Standing in solidarity with the LGBTIQA+ community – May 2023
Today is IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. It is a chance to celebrate the diversity and resilience of the LGBTIQA+ community in the face of inequality and to look to a brighter future where every individual is respected and valued.
17 May 2023
The date of IDAHOBIT commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases. It was a critical moment in LGBTIQA+ history and a significant step forward for LGBTIQA+ rights – but we know that, even now, 33 years on, there is more work to be done.
Every year, the Commission hears from LGBTIQA+ people who have been treated unfairly or subjected to hate because of who they are or who they love. In the last three years, we’ve received 139 complaints related to discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. Most of these incidents occurred in employment (39 per cent) and provision of goods and services (34 per cent), but many of them also occurred in education (18 per cent).
It has been distressing to see the recent rise in hate, which is being directed at members of our Rainbow communities – particularly the trans community and drag performers. Incidents like this cause real harm – they crush individuals’ sense of self, alienate communities and send a message to young LGBTIQA+ people that they don’t belong. And that is simply not true – they are an essential part of our families, workplaces, sporting clubs, religious institutions and communities.
This IDAHOBIT, we stand in solidarity with LGBTIQA+ Victorians and reaffirm our commitment to a fairer, safer and more inclusive community where every individual can be their authentic self and live proudly, free from discrimination and hate. We continue to advocate for stronger legal safeguards for LGBTIQA+ Victorians, including protections from vilification based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
We’re not all the same – but we are all equal.
If you need support:
- Contact Rainbow Door from 10am to 5pm on 1800 184 527, or
- QLIFE from 3pm to midnight on 1800 184 527.
- Support is available for anyone 24/7 from Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 12.
If you’ve experienced discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation, vilification or change or suppression practices, contact our Enquiry Line on 1300 292 153 for more information about your rights and how you can make a complaint. It’s free and confidential.
You can also find out more information in our LGBTIQ rights hub.
