RAY VINCENT

The first International Day Against Homophobia was held on May 17, 2005.

Since IDAHOBIT was instituted, we have seen much progress in Britain and some other countries, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.

There are still many people who are rejected by their families, employers, faith communities and other circles because of who they love or how they identify on the gender spectrum. As a gay man. I am delighted to be part of a Chaplaincy team that is totally committed to a community in which LGBTQ+ people can feel safe and valued.

The Day was international from the start. Thanks to a year-long preparatory campaign, numerous organizations and thousands of people all over the world joined in that first day in 2005. Today, the international dimension is as important as ever, and recent changes in the United States, as well as more repressive laws in other countries, have made the world less safe for LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are trans, non-binary or intersex.

There are still over 70 countries where LGBTQ+ people can be imprisoned or even executed. Many people from those countries are part of our community here at the University of South Wales, and we have the opportunity not only to support those who are personally affected but also to influence those who will become leaders of thought and policy in their own countries and help shape their culture. 

Legislation can deter people from doing the wrong things, but changing attitudes is much more difficult. We all have the right to be who we are and the duty to call out prejudice and discrimination where we find it. At the same time, we must learn to tell our own story honestly, listen patiently to each other, try to understand where others are coming from, and help build a more open and mutually respectful culture.

I hope for a future in which we won’t need a day ‘against’ anything but will celebrate all the year round the rich variety of the ways we express ourselves and love one another.