Portugal

Diverse events took place in Porto and Lisbon around the IDAHOT 2014. Some highlights include a “Free Hugs” action against homobitransphobia in central Lisbon, a 3-day LGBT Film Festival, and a conference, under the banner: “The World is not a Rainbow: Geographies of Discrimination”. Vigils of remembrance for victims of LGBTI hate crimes also took place in both cities, as part of the IDAHOT Global Interfaith Prayer Initiative 2014.

Free Hugs event
The group, rede ex aequo, organised a Free Hugs event in commemoration of the IDAHOT 2014. The group hailed it a ‘big success!’, and you can find photos of the event on this facebook album.

Conference
LGBTI activists and allies, and civil society and government representatives also came together for a conference, “O Mundo não é arco-íris: Geografias da Discriminação” (The World is not a Rainbow: Geographies of Discrimination). The event was organised by a coalition of groups, including ILGA-Prtugal, rede ex aequo, CNJ (Conselho Nacional de Juventude; National Youth Council) and the IPDJ (Instituto Português de Juventude e Desporto; Portuguese Institute of Youth and Sport). It was held on Saturday May 17, in the Palácio Foz, in Lisbon.

State supports fight against homo/transphobia in schools
On Friday, May 16th, the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science, organised the event “Luta contra a homofobia e transfobia nas escolas” (Fight against homophobia and transphobia in schools), between 9.30 and 12.30 in the auditorium of the Pedro Alexander Secondary School, in the district of Odivelas, in the wider Lisbon Metropolitan area. The event included the participation of the Secretary of State for Equality and Parliamentary Affairs, as well as the Secretary of State for Basic and Secondary Education. Representatives of ILGA Portugal, rede ex aequo and AMPLOS, were also present.
3-day LGBT Film festival
Rede ex aequo also organised an LGBT Film Festival during the 16th, 17th and 18th of May, with a special focus on engaging young people. As organisers explained: ‘the main objective of this event is to sensitise young people in general to questions related to homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism, especially in terms of that phase of “coming out to you, yourself” because, as we know, this time of coming to consciousness of, and accepting yourself, is special, delicate and often difficult for a majority of young LGBT people, still misunderstood and victims of prejudice and discrimination.

Lisbon Muncipality supports IDAHOT 2014
Lisbon municipality sent out an official message in commemoration of the IDAHOT this year. Local activists advise that they are now entering the process towards official political recognition on the part of Lisbon city authorities, which must be passed by the local assembly. The message from May 17 is reproduced here in full (in Portuguese):

Amanhã, dia 17 de maio, comemora-se o Dia Internacional Contra a Homofobia e Transfobia.
Em 2005, esta data seria proclamada por ter sido o dia, em 1990, em que a Organização Mundial de Saúde retirou a homossexualidade da “Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados com a Saúde“. Todavia, passados 24 anos, a “disforia de género”, que cataloga as pessoas Transgénero, Transexuais e Intersexuais, ainda persiste nesta classificação internacional, pelo que continua a fazer todo o sentido assinalar esta data como um renovado momento de combate à discriminação por razão de orientação sexual ou identidade de género.
Em Portugal, segundo os dados da Agência para os Direitos Fundamentais da União Europeia (2013), uma em cada cinco pessoas inquiridas que estiveram empregadas e/ou à procura de emprego nos 12 meses anteriores ao inquérito sentiu-se discriminada nessas situações. No caso das pessoas transgénero, este número sobe para uma em cada três pessoas inquiridas. Cerca de dois terços das pessoas inquiridas afirmaram ter ocultado ou dissimulado na escola, antes de completarem 18 anos, a sua orientação sexual e/ou identidade de género.
Igualmente, as famílias LGBTI (Lésbicas, Gays, Bissexuais, Trans e Intersexo) continuam a não ser reconhecidas pelo estado português, sendo impedidas de adotar e co-adotar crianças em plena igualdade com as outras famílias e impedidas de recorrer à procriação medicamente assistida.
Por todas estas razões, gostaria de assinalar este dia, lembrando o muito trabalho ainda por fazer para combater esta discriminação, afirmando o compromisso do Município de Lisboa no desenvolvimento de políticas locais que promovam a plena cidadania das pessoas LGBTI.
No âmbito desta celebração, participarei na tertúlia “Lisboa Arco-íris”, promovida pelo Chapitô – Rua da Costa do Castelo, Nº 7, no dia 28 de maio, pelas 21h30 e convido à vossa participação.
João Carlos Afonso
Vereador dos Direitos Sociais
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Vigils of remembrance in Lisbon and Porto
Progressive communities of faith, and local LGBTI rights supporters, came together in both cities around May 17 for services of prayer, reflection and remembrance of the lives claimed hate crimes against LGBTI communities. These events formed part of the IDAHOT Global Interfaith Prayer Initiative 2014, which was co-ordinated by Gionatta group, based in Italy, and with the European Forum of LGBT Christians. You can find out more about the Prayer Initiative here.
Activists plant “rainbows in the garden!”
On May 17 also, ILGA Portugal and authorities from the district of Misericórdia (Junta de Freguesia da Misericórdia) joined to organise the event “Arco-Íris no Jardim” (Rainbows in the Garden). The Royal Princes Garden in Lisbon (Jardim do Príncipe Real em Lisboa), hosted a rainbow market (from 11am to 8pm) of gourmet products, urban crafts, brick-a-brack, and information booths with material from LGBT associations.
A picnic was also held, of the group “Famílias arco-íris” (Rainbow Families), which is a project of the group CoLeGaS (Coro Lésbico, Gay e Simpatizante).
Also on the 17th, a public march was held by the group Gir@s, as well as a meeting of the group GRIT (Grupo de Reflexão e Intervenção sobre Transexualidade). There were also DJ sets from António Almada Guerra and D.M.A..