International Day Against Homophobia

Homophobia is insidious.
it's telling a joke at the expense of an LGBT person.
It's a slight of an LGBT person.
It's the denying of rights because someone is LGBT.
It's the physical, emotional, verbal abuse heaped on an LGBT person.


The International Day Against Homophobia is trying to reach out to everybody regardless of sexual orientation to:

• Promote the growth of harmonious relationships among people, regardless of their sexual orientation.
• Further the inclusion of LGBT people in society.
• Encourage citizens to understand sexual diversity.
• Put an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation in keeping with the charters of rights and freedoms.
• Give rise to a general openmindedness towards diversity, and other related values in our society.
• Show the devastating effects of homophobia.
• Propose and put in place concrete means to fight homophobia.
• Induce all sympathizers to organize activities aimed at fighting homophobia;

So, how can you fight homophobia, today, and everyday, so that LGBT are free to be open and honest about themselves without fear of jokes, retribution, or worse? Well, for starters:

• Teachers can talk about homophobia in the class room.
• Employers can set up programs against homophobia in the workplace.
• Trade unions can organize activities for their members.
• Community groups can promote this day among their clientele.
• Broadcasters can air special reports and documentaries.
• Newspapers can publish articles on the subject.
• Radio station can play gay and lesbian theme songs.
• LGBT people can “come out”.
• Parents can talk openly about homosexuality with their kids.
• Governments to follow up on their commitments, and to approve a motion in support of efforts against homophobia.

It's simple.
Stop buying into the rhetoric. Stop sitting by while LGBT are spoken of in a derogatory manner.
And stop laughing at the jokes, because Homophobia really isn't funny.
International Day Against Homophobia HERE.