IDAHOT – May 17 2014
Since 2005, May 17 has been dedicated to the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), marking the day in 1990 when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. It constitutes an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms.
At least 81 countries in the world criminalize same sex relationships. This means that 40% of the world population (or 2.8 billion people) are not free to choose who they love. Millions of homosexual and bisexual people live in a constant state of fear.
In 10 countries, the death penalty can be applied for same sex acts.
A multitude of countries do not offer any form of legal recognition of trans and gender variant people’s true gender. With few exceptions, in almost all countries, which provide legal gender recogition, trans and gender variant people face forced psychiatric treatment and in the majority of countries even sterilization if they want their true gender to be recognized. Sexual and gender minorities face public stigmatization, police violence, state repression, attacks and murders. Their most basic human rights
are being denied daily.
What can you do?
Read more:
No comments yet.