IDIDAHO - International Day Against HOmophobia



 

 

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

2009 IDAHO committee has begun planning IDAHO 2009!

Send an email to Idaho@gmhealth.org.au if you would like to help, support, sponsor or donate to IDAHO 2009.

Fondation Émergence has proposed for the International Day Against Homophobia 2009 (May 17) theme be to combat homophobia within cultural communities, to raise awareness among the newly arrived and to support gays and lesbians from these communities.

 

What is IDAHO?

On 17 May 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. The fight for the recognition of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people did not end there though. And it continues today, across the globe, in a great variety of ways.

Today over 80 countries in the world still criminalise homosexuality and condemn consensual same sex acts with a variety of penalties (Ottosson 2007). In seven countries consensual same sex acts still carry the death penalty. These include:

  • Iran
  • Mauritania
  • Nigeria
  • Saudi-Arabia
  • Sudan
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Yemen

Information current on 10th October 2007
(International Lesbian and Gay Association, 2007)

Discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation and gender identity is still not recognised formally by the member states of the United Nations (even though human rights mechanisms such as the Human Rights Committee have repeatedly condemned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity).

 

What is Homophobia?

Homophobia is the hostility, disapproval, prejudice, hatred or fear of homosexuals or those perceived as homosexual. Homophobia sometimes may lead to acts of violence and expressions of hostility and discrimination.

(Pharr, pp. 424-437)

Examples of Homophobia include behaviours or attitudes which:

  • Making assumptions about a persons sexuality based on dress, behaviour, or personality.
  • Focusing on a person’s sexuality, rather than as whole, complex person.
  • Being afraid of social or physical interactions with people who are lesbian or gay.
  • Avoiding social situations or activities where you night be perceived as lesbian or gay.
  • Assuming that lesbians and gay men will be attracted to everyone of the same gender.

(Pardie & Luchetta, p. 76)

The impact of Homophobia

  • Homophobia reinforces socially constructed gender roles.
  • Homophobia pressures heterosexual men to have to prove their masculinity.
  • Homophobia disadvantages heterosexuals having close relationships with same-sex friends with the possible fear of being perceived as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
  • Homophobia promotes discrimination.
  • Homophobia promotes exclusion and does not embrace diversity.
  • Homophobia can impact not only individuals but their families, friends and children.

 

Reference:

Ottosson, D 2007, State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults, International Lesbian and Gay Association, Belgium.

Pardie, L & Luchetta, T 1999, The Construction of Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Gay Men, Haworth Press, Philadelphia.

Pharr, S 2000, ‘Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism’, in Umansky, L & Plott, M, Making Sense of Women’s Lives: An Introduction to Women’s Studies, Rowman & Littlefield, New York.

The International Lesbian and Gay Association, World Day against Death Penalty 7 countries still put people to death for same-sex acts, Retrieved from (International Lesbian and Gay Association, 2007)

The International Lesbian and Gay Association, World Map of GLBTI Rights.

How was IDAHO celebrated in South Australia in 2007?

Members of the IDAHO organising committee for 2007 included representatives from Gay Men’s Health (a program of AIDS Council of SA), Shine SA, Inside Out, (a program of Second Story Youth Service), Central Northern Primary Health Care Services and the South Australian Police.

Posters and postcards were developed and printed and IDAHO was also featured on the front page of blaze (Adelaide's fortnightly GLBT community newspaper) issue #161.

A number of events were held across the Adelaide metropolitan area, including displays in community service offices and morning teas where rainbow cakes and other IDAHO-suggested food was served and the effects of homophobia discussed.

SA Police also mounted displays on the day in suburban shopping centres. These displays were coordinated by Local Service Area (LSA) Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers (GLLOs).

A car convoy through the city streets of Adelaide was also held on May 12th, the Saturday before IDAHO. The convoy was a big success, as decked with different flags representing each colour of the GLBT rainbow flag, vehicles progressed through the city blaring out anti-homophobia messages through a megaphone. Many cheers and waves greeted the convoy, with only a handful of negative or abusive remarks being heard.

Afterwards, the crowd celebrated at the Wheatsheaf Hotel, George Street, Thebarton.

 

Looking to the future

In 2004, Fondation Émergence publicly revealed a five-year plan of action by proposing a specific theme for each campaign year and identifying an area of activity in society in which the need to fight against homophobia will be met. Some changes have been made to the original document, for example, regarding the event’s name and date. The bulk of the document, however, remains the same: the goals originally proposed by Fondation Émergence have not changed especially when it comes to national campaigns and annual themes.

