IDAHOBIT 2015
by nottmbitopia
This year there will be a ‘stream’ in Nottingham city centre on Sunday 17th May for IDAHOBIT.
Join forces with us as we try and get as many people as possible to ‘stream in’ to the Brian Clough statue in Old Market Square from different starting points. The stream I’m co-leading will start at The Lord Roberts pub. Please meet us there at 12:30 and bring rainbow/bi/trans etc. flags or whistles or signs to hold whilst we walk to the statue.
After speeches at the statue from 1pm, there will be various LGBT activities held throughout the afternoon. Nottingham BiTopia will go for a picnic if the weather is nice! There will also be an after party at the Foresters, or a showing of Milk at Broadway.
Just in case some people reading don’t know, IDAHOBIT stands for the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. It happens on 17th May to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. One activity that usually happens on the day is that local services, groups, businesses and organisations fly a rainbow flag to raise awareness and pledge their support to help stop violence and discrimination against LGBTQI people.
Some people/groups/organisations still call it IDAHO or IDAHOT day, but if they do please point them in the direction of the official website. 2015 is the first year bisexuals have (finally!) been officially included!
IDAHO was created in 2004.
“In 2009, Transphobia was added explicitly in the title of the name, in the recognition of the very different issues at stake between sexual orientation and gender expression. “IDAHOT” became another popular acronym used alongside the initial one.
Since 2015, biphobia is added to the title, to acknowledge the specific issues faced by bisexual people.”
This year, emails and Facebook groups about the events happening in Nottinghamshire for IDAHOBIT originally used the acronym IDAHO. These have now been changed to IDAHOBIT, along with wording that goes beyond just mentioning gay, lesbian and homophobia, so it is worth pushing for a name change for bi and trans inclusion if you have the spoons.
Here is the Facebook group for Nottinghamshire: https://www.facebook.com/groups/738691312817067
I’d like to say a huge thank you to Richard Townsley for being the main organiser behind the flag raisings and other events happening in the county for IDAHOBIT. He’s put so much time and hard work in. I have a lot of respect for him and the work he’s doing. Thanks to everyone else who’s helping and putting their time and resources in as well.
I highly recommend the following if you are looking for resources, information and statistics to use for IDAHOBIT:
- Official Site: http://dayagainsthomophobia.org
- Bi Resource Centre: http://www.biresource.net/bihealthmonthlinks.shtml
- Blog of BiPhoria group leader and editor of BCN Magazine: http://jenyockney.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/my-speech-for-manchester-idahobit-vigil.html
Whether you are able to organise or take part in an event or just mention IDAHOBIT on social media, these links are a great place to start.
Hannah
Bi Nottingham 