all over Europe took photos and sent them in to the organization. The pictures were turned into posters which were then popularised on social media.

‘Hate Kills’. Source: Nefes LGBT

Unfortunately, after the participants stood up against discrimination, isolation and violence against LGBT people at the IDAHOT events in Azerbaijan, Nefes and the Dutch Embassy were accused of ‘hostility against Azerbaijan’. Therefore, Nefes released a statement in reaction to those accusations, which is reproduced here in full:

As a Nefes LGBT we are very concerned over society’s reaction on our activity 17th May, Day against Homophobia.

All the time we hear ‘We live in war conditions’, ‘Who will fight for Karabakh’ and the like. However, to be gay doesn’t mean to be feminine. Today there are ample gay people who serve in the army, they are ready to fight and sacrifice their lives by the order of Commander-of-chief of Azerbaijan Republic.

Unfortunately, head of Karabakh Liberation Organization Akif Tagi illiterately remarked his opinion on ‘march to Gobustan’ in media and blamed Dutch embassy for ‘enmity policy against Azerbaijan’. But he forgets that rights and liberties of a person cannot be restricted due to race, nationality, religion, language, sex, origin, political and social belonging (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 25) and in this case he must be punished according to Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (Article 154: violation of right to equality). If he knew our constitution, he would know that homosexual relations aren’t crime at all.

Society cannot come to terms that Azerbaijan is a democratic, secular, law-governed state (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 7.1), and religion is separated from state (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 18.1).

We understand that, believers in Islam prevail in Azerbaijan and we respect their beliefs. But it doesn’t mean, one can threaten, humiliate LGBT people or their supporters on the basis of their religious beliefs. Everyone has a right to live in this country, including LGBT people, along with religious ones and no one can prohibit this right.

Unfortunately, society thinks LGBT has obscene, lascivious lifestyle, but in reality it is not the case. What LGBT wants is just not to be discriminated. They have normal lifestyle and career as others do.

We also want to point out homophobic journalists and their bias in publications of materials on LGBT. Journalist ethics doesn’t allow them to express their subjective opinions or to use LGBT as a means of PR of their web-site.

Dear editors, don’t forget that your ‘callings on hate’ can deprive someone of his life. Therefore, we think they should pay attention while choosing headlines, pictures and overall information. Law-enforcement bodies also must be careful as the law requires it (Criminal Code, article 147), as some famous pages on social networks spread threat, bias and hate against LGBT, our organization and head of organization.

Called a “Protest on Behalf of the Invisible & Against Invisibility”, the act symbolises both the silence and the resilience of LGBTI and human rights defenders who were unable to demonstrate this year on May 17 itself. Some activists also painted rainbows around the city in the early hours of May 18, 2014.

Last year, on May 17, 2013, the Square was the set of brutal scenes of violence, as some 40,000 people, mobilised by the leaders of the Georgian Orthodox Church, descended on and many attacked a group of less than a hundred LGBTI and human rights activists who had assembled for a peaceful and silent demonstration to mark the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia 2013. Shocking scenes showed priests leading the attacks. Amnesty International received reports of an attempted lynching among the crowds. Millions of people heard about these events as international media quickly responded with hundreds of major press and television reports.

IDAHOT 2013: Priests leading the attacks against LGBTI activists in Tbilisi, Georgia.

On May 17 this year, LGBTI activists decided to cancel even private events for the Day. On May 12, leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church had urged thousands to take to the streets on May 17, in a show of “Strength of Family and Respect for Parents”. 4,000 participated in this “counter” protest, which passed without LGBTI communities being attacked – as they stayed clear of the event. That said, reports did surface of demonstrators attacking one another, after appearing to mistake each other for being gay. Members of a TV crew were also attacked on the Day, reports Identoba and Tabula TV Crew.

In the lead up to May 17, 2014, Georgian activists reported that LGBTI communities had become targets of threats and intimidation, including by the Georgian police. They also advised that, despite petitions by LGBTI activists, authorities offered no guarantees as to the safety of those who wished to publicly assemble and express themselves in favour of LGBTI rights on May 17.

IDAHO 2012: A demonstrator being dragged away by Georgian police.

Moreover, local activists from Identoba group report (May 17, 2014) that pro-Russian groups had been organising to stage a “fake gay pride” this May 17, using certain front groups, with the intention of justifying and sparking confrontation on the Day. As they point out, this has also been the case in recent months in Kiev, Ukraine, as well as in certain other countries.

Sunday’s In/Visible IDAHOT Protest

Organisers’ statement follows:

“This is an installation for the invisible, those who are unseen, those who are not heard, whose existence is not recognised. This is installation is for us, those who view but don’t see and listen to each other.

This is for those who can’t leave homes and those who have no home to go to.

This is for those who were chased after, persecuted and removed, by:

The military,

The banks,

Their own families,

Those whose work remains unappreciated,

Those on hunger strike demanding to be heard,

Those for whom there’s not enough public space allocated,

Those we couldn’t protect from attacks,

The victims of crimes and blackmail that we never investigated,

Those that have to prey in silence,

Those who must hide their names.

Today, these empty shoes stand instead of those humans, who dared, 1 year ago, to stand up against the invisibility of one social group, LGBTQ community, those who tried to unmask how merciless we are, those to attempted to discuss our common challenges. Those who wish to be here to express their woes and joys, but neither the state, nor the society respect their voice and their existence.