 

Date Themes

May 17, 2009

Cultural Communities

May 17, 2008

Health

May 17, 2007

Education

May 17, 2006

Work and Sports

June 1, 2005

The Family

June 2, 2004

Commitment

The five year plan can be seen in full at www.homophobiaday.org

 

Theme for 2008

Homosexuality is not a sickness!

Homosexuality is not a sickness! However, specialists haven’t always thought so, for a long time, mental health professionals considered sexual activity between same-sex partners an illness. Accustomed only to handling people with mental health issues, psychiatrists ended up believing that all gay men and lesbians were ill. They listed homosexuality among mental illnesses in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder) used by the American Psychiatric Association, an internationally recognized organisation. It was not until December 15, 1973, that homosexuality was removed from the Association’s reference manual. This decision is reflected in the DSM-III published in 1980.

During an annual Board of Trustees meeting held in January 1975, the American Psychological Association did likewise by passing a resolution to remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses and emotional disorders for good. In Australia in 1973, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists adopted a policy strongly condemning ‘community attitudes and laws which discriminate against homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private’ Psychological Association followed suit by adopting several resolutions based on the same principle. The Australian Psychological Society followed suit in 1974 with the establishment of the Committee on Social Issues.

On May 17, 1991, the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses. In 1992, this withdrawal was officially recorded in its international classification (ICD-10). At its 2006 National Conference, the American Psychological Association restated its position in which homosexuality as not an illness.

example of web banner that you can attach to your email signature

 

IDAHO Resources

South Australian Developed resources

IDAHO Poster

IDAHO Pamphlet

IDAHO Postcard

IDAHO Web Banner and instructions on how to display web banner on your email.



Sexual Diversity Health Services AUDIT

Workshop process for Health Services AUDIT

Sexual Diversity Health Services AUDIT



Fondation Émergence Developed resources

2008 IDAHO Poster

2008 IDAHO Pamphlet

Please note contact details on Fondation Émergence resources are for residents within Canada only.

 

How Can I Celebrate IDAHO

The fight against homophobia requires each and everyone in their communities to get involved. Here are a few examples of increasing community awareness:

Posters and Pamphlets
Hang IDAHO posters and provide IDAHO pamphlets in waiting rooms.

Internet
Post an IDAHO banner on websites.

Email
Send out emails for the annual campaigns against homophobia with links to http://www.homophobiaday.org/ and add an IDAHO banner to your email signature. Click for instructions on how to ad a banner to your email signature.

Support
Ask your Local Council or State Government to support IDAHO on May 17th and continue the momentum for law reforms as recommended in the Same-Sex, Same Entitlements report from HREOC (http://www.hreoc.gov.au/Human_RightS/samesex/report/index.html)

Activities
Organise activities, seminars or conferences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual (LGBT) issues in your workplace or community.

Speaking Out
Report anti-LGBT language and incidents, lodge a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission or The Human Rights Commission. Report any gender based crime to the South Australian Police on 000 for emergency or 131444 for reporting and police attendance. Click here for link to your closest GLLOs

Media
The fight against homophobia needs to reach all communities. The media can contribute to community awareness if you suggest reports and viewers’ letters, and if you invite the media to organised events.

  • Have a same-sex shower or bath
  • Thank someone for not being homophobic
  • Thank someone for not assuming your sexuality
  • Host a morning tea
  • Make a display
  • Fly a rainbow flag
  • Educate others about homophobia
  • Bake a rainbow cake - click here for recipe


Click here to view What's On for IDAHO 2008




You might also like to check out the websites listed below

IDAHOmaphobia - International Lesbian and Gay Association

Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association - IDAHO

Homophobia Day - Canada



For further information on IDAHO in South Australia, contact

Hugh Beil, IDAHO Coordinator 2008
Gay Men's Health
(08) 8334 1606 or email Hugh Beil

Russell Disher, Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officer (GLLO) co-coordinator
South Australia Police
(08) 8204 1354 or email Russell Disher

Ryan Mellon, Community Health Worker
The Inside Out Project
(08) 8232 0233 or email Ryan Mellon

Craig Murray, Community Health Worker
SHine SA
(08) 8325 8164 or email Craig Murray

Matt Potter, Social Marketing Officer
Gay Men's Health
(08) 8334 1606 or email Matt Potter

Lauren Riggs, Community Health Worker
Dale St Women's Health Centre
(08) 8444 0713 or email Lauren Riggs

 

 

 
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