Today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), we come together as a global community to reflect on the ongoing struggle for dignity, inclusion, and safety for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. It’s a day of remembrance, but also of resistance—a day to shine a light on injustice while holding space for hope.
IDAHOBIT, observed annually on 17 May, commemorates the 1990 decision by the World Health Organization to remove homosexuality from its International Classification of Diseases. Since then, the day has served as a focal point for raising awareness of the violence and discrimination still faced by LGBTQIA+ people across the globe.
For me, this day isn’t just symbolic—it’s profoundly personal. I vividly remember walking past Kelowna’s newly painted rainbow crosswalks in August 2015, shortly after they were installed at the corner of Pandosy and Lawrence. Amid the media frenzy sparked by a local resident threatening to take the City to the Supreme Court over their existence, I saw a young girl sitting quietly at the intersection, holding a sign that read, “Don’t take my rainbow away.” That simple, powerful act of resistance has stayed with me ever since. In response, one local restaurant turned protest into purpose, creating a signature cocktail named after the complainant and donating all proceeds to the It Gets Better Project. It was a reminder that even in the face of backlash, our community knows how to stand together—with creativity, courage, and pride.
At Advocacy Canada, we believe in the transformative power of standing together. We advocate not just for legal change, but for cultural change. In schools, workplaces, healthcare settings, and yes—even in politics—queer and trans people continue to face discrimination and erasure. The recent rise in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ rhetoric and violence shows us just how fragile our progress can be.
This year’s IDAHOBIT theme—“The Power of Community”—calls on us to move beyond symbolic gestures and take meaningful, collective action. It urges us to uplift trans voices, advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors to age with dignity, ensure that queer and trans youth have access to affirming healthcare, and stand united against hate—whether it shows up online, in policy, or in our own neighbourhoods.
Standing up against discrimination isn’t always easy. It takes courage. It takes community. And it takes all of us.
Today, I invite you to do one thing in honour of IDAHOBIT:
- Speak up if you hear hate.
- Share a story of queer resilience.
- Donate to a queer-led organization such as Advocacy Canada.
- Educate someone who’s open to learning.
- Take care of yourself. Your joy is resistance too.
We’re still here. We’re still rising. And at Advocacy Canada, we’ll never stop working toward a world where everyone is free to be who they are and love who they love—without fear.
In solidarity,
Wilbur Turner
President, Advocacy Canada
