IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia)

Today marks #IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia). It is both a global celebration of the wonderful diversity and intersectionality of our LGBTQIA+ communities and people both in the UK and around the world; But also to recognise the continued work towards protecting and strengthening LGBTQIA+ rights, recognising the daily barriers, prejudice and fear many LGBTQIA+ people have for their lives from harassment, discrimination and violence. We have seen both in the UK as well as around the world attempts by the government to roll back on LGBTQIA+ rights, especially of trans people focused on targeting trans women and children. Covid-19 has exposed the opportunistic nature of certain governments who have exploited the crisis to push their nationalist anti-LGBTQIA+ agenda assuming they will receive limited resistance, especially with the current proposals by the government but also as see in Hungary and Poland. It shows now more than ever the importance of solidarity, especially within our LGBTQIA+ community, but also between underrepresented and marginalised communities and the important role of allies especially in actively supporting us rather than passively on the sidelines. LGBTQIA+ equality is meaningless if we are not recognising and supporting the most marginalised groups within our community. We need to support in solidarity to ensure no group feels they've been left behind or that they are being told to wait their turn. We need to recognise LGBT+ movements and communities needs to provide a platform for LGBT+ People of Colour and LGBT+ People with Disabilities to lead and to recognise and tackle racism, disableism and any other forms of prejudice within LGBT+ spaces and wider society. We need to stop invalidating identities that fall into the + as being made up or a fad. Asexuality, Aromantic, Non-Binary, Pansexual, Demisexual, Genderfluid, Agender and Bigender, to name a few, are just as equally as valid Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender identities. We also need to build solidarity in supporting people born with intersex variations, including those who self-define within LGBT+ as well as those who do not. We must continue to address nationally the high disproportion of LGBT+ youth homeless, bullying, poverty, mental health, sexual violence and barriers to accessing services, whilst internationally linking and supporting organisations which seek to champion and protect LGBT+ citizens in countries which continue to discriminate, oppress LGBTQIA+ citizens and communities across the world.