“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” – a part of the first article in the human rights declaration
Today is the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. It remembers us that a lot of people are not seen as equal in dignity and rights, people besides the heteronormative. Just 30 years ago today the World Health Organisation (WHO) declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. Therefore the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is celebrated on the 17.5. It is a Day to show attention to the violence and discrimination a lot of homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender and people with other sexual identities are treated with.
What are Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia?
Homophobia describes a negative and aggressive attitude towards people who love people with the same sex.
picture shows flag of homosexual and LGBTQ+ community
The same hostile, aggressive attitude faces transgender persons. Transgender are people, who don’t feel themselves as the gender, to which they were assigned at their birth. Furthermore it includes people, besides the categories “man” or “woman”.
picture shows flag of transgender community
Also people who are bisexual are treated with antipathy and hate. Bisexuals are people who love more than one gender. For example a person, who loves men and women.
picture shows flag of bisexual community
All those “-phobias” are not fears as we would think, when we hear “-phobia”. People who are afraid would avoid confrontation with the people they are afraid of, but people who are homophobe often search aggressive confrontation.
Situation in the world
All around the world people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community has to face discrimination, hate and violence. In 70 countries same sex sexual acts are criminalised. Especially in North Africa and South Asia the rules are pretty harsh and in 12 countries the penalty death is the punishment for homosexual interaction. Furthermore even in those countries, in which the same sex sexual activities are not criminalised, is the situation not that good. Homosexual people don’t have the same rights. In many countries they are forbidden to marry and to adopt children. In addition they are not represented in education, which shows that they are still not seen as equal worthy and normal. The same applies to transgender and people who don’t see themselves as a part of the categories men and women. Moreover even if the WHO declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder 30 years ago, it is still treated as an illness. “Conversion therapies” are still allowed in most of the countries. Just 2% of all UN members ban those senseless and sick making therapies. This whole anti attitude is expressed in an extreme way in violence and hate. Therefore a lot of homosexual people are afraid to show their homosexuality on the streets. In the European Union more than half of LGBTQ people hide their sexual identity because of their fear of harassment. People shouldn’t be afraid of being themselves in public, minorities should be protected, represented and supported – that we could all feel safe and equal in dignity!
Let’s fight together for LGBTQ+ rights!
Next week the Hungarian parliament decides about a new legislative package. Article 33 is about transgender and intersexual people. It forbids legal recognition of their gender. This is against the right to self-determination and dignity, the right of transgender and intersex persons to privacy and the right to legal recognition of their gender. #Drop33
To symbolize that people from the LGBTQ+ community are also a part of Poland I made a video. You can watch it on: https://youtu.be/Pxfbj_Or3w4
People are not the same, but their rights are! Let’s fight all together for the rights of LGBTQ+ community – let’s fight together for human rights!
