IDAHOBIT 2021 statement
Monday, May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). This day commemorates the declassification of homosexuality as a mental health disorder by the WHO in 1994. While this was a huge step in the right direction, the LGBTQIA+ community continue to face violence and discrimination every day. For example, 75% of LGBTQIA+ youth experience some form of discrimination and 77% of trans/gender diverse people report being discriminated against in the past 12 months.*
For those still coming to grips with the terminology:
Transphobia is negative feelings or actions towards someone who's trans or gender diverse.
Homophobia is discrimination or abuse toward same-sex attracted people.
Biphobia is abuse towards someone who is attracted to more than one gender.
Interphobia is discrimination against a person based on their intersex status. Intersex people are people who have innate sex characteristics that don’t fit medical and social norms for female or male bodies.
All of these ‘phobias’ can take the form of verbal abuse, violence, discrimination, sexual harassment as well as non-acknowledgement or erasing a person’s identity (e.g. telling someone their sexuality is “just a phase”). The effect on LGBTQIA+ people can be devastating for their mental health, social engagement and physical health - 39% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced depression in the last 12 months (compared with 6.2% of the general population).*
As President of Footscray Swimming and Water Polo Clubs, and with the support of the club committee, I would like to highlight my stance against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and interphobia in any way, shape or form. I stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and ask you to join me in celebrating the diversity in our club and the wider community.
I encourage our members and supporters to call out homophobia, biphobia, interphobia and transphobia whenever you see it. You can show your support today by wearing some rainbow clothes, posting on social media or attending an IDAHOBIT event. We can all help to make a difference!
Emma Steele
President
To donate to to programs supporting LGBTQIA+ youth in Australia, go to https://www.idahobit.org.au/index.php/donate
For help and support go to https://www.switchboard.org.au/
* https://www.idahobit.org.au/index.php/get-active/the-stats
