New realities; Changing lives
#IDAHOBIT and #Covid-19 — Breaking the Silence
Today is the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). Like so many experiences and days at the moment, this day takes place, for the first time, in the middle of a global pandemic. The world around us is changing on the back of Covid-19 and people’s experiences of that change both now and in the future is differing based on their socioeconomic status, race, sexuality, gender or intersections of these and many other factors.
For the LGBTQ+ community there have been some profound changes and negative experiences.
Some are as a result of the virus and its accompanying restrictions and economic impacts, but others have come about as governments take the opportunity to crack down on the community under the guise of responding to the crisis. This has been evident in Hungary with an attack on transgender rights and in Uganda where the longstanding persecution of gay men continues. For the regimes in these countries they haven’t wasted the opportunity that a crisis produces to victimise the LGBTQ+ community.
Closer to home the challenges for the community have been different but remain profound.
In the UK loneliness and an increase in mental health problems have blighted the whole of the country. The LGBTQ+ community have found this to be particularly difficult. Those members of the community who used to access community centres, groups and bars as key parts of their social identity and fabric have not been able to do this for two months. Now that these are closed the sense of isolation is increased although many LGBTQ+ support organisations are moving as many services as they can online. For those living with abusive partners, with family who do not know of or support their sexual identity, asylum seekers or those who have limited financial resources even accessing support online is difficult, if not impossible, at this time. For trans people waiting for consultations or surgeries cancelled as a result of the pandemic the struggle is intensified further. This only leads to further isolation and increases in crippling mental health problems within the community.
Providing support as a community is so important right now.
Did you know that the World Health Organisation only declassified homosexually as an illness on this day in 1990?
I had just turned 14 then.
I didn’t know who the WHO were but up until that point they considered me ill.
This scares me and encourages me in equal measure.
I am encouraged by the progress made to secure rights for LGBTQ+ communities in many parts of the world, including in my home country of Australia and my adopted home in the UK. The frightening part is there are people and parts of the world who already have or would happily roll the protections back to 1990 and earlier. Remembering that many of our freedoms and rights are so recently secured means we need to stay vigilant and call out homophobia, transphobia and any other discrimination at all times.
For me, it is more than this. I recognise that I have a responsibility to advocate and educate at every opportunity. As that, in my mind, is the way forward to fighting and ultimately eradicating discrimination.
The last few years have been a learning curve for me, coming out at my cricket club and supporting national inclusion campaigns. More recently I have been working with LGBTQ+ researchers in higher education in the UK and Europe to start conversations and work with administrators, managers and allies to tackle discrimination and promote inclusion, diversity and equality. We should all be part of this conversation.
It is critically important today, given where the world is at, to keep the conversation going.
Challenge people, promote difference and help people to understand this isn’t a zero sum game. We can all be better off with greater opportunity, respect, and love and understanding of difference.
If you are already an ally then thats brilliant, but I encourage you to take the next step; ask LGBTQ+ people you know to talk about their experiences, understand them and put yourself in their shoes. Understanding our experiences will make you a better ally and lead to an end of Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. Let us ‘Break the Silence’ that exists in some parts of the world — speak up for rights for everyone.
So today on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia, ask yourself, what can you do to make a difference? What questions do you want to ask but have never had the courage too and how will you call out discrimination when you see it next? We must engage in conversation, include everyones voices and ensure the world moves forward postively.
Realities are changing, let’s make lives change for the better.
