Celebrating IDAHOBIT for Young Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender and Intersex individuals in Nigeria.
Initiative for Gender Equality and Sexual Reproductive Health (IGE-SRH) celebrates International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), stands in solidarity to remind the world of young LBQTI individuals and raise awareness of the work still needed to combat discrimination, push for inclusion, our needs, dignity, and voices.
This theme of this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), ‘Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights’, is a reminder that everyone must have the right to make decisions about their bodies and their lives and in extension how they choose to express their gender identity. Indeed, all of us must play a role in standing up and speaking out against hate, discrimination, and violence, wherever and whenever it occurs.
We also use this medium to push against the proposed Cross-dressing bill in Nigeria. We remind Nigeria as a country that the constant hostility towards the LGBTQI community in Nigeria further exacerbated the social exclusion and violence experienced by LGBTIQ+ people and deepened inequalities. We are demanding a stop to the Cross-dressing Bill.
We encourage everyone in and across borders to take this moment, not just to celebrate but to listen to young LBQTI individuals and reflect on how we can all do better to elevate their voices and allow them to thrive within your spaces.
Important reminders and super effective things you can put in place:
- As CSOs, NGOs, and other development spaces, make sure young LBQTI individuals are included and represented in your programming.
- Providing youth-specific LBQTI inclusion training and development opportunities in your spaces.
- Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is old school. STOP IT!!!
- Intersex persons exist are not spiritually possessed
- Transgender Men are MEN; Transgender Women are WOMEN.
- Constantly educate yourself on sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual expression (SOGIESC)
To all our partners, friends and allies, we say thank you for standing with us. Let’s continue to build brigades and not walls, let’s embrace love and not hatred, tolerance, and acceptance.
