IDAHOT actions have been announced in many parts of Australia

Many cities in Australia will see a variety of events in celebration of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. Events include Flag raising ceremonies, discussion rounds on sexual and gender diversity, film screenings, free BBQ, art and theatre performances and many more.

Photo from archer magazine
Here are 8 of the many events happening around May 17 in Australia:
1) The Freedom Stories
A powerful new series of short films called The Freedom Stories has been launched in the week of IDAHOT in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people.
ReachOut.com and LGBTI community health leader ACON have time the release as a pre-IDAHOT commemoration. The short films highlight the experiences of LGBTQI youth and aim to inspire and give hope.

Comedian Rhys Nicholson, who appears in one of the films, said “I remember being very disappointed to discover that after coming out, nothing really changed in my life. This thing that I had agonised and stressed over for so long was suddenly just a mundane fact. So this is a video about that… with swearing and innuendo. Everyone likes swearing and innuendo right?”

Click here to watch them now.
To learn more about the project, visit ACON’s website.
2) Sexuality, Culture and Identity: exploring the connections
On May 15, the Darebin Intercultural Centre in Darebin, Victoria will be hosting a screening of Centre for Multicultural Youth’s short animation movie In my shoes and guest speaker Alyena Mohummadally to kick off a conversation around sexual and gender diversity in various communities. The events is from 5pm to 7pm.
Visit the website for more details.
3) (Re)framing Gender Fundraiser
In Melbourne, on Friday May 16 there will be a event to raise funds for the (Re)framing Gender project, which was launched in March 2014 by YGLAM Queer Youth Theatre with support from Ygender, as an opportunity for young gender diverse and trans people in and around the Darebin area to meet and discuss issues around gender diverse identity.
The event will also mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) which is the following day.
There will be live music, spoken word, puppetry, visual art, zine and art stalls and free food.
Featured performers include:
– YGLAM queer youth theatre group
– Tonié Field, ARIA-winning classical guitarist
– Geryon, lo-fi dream-pop and intricate loops
– Nicolette Forte, roots singer
– Fury, poet
– Ashley Ihasz (Crumbles), singer/songwriter
– Mick Roe, performer/writer
– Coral Ceto, aquatica/folk duo
– Sally Goldner, spoken word and stand-up comedian
Bitch Please: Trans Woman Distro and Possum Parcel will have stalls.
The event will take place from 7 pm to 9 pm at the Northcote Town Hall, West Wing, 189 High Street, Northcote. Facebook event can be found here and for more detail on the venue, click here. Bookings are not required but please RSVP for catering purposes to xrisr@mchs.org.au – for any other enquiries about the event please contact lia.incognita@gmail.com
4) Two day celebration of IDAHOT in Shepparton
Friday May 16 and Saturday May 17:

• FREE BBQ 12 noon – 2pm each day
• Live local performing artists
• Art/Craft activities
• Rainbow umbrellas & merchandise for sale
• Community mosaicing project
• Leave your messages of love & support on our pink make-shift wall
• Flag-raising ceremony

Daniel Witthaus from the National Institute for Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE) will launch the ‘oi!’ challenging rural homophobia campaign. The ‘oi!’ campaign aims to give people in rural communities the simple strategies to challenge everyday homophobia and start everyday conversations about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. We can challenge rural homophobia one ‘oi!’ at a time.
Organised by the Diversity Project Greater Shepparton and supported by organisations & businesses including UnitingCare Cutting Edge, Greater Shepparton City Council, headspace, The Bridge Youth Services, Word and Mouth, Berry Street, Goulburn Valley Pride, Mooroopna Cares. No Bullying. & more.
5) IDAHOBIT Day – Wyndham City
Wyndham City has proudly supported the day over the past several years by raising the Rainbow flag and inviting the whole community to take a stand against homophobia. 
The details for IDAHOBIT 2014 are:
Friday May 16, 2014
Wyndham City Civic Centre
1.00pm to 3.00pm
Refreshments provided
Wyndham City is proud to use this event to support the launch of two exciting projects:

• Safe Schools Coalition Victoria (SSCV) will launch the new SSCV project ‘Gender is not Uniform’ campaign
• Transgender Victoria and YGender will also launch a trans and gender diverse youth project called ‘What makes an Ally?’

For more details on the event please visit the Wyndham City website.
6) The True Colours peer support group has started a Pledge for a Safe Community
As a part of IDAHOT celebrations, the young people from the True Colours peer support group in Bunbury are asking local government, agencies and the general community to sign a pledge of support against homophobia and transphobia. By signing a pledge of support, agencies and individuals will be actively involved in promoting a safer and more inclusive community for people experiencing diversity in sexuality and/or gender.
On Saturday May 17th, the staff and young people from True Colours will be seeking signatures from the general public and information will be available about IDAHO and the True Colours program.
Find out more about the Pledge on the South West Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia page.
7) Fair Go Sport
Zaque and Basketball Ballarat are working together to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.
Both the RUSH and MINER players will be wearing rainbow during their home game on May 17th socks to raise awareness. There will be guest speakers at the game and announcements made throughout the evening, as well as stalls and Rainbow pins, stickers and Umbrellas available to purchase on the night.
The event will take place at MINERDOME Sports Club – CNR Dowling St. & Grevillea Rd., Wendouree, VIC 3355 and starts at 6pm on May 17.
8) WESTANDPROUD Film Premiere and IDAHOBIT Flag Raising
IDAHOBIT will be marked by Hobsons Bay City Council through screening the premier of WESTANDPROUD on Monday, 19th May at the Sun Theatre, 8 Ballarat Street, Yarraville (Victoria)
Refreshments will be served from 6.30pm.
Mayor Cr Sandra Wilson and keynote speaker author Daniel Witthaus will officially open the event at 7.15pm.
Tickets $15
Bookings essential: www.hobsonsbaytickets.com.au
The WESTANDPROUD project documents the lived-experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) individuals living in Melbourne’s Western Region and aims to expand understandings of local history, by incorporating the voices of GLBTIQ people, who have often been excluded from traditional narratives.
The lives and stories of eight individuals are documented through a series of short films by film maker Caitlin Byran, writer and producer of independent short film ‘The Outside Light’ which was selected to screen at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and the St Kilda Film Festival 2013, as well as a number of international film festivals.
In the morning of May 19, there will also be a IDAHOBIT flag raising ceremony where everyone can attend. This event began in 2004 and marks the IDAHOBIT as the international day for taking action for a prejudice-free world regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Flag raising and speeches Monday 19th May, 10.30am at Flag Poles, 115 Civic Parade Altona VIC 3018
Morning tea at 10.45am (Foyer of the Civic Centre)
Please RSVP to: commdev@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

Supporting and acknowledging IDAHOBIT is one step forward in strengthening human rights for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity. It symbolises our support for and commitment to reducing the barriers faced by GLBTIQ people in our communities.

For more details visit the event page or the Hobsons Bay City Council website.