Every year in the lead-up to 17 May, this kit gives you ready-to-use resources, key messages, and practical guidance for engaging with IDAHOBIT in your context.
Take what fits. Adapt it to your language, your community, your reality. Every action, large or small, adds to a global moment that reaches across borders.
New to IDAHOBIT? Start with learning more about the initiative.
NOTE
Events around 17 May go by different names and acronyms, and that is fine. Everyone is free to frame the day in a way that reflects their context and priorities. The Advisory Group currently uses IDAHOBIT, as well as the hashtags #IDAHOBIT and #IDAHOBIT2026. Learn more about the name of the day.
Theme
The global focus for 2026 is “At the heart of democracy” – a reminder that truly democratic societies must be grounded in justice and freedom for all.
- 65 UN member States still criminalise consensual same-sex sexual acts.
- At least 62 restrict freedom of expression on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics issues.
- Legal gender recognition based on self-determination is only available in 18 countries at the national level.
- Only 9 UN member States restrict unnecessary medical interventions on intersex minors at the national level.
And yet, time and again, LGBTQIA+ people have resisted these pressures, together with everyone who cares about their communities, and sowed the seeds of change.
IDAHOBIT is a shared moment for communities and allies to cultivate that change in ways that reflect local realities and traditions. Whether hosting a community gathering in Buenos Aires, a virtual town hall in Nairobi, or a legislative briefing in Strasbourg, every initiative adds to the democratic garden we are growing together.
Get involved
There is no single way to participate. Take what fits your context and capacity.
- Share the illustration: Post the IDAHOBIT 2026 visual on your social media with #IDAHOBIT2026
- Register your action: Add your initiative to the global list of documented events.
- Use the templates: Create promotional materials using our Canva templates.
- Issue statements: Express support for LGBTQIA+ people exercising their rights and highlight what needs to change.
- Host or attend events: Organise or join discussions, gatherings, vigils, or online activities.
- Raise awareness: Share information about LGBTQIA+ experiences and challenges in your context.
- Show visible support: Display rainbow flags or other symbols of solidarity, where it is safe to do so.
- Support LGBTQIA+ organisations: Offer resources, skills, or amplification.
For suggestions tailored to specific groups (LGBTQIA+ organisations, allied movements, governments, businesses, educational institutions, healthcare providers, media outlets, sports associations, and individuals), see the Get involved page.
Visuals
All IDAHOBIT 2026 visuals are free and available without copyright restrictions.
- The official illustration is available in over 40 languages. Is your language missing? Tell us how you would translate the it.
- The IDAHOBIT logo is available to use in your own materials.
- An editable Canva template lets you create event-specific visuals in minutes, even with no design experience.
For full details, instructions, and alt text, see the Visual assets page.
NOTE
The IDAHOBIT Advisory Group and ILGA World assume no responsibility for the use of these materials and do not endorse the content or organisation of events using them.
Social media
Tags and hashtags
Tag: @may17org
Hashtags: #IDAHOBIT2026 #IDAHOBIT
Theme hashtag (for posts specifically about the 2026 focus): #AtTheHeartOfDemocracy
Illustration alt-text
Use this alt text when posting the IDAHOBIT 2026 illustration:
Line art of a hand holding a brush and drawing a heart. At the centre, the text reads “At the heart of democracy.” A pink banner underneath includes “IDAHOBIT – A Worldwide Celebration of Sexual and Gender Diversities – may17.org” and a pink triangle with an exclamation mark, which is the logomark of IDAHOBIT.
Key messages
Use these as starting points. Mix factual messages with ones that carry emotional weight. Let the data do the work where the numbers are strong, and let community experience do the work where it matters more..
Factual and data-driven
- “65 UN member States still criminalise consensual same-sex acts. IDAHOBIT exists because that number must become zero.”
- “Legal gender recognition based on self-determination exists in only 18 countries. The rest of the world is still catching up.”
- “Only 9 countries restrict unnecessary medical interventions on intersex children at the national level.”
Theme-driven
- “A democracy that excludes LGBTQIA+ people from equal participation is incomplete.”
- “When governments roll back rights and restrict civic space, they weaken democracy for everyone.”
- “Inclusion is a democratic value.”
- “IDAHOBIT 2026: together, at the heart of democracy.”
Community and solidarity
- “On 17 May, communities around the world will make themselves visible, including in countries where doing so carries legal risk.”
- “LGBTQIA+ people have always been at the heart of movements for justice and freedom – organising, resisting, caring for one another.”
