Itchy Brighton article

Take a stand against homophobia

It's International Day Against Homophobia, and there are events near you...

We all live in an open, accepting society that welcomes people of all sexualities, be they gay, straight or bi, right? Wrong. Considering the level of abuse directed at heterosexual males in touch with their feminine side for being ‘gay’, you get an idea of how accepting society at large is towards homosexuality, no matter how much things have improved.

Despite huge leaps and bounds in society’s attitude to gays and lesbians in the UK, it’s still clear that homophobia is alive and kicking in this country. It may not be as obvious as in other parts of the world (it is rightly illegal to discriminate against someone because of their sexuality in Britain), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. We’d all be liars if we didn’t admit that widely held anti-gay prejudices still persist, and not only in private. Take the fact that BP’s former chief executive felt so reluctant to talk about having a gay relationship that he ended up having to resign, or the fact that it’s almost impossible to name a professional footballer who’s openly gay. What’s more, the media, especially tabloid newspapers, subtly push this agenda without openly endorsing it, adding to a continued acceptance that homophobia is ok.

Good job that it’s International Day Against Homophobia on May 17th then. Organised to highlight the fact that homophobia is a sad fact of life for millions of people around the globe, the event is planned around the idea of activism to raise the awareness of homophobia in all its forms. In the UK, trade unions and LGBT organisations are organising a series of events in to mark the day, and individuals, gay or straight, are being encouraged to give support in any way they can. The argument is that simply raising awareness of homophobia can go a long way to changing people’s attitudes and prejudices.

If you want to get involved, the easiest way is to check out the IDAHO website and search for events near you.

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