Equality at Home and Abroad
In 2013 a small group of LGBT activists took the incredibly brave step of standing together and holding up pro-equality signs in a public park in Tehran. Homosexuality can be punishable by death in Iran, and although they wore masks to hide their identity, they faced the very real danger of losing their freedom — or even their lives — for this tremendous act of courage.
On that very same day, similar scenes took place in nearly 120 nations around the world, including in nations that are equally dangerous for LGBT people. But why?
The reason is May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and its goal is to draw attention to the ongoing problem of violence and discrimination experienced by LGBT people globally. First recognized in 2004 — and often abbreviated as IDAHO, IDAHOT, or even IDAHOBIT — the date falls on the anniversary of the World Health Organization’s declassification of homosexuality as a mental disorder, which took place in 1990.
Although IDAHOT is incredibly important to millions of LGBT activists around the world, it’s relatively unknown to most of the American public, including many LGBT people. What’s also elusive to some is a broader awareness about many of the successes and setbacks that LGBT activists, advocates, and allies have experienced in the global equality movement.
http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2014/05/16/op-ed-equality-home-and-abroad