This is a protest for the invisible and against invisibility. Despite that fact that we couldn’t yet manage to recognise and appreciate each other, we still exist, with our desires to speak, with your everydayness. Turning blind eye and covering up ears won’t erase our existence, won’t smooth over our wounds, won’t take away our ability to feel empathy and love.

Passersby are free to take a shoe of their choice after 6PM, May 18th.

Freedom Square metro station, Tbilisi, May 18, 2014. Source: © Onnik Krikorian Photography

For more info:

• Identoba: Statement before May 17, 2014
• Meghan Johnson: Recap of May 17, 2014 in Georgia

The Rainbow Community Kampuchea (RoCK) and ASEAN SOGIE are organising the CamASEAN Gay Pride for this year’s International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17 & 18 in Cambodia. The sessions are aimed towards acceptance and to raise awareness of LGBTI issues within the Cambodian society.

The CamASEAN Gay Pride will consist of four workshops on the 17th & 18th of May:

(1) IDAHOT: Voice to Voiceless (17th May – morning session)
The session is to invite homosexual couples who live together for more than 30 years (among them are Muslim couples and indigenous couples). They will share how they live under the same roof for many years and how they advocate for acceptance in their community. In addition to that, commune leaders will come and share how they act towards accepting the homosexual couples and individuals living in their villages.

(2) Safe Coming out as LGBTI in Cambodia (17th May – afternoon session)
The session is to invite LGBTI individuals (representing businessmen/women, university students, and employees) who are accepted by their family & friends.

(3) Family Acceptance of LGBT Individuals (18th May – morning session)
The session is deemed to be the most important one as receiving acceptance from the family is the major struggles for most LGBT individuals in Cambodia. The slogan of the session is “Family is like our SKIN & Coming Out is a right.”

(4) LGBT Sensitization for the Legal View (18th May – afternoon session)
The session is aimed as a follow-up to CamASEAN’s first LEGAL awareness workshop with Cambodia. This workshop will share legal analysis from university students who are studying law and international relations to review how the laws work in Cambodia towards LGBTI people.

RoCK is a Cambodia-based LGBTI organisation which has its work focus in the provinces Kampong Chnang, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kompong Som, and Takeo. For more information on the group please visit their Facebook page or website.

The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus is a network of diverse human rights activists in Southeast Asia that aims for the inclusion of SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression) in the ASEAN Human Rights Mechanisms in order to promote and protect the human rights of people regardless of SOGIE in the Southeast Asian region.
For more details, visit their website or Facebook page.

For the third consecutive year since the Mesa por la Igualdad Neuquén, the Solidarity Campaign “TE ABRIGO” will be carried out, collecting clothes for the brothers and sisters in need, with a special focus on the impoverished children in the barrios of Neuquén. This event takes place on the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia which is celebrated every year on May 17, commemorating the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation eliminated homosexuality from the list of mental disorders.

This day of SOLIDARITY and VISIBILITY of LGBT is executed out of commitment towards the ones who are most in need, to make us visible for who we are: lesbians, transvestite, gays, transsexuals and bisexuals identifying closely with social reality who are working towards complete inclusion and elimination of discrimination.

They will celebrate the “Día Internacional Contra la Discriminación por Orientación Sexual e Identidad de Genero” (International Day against Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) with this action of solidarity which consists of collecting clothes, shoes, blankets, scarfs and everything else that can provide shelter. They are anticipating their collaborated action to take place on Saturday May 17 between 10am and 1pm at the Monumento a San Martín in the city of Neuquén.

The organisation Mesa Nacional por la Igualdad Neuquén is a political space that connects different civil organisations who work towards Equality, seeking to build together a province and a Argentina that is more just, inclusive and equitable.

You can find the event on Facebook: Día Mundial Contra la Homofobia – Neuquén 2014

As last year, there will be a march towards the Mainz cathedral square, where they will have a Kiss-In at 5 pm, including a balloon release and hoisting of the large rainbow kiss photo mosaics.

This campaign and event is organised in a joint effort by QueerNet Rheinland-Pfalz e.V., an initiative which works towards a better visibility and awareness of queer interests in the region and beyond, and Amnesty International. QueerNet’s aim is to network different groups and organisations to work together on political and cultural project and promote LGBTI rights and equality.

For more information about the campaign, visit their website  or Facebook page.

Here is a small taste of the event:

The day first emerged as a response to the lack of international days which are uniquely addressed to trans community issues. And in response to the specific quality of Transgender Day of Remembrance, on November 17, which is focused on mourning, and highlighting, lives lost through transgender hate crimes.

March 31 is also different from the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia (IDAHOT), in that it is dedicated specifically to the celebration of trans communities, and especially to promoting transgender visibility. It is also a day to celebrate pioneers, in the fight to recognise transgender rights, and many events will be happening today with those goals in mind.

Transgender Day of Visibility was initially started by Rachel Crandall, from Michican, United States, in March 2009.

To contribute to the commemorations this year, the IDAHOT team will be publishing two interviews, focused on questions of trans visibility in Latin America – one a collective interview about trans masculine communities in Brazil (coming shortly!), and another, an interview with Venezuelan Trans Rights Superstar (and IDAHOT President!) Tamara Adrian (originally published for March 31, 2013).

We will also be posting regularly about the Day on our social media pages.

Happy Transgender Day of Visibility to everyone !