Ireland IDAHO Report 2012

In Ireland, there was unprecedented mobilisation from activists from organisationsBelongTo and the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) for IDAHO this year.
As both organisations were already heavily mobilised on the issue of homophobic bullying, the global focus of the Day on this theme provided additional relevance to take up action.
As a result, a major conference on bullying in schools was organised, which included a specific focus on homophobic bullying in the Dept.of Education, with the Minister for Education and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Ireland IDAHO 2012

The organisations also jointly did a briefing for all parliamentarians (see below) which was read into the record of the Senate, and engaged with a wide range of Parliamentarians on the issues, achieving an all-Party statement of support for young LGBT