- “Our communities have resisted, organised, and sowed the seeds of change. The work continues.”
- “IDAHOBIT belongs to everyone who marks it – a school event in Nairobi, a vigil in Manila, a solidarity statement in São Paulo.”
Feel free to personalise these messages. Your creativity and context are part of what makes IDAHOBIT vibrant.
Sample posts
The posts below can be used as-is, edited to fit your needs, and translated into your language. Each is designed to accompany the IDAHOBIT 2026 illustration.
Promoting your event
General posts
Adapting content for your context
- Language: Translate posts into your language. Adapt phrasing to sound natural: translate for meaning and register, not word for word.
- Legal context: In countries where LGBTQIA+ content or democracy-related discourse may be monitored, consider whether a post’s framing could put your audience at risk. This year’s theme connects LGBTQIA+ rights to democratic governance, a framing that may attract additional scrutiny in some contexts.
- Cultural context: The democracy framing resonates differently depending on where you are. In some contexts, the connection between LGBTQIA+ rights and democratic governance is direct and intuitive. In others, how institutions choose to recognise and protect communities may itself be part of the problem. Adapt the messaging to your reality.
- Regional data: Where possible, pair global statistics with regional or national data. The ILGA World Database is a good starting point.
- Names and acronyms: Use the name and framing for the day that works in your context. In Latin America, “lesbophobia” is often included. In Brazil, the day is recognised as the National Day Against LGBTQIA+ Phobia.
Accessibility
Many barriers disabled people face online are avoidable. They appear when accessibility is treated as an afterthought rather than built in from the start.
This is not a comprehensive list: accessibility is a practice, not a checklist. Here are concrete steps to take:
- Use heading levels in order (H1 → H2 → H3, never skipping levels) on websites and documents.
- Write image descriptions (alt text) for every informative image.
- Add captions to videos and check them for accuracy before posting.
- Use plain language and short sentences.
- Make sure text in graphics is large enough to read on a phone.
- Check that text and background colours have sufficient contrast.
- Keep body text left-aligned and in sentence case.
- Use descriptive link text, such as “View the IDAHOBIT visual assets” rather than “click here” or “read more.”
- Write multi-word hashtags with a capital letter at the start of each word, for example #AtTheHeartOfDemocracy.
- Place emojis at the end of sentences, not at the start or as bullet points.
If you are hosting an in-person event, consider physical accessibility too: venue access, seating, quiet spaces, sign language interpretation, and accessible communications formats.
Build accessibility into every stage of your process from the beginning.
Safety
IDAHOBIT is marked in countries with vastly different legal frameworks, cultural norms, and safety realities. In some contexts, being present is an act of celebration. In others, it carries risk, not only because of laws targeting LGBTQIA+ people, but also because this year’s theme may attract scrutiny in contexts where civic space and democratic discourse are restricted.
Your safety comes first. There is no wrong way to mark the day. Choosing a less public form of participation is not a lesser contribution.
Digital safety
- Review your social media privacy settings before posting. Check who can see your posts, your profile, and your connections.
- Be intentional about tagging. Do not tag individuals or organisations without their explicit consent, particularly where being publicly associated with LGBTQIA+ or democracy-related content can have legal or personal consequences.
- Use encrypted messaging apps (such as Signal) for coordination with other organisers.
- Consider using a VPN when accessing LGBTQIA+ websites or democracy-related resources, if internet monitoring is a concern in your context.
- Turn off location tagging on photos before posting. Avoid sharing the exact location of in-person gatherings publicly.
Participation without visibility
Not every form of participation requires public presence. You can mark the day by:
- Sharing the illustration or a message within a private group or trusted network.
- Hosting a small, private gathering with people you trust.
- Reading and sharing resources within your community.
- Registering your event without including identifying details – registrations can list a city or country without naming an organisation.
- Submitting a message of solidarity to be shared anonymously through the IDAHOBIT channels.
For organisers supporting others
If you are producing content or organising events that will reach people in restrictive contexts:
- Do not assume that everyone can safely engage with LGBTQIA+ or democracy-related content publicly.
- Do not publish photos or names from events without explicit, informed consent from every person visible.
- Offer ways to participate that do not require public identification.
For questions, suggestions, or additional support, see the Contact page.
Your event, whatever form it takes, is part of a global moment that reaches across borders, languages, and contexts. Thank you for being part of it.
#IDAHOBIT
#IDAHOBIT2026
#AtTheHeartOfDemocracy