IDAHOBIT: International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia.
Minus18's IDAHOBIT Campaign has three simple tips for this year's IDAHOBIT:
1) Go Rainbow & Be Visible
2) Pride Up & Host an Event
3) Change the World & Build Inclusion
IDAHOBIT has been around for over 30 years now, and Minus18’s IDAHOBIT campaign is a pioneer for spreading awareness for this special day. Check out their website here for more information.
Why do we need IDAHOBIT?
According to the IDAHOBIT website, statistics* show that:
75% of LGBTQIA+ youth experience some form of discrimination.
77% of Trans & Gender Diverse people report being discriminated against in the past 12 months.
35% of LGBTQIA+ Australians have experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months.
39% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced depression in the past 12 months.
33% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced anxiety in the past 12 months.
And this is all compared to 6.2% of the general population having experienced depression in the past 12 months.
There are many ways to recognise the types of discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community, and it’s our responsibility to be be active rather than passive as these occur daily — both outside our circles, and within.
For more information on the importance of IDAHOBIT, and relevant statistics, please visit the IDAHOBIT Australia website. They have information for individuals, workplaces, and school/uni spaces - for LGBTQIA+ folk, and allies!
Photo by Mercedes Mehling on Unsplash
In the spirit of their campaign, KOS Magazine is publishing a series of pieces that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and spread awareness on how to fight discrimination. Over the following week, we’ll be posting a range of articles, both informative and personal — from where to find the best rainbow products, to the thoughts shared in our surveys conducted last week.
Until then, please feel free to view the queer-related stories we’ve published before:
Eliot Walton’s ‘Pages From A Missing Year’ is a deep and beautiful insight into their trans identity, and strength during quarantine.
'A Love Hate Relationship with Being Bi' was published on Wear it Purple Day, and reflects on an anonymous writer's bi identity.
‘Koori Gras - A voice for the First Australian Queer Community’ interviews the creators of ‘Koori Gras’, an event during Mardi Gras that celebrates the Indigenous Queer community
Felicity McIntosh’s ‘Midsumma Festival - Celebrating Then to Now’ celebrates her pride for the annual Midsumma Festival
Jeanne Carlos’ ‘Everything Is Copy: for Lesbian Visibility Day 2021’ is a dive into her relationship with her lesbian identity
‘#SuperStraight - The new guise for transphobia’ explains the new phenomenon of ‘super straight’ and why it’s harmful.
‘Trans Allyship 101 - Happy Trans Day of Visibility!’ by Eliot Walton, describes how to be a more effective ally for Trans Day of Visibility (and all other days of the year!)
Stay tuned for our posts!
*Disclaimer: some of the statistics referenced on the IDAHOBIT website were collected prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some statistics are from Private Lives 3 national Australian survey, published by La Trobe University, August 2020, of which may not necessarily include statistics collected during the covid-19 pandemic.
