The World Marks the International Day Against Homophobia

by Michael Jones · 2009-05-16 17:51:00 UTC
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International Day Against Homophobia

This weekend (May 17, to be exact) marks the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), a worldwide event meant to draw together LGBT rights supporters around the globe, to call for the end of criminalization for homosexuality and to push for equal rights.  Despite the news out of Russia and Poland today, where violent crackdowns and police arrests marred gay rights demonstrations, more than 50 countries will be commemorating the IDAHO this week.  And what a week its been on the international gay rights scene.

Hungary confirmed this week that beginning this summer, same-sex couples could enter into domestic partnerships.  In India, the nation's first national LGBT publication is getting relaunched, in an effort to move India up the civil rights ladder.  In the United States, another state (New Hampshire) moved closer to recognizing marriage equality.  LGBT rights activists from Canada to Singapore demonstrated this weekend for equality, peacefully.  Even Latvia, which has a history of violence and oppression toward its LGBT population, had a gay rights march that went off without any problems or violence.  And in Cuba, activists danced the Conga in the streets of Havana to promote LGBT rights - and the dance was led by President Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela.

So suck on that, Russia and Poland.

All sarcasm aside, of course, days like IDAHO are critically important to overcoming global homophobia and transphobia.  Nearly half of the countries in this world criminally ban homosexuality, with at least five countries punishing people convicted of homosexuality with death.  Speaking out against global homophobia is the only surefire way to combat the violence faced by LGBT people in Iraq, Iran, Senegal, Jamaica, in our own communities, and throughout the world.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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