IDAHOBIT community archive
IDAHOBIT is an important reminder of where we have come from and where we are going as a community. Being a queer person born in a rainbow family, days like this are so important to me and I’m sure they are to many people in this community.
30 years ago - on May 17, 1990 - the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrates LGBTIQ people globally, and raise awareness for the work still needed
We wanted to give a shout out to anyone in our community who raises awareness as a queer person or ally. If you would like to take action there are some ideas on the IDAHOBIT website here.
There are also some zoom backgrounds they have put together, if you feel like showing solidarity in the countless virtual hangouts/meetings we are all doing more of these days. Here is an example:
Discussion:
What makes you proud to be part of the LGBTIQA+ community?
What action do you take as an ally, to combat homophobia, transphobia and biphobia?
I think letitgo's point there is super important though. I was having a bit of a conversation on this with a group of people a few weeks ago, about exactly how the LGBTQ visibility needs to be in a show for it to count. Granted, no one in this group (as far as I am aware) is LGBTQ, but the main thing one that anyone raised as probably being good to change was how much a character's whole character was about them being the LGBTQ character. As in, their personality becomes a bit of a stereotype, or most of their involvement somehow brings their being LGBTQ up.
I'm very interested though in what people who do identify as LGBTQ think of this.
Hey everyone! 
May 13th (this Friday!) is IDAHOBIT Day (that is, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism + Transphobia!)
The date commemorates the anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO) removing homosexuality as a psychological diagnosis from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) on May 17, 1990.
Today, IDAHOBIT Day is recognised in 132 countries across the world as a means to raise awareness of discrimination faced by LGBTIQ+ people, open up a dialogue about inclusion and celebrating all the LGBTIQ+ people in our lives! For more information, visit the website here!
For this day, I thought it would be an excellent idea to gather a list of some inspiring LGBTIQ+ role models to look up to!
Laverne Cox
Rising to prominence from her role as Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black, she is the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy award, appear on the cover of Time and Cosmopolitan magazine, and have her own wax figure at Madame Tussauds! She is a trailblazer for the trans community!
Lady Gaga
I highly doubt that anyone hasn't heard of her before in 2019 
. Gaga is ridiculously talented! She identifies as bisexual and does awesome things for the LGBTQI+ community, such as starting the 'Born This Way Foundation' which focuses on youth empowerment! Born This Way is a JAM!
Ian Thorpe
The Aussie five-time Olympic gold medallist came out as gay in 2014! He strongly campaigned the yes vote for the 2017 marriage postal survey, showing that he could update his electoral details faster than his partner could swim 100m!
Here are some questions to think about:
1. Who are your LGBTIQ+ role models and why?
2. Why is it so important to celebrate gender/ sexuality diversity?
3. What can we do to build a more inclusive society for LGBTIQ+ people?
@Hozzles such a good idea!!! Thanks for making this thread!
1) LGBT+ role models:
One fictional character I love is Bernadette from Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
She's both an open trans character and a strong female character, which is great to see by itself.
She stands up for herself, carries herself with an almost fierce dignity (even when she's totally drunk) and is a visible trans woman in a time when transphobia is almost universal.
My irl queer role model is one of my support workers.
She's openly bi, puts enormous effort into supporting the whole the queer and lgbt+ community, and always asks for preferred pronouns, even though she isn't trans herself and she gets weird looks from people for it.
2) Why is important to celebrate gender/ sexual diversity?
I mean, I'll personally take any excuse to cover stuff with rainbows, but celebrating lgbti+ identities is really important in its own right.
For a start, questioning gender and sexuality can be confusing enough by it's self without constant messages that it's bad. The message that people receive when questioning their gender/ sexuality should be "welcome". It's important to show people that this important part of who they are does not change their worth as a human being.
It also allows greater visibility, which means that it's easier for queer/ lgbt+ people to find others that they can relate to, and seriously reduce the uncertainty involved in questioning.
If I'd known more about non-binaryness and gender fluidity, I would have figured out my gender way earlier.
3) How can we make our society more inclusive?
Firstly, let it be inclusive. People aren't born anything-ist.
When I was little and talking about two toys who were "married", I'd occasionally say "husband and husband" or "wife and wife". Every time, I was told it was "husband and wife". I had to learn it was only "husband and wife", and then re-learn that it could be any of those combinations.
Also, either add another option or two to the "are you a boy or a girl" question, or just not put it in if it's not needed.
Secondly, more inclusive language. Eg:
Settle down boys and girls --> children, kids, everyone
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen --> everyone, folks, esteemed guests (or whatever fancy wording you want to use)
Can I help you, ladies? --> you two/ three/ however many people there are, folks
Good morning, sir. --> either leave the sir out or add in a polite question, how are you today?
Anyway, this is now approaching essay length so I'll stop rambling on now..
1. Who are your LGBTIQ+ role models and why?
AHHHHH there are so many! I adore Laverne Cox for all the work she has done for the trans community and the achievements she's made and Lady Gaga for creating the Born This Way Foundation. I also love Troye Sivan and Ruby Rose as being awesome LGBTIQ+ representatives for Australia... there's so many!
2. Why is it so important to celebrate gender/ sexuality diversity?
To show that it is perfectly okay and normal not to feel "straight" or "cisgender". Plus, the awareness and visibility from celebrating gender/sexuality diversity will help so many people to find their gender identity and/or sexuality in a less confusing and stressful way (because it sure did for me!)
3. What can we do to build a more inclusive society for LGBTIQ+ people?
More education and awareness. While we have come so far with improving LGBTIQ+ rights (e.g., legalising same-sex marriage in Australia), but we still have a long, LONG way to go. I feel there is still a lot of people who have misconceptions about the LGBTIQ+ community, and so I think that it is important that we continue to educate and raise awareness about this.
Thank you all for your fabulous responses, and I hope you had a great day if you did anything for it! I celebrated at my local headspace with music and food 
.
@Sunflower18 - Oh I forgot Ellen! She's definitely up there! I feel like when I was growing up, no one ever questioned her or spoke harshly about her -- she was just Ellen and pretty much everyone loved her. She owns who she is so well!
@Tiny_leaf - There's so many awesome fictional characters, too! It's amazing when people in mental health/ support roles are really inclusive. The past two psychologists I've seen didn't even ask for a label to my sexuality, I just told them how I felt and they accepted it! The inclusive language is also really important, too!
@Esperanza67 - Me either -- I had no idea it was removed from the ICD so late in history (seven years before I was born -- that's ridiculous)! It really makes you think how far the community has come in so little time!
Love this, @Hozzles!
1. Who are your LGBTIQ+ role models and why?
Growing up, I definitely looked up to Ellen DeGeneres, probably largely because she was one of the few LGBTIQ+ public figures at the time and because she just seems so comfortable with who she is and I think that's awesome!
Taylor Smith (professional soccer player) I would also consider a LGBTIQ+ role model of mine. She speaks openly about being gay and christian and I really appreciate her ability to be completely true to who she is.
2. Why is it so important to celebrate gender/ sexuality diversity?
Because we are all different and being different is amazing. I think it's so important to recognise that everybody is unique and no matter how you identify, you are just as important as everybody else. Plus, celebrating gender/sexuality diversity (or just diversity in general) helps us change what is considered 'normal' and let those around us know that it is ok to be you, in whatever form you are most comfortable.
3. What can we do to build a more inclusive society for LGBTIQ+ people?
I think having conversations and building awareness has a big part to play. Often people have preconceived ideas about the LGBTIQ+ community which purely stem from lack of awareness and knowledge. Calling out homophobia (if safe to do so) may also help.
I also find that modelling inclusive behaviours myself also encourages others to do the same.
@Bre-RO Thanks for reminding me about this day!
What makes you proud to be part of the LGBTIQA+ community?
I love how the community is so welcoming and it feels great to be validated by other people who have gone through similar experiences. It's a great feeling to know that there are other people like me and that my sexuality and expressing it isn't wrong.
What action do you take as an ally, to combat homophobia, transphobia and biphobia?
I try to educate myself about other members of the sexuality spectrum. I also like supporting other people through watching and taking part in events and validating their experiences. I often try to call out discrimination or prejudice I see too.
@Bre-RO Yay!! IDAHOBIT!!! 🏳️🌈
I love the sense of community. And also the rainbows and sparkles.
I love having people who are willing to accept and understand me.
One thing that really helps with being an ally is speaking up against the various phobias.
It can be really isolating to be the only one speaking up, and "outing" ourselves isn't always safe.
It can be really valuable to have others stand up for us when it isn't safe for us to stand up for ourselves.
Also as a non-binary person, it's really good when people use inclusive language. (E.g. when talking about a non-specific person saying "they" instead of "he or she")
