The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was established in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTIQ communities across the globe. In under a decade, May 17 has established itself as an important date for LGBTIQ communities on a worldwide scale. It is easy to feel that with things in the UK have progressed so much over recent years that we are living in a nirvana of rainbow equality.
Sexual orientation is protected under the Equality Act – so it is illegal to discriminate in terms of employment, education and any provision of services. We have marriage equality in the UK, but it didn’t come easily. In 2004, the Civil Partnership Act was passed granting same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities of marriage however, many within the Government remained adamant that they were not equal to the concept of marriage. It wasn’t until 2013 when the Marriage Act passed to allow same-sex couples to legally marry.
However, the UK context is not universal. IDAHOTB on May 17 is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are still illegal. Centuries of stigma and social exclusion don’t just disappear because the law changes. Let’s remember, that the date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.
It was my wedding anniversary last week (16 years!). One of my reflections was how that same year my brothers in-law also celebrated their partnership and commitment. Given the law at the time, they couldn’t enjoy the same social acceptance or legal rights as they couldn’t legally ‘marry’. Also significant parts of their family didn’t recognise or attend the event, casting a shadow on what should have been a joyous experience for them.
My other reflection on the progression of LGBT+ rights and equality is how it feels for young LGBTIQ people? I could let myself believe that the law changing and the apparent liberalness of society would make it easy to be a teenager discovering your sexual orientation in 2018. But then I look at the reality. In my experience, as a parent and as a school governor of a large London academy, I see high levels of homophobic bullying as well as very mixed appetite and capability in teachers to address it. In observing my daughters and their friends, sexual orientation is more openly discussed and understood than it was ‘in my day’, but it hasn’t been my experience that many teenagers are openly identifying as LGBTIQ! And of course, there is still definitely a tendency by friends and families to automatically assume heterosexual relationships.
So until there are worldwide freedoms around sexual orientation, translated into an equality of rights and a shift in culture, thinking and behaviour, it remains important to mark and celebrate IDAHOTB with pride and a little rainbow icing on top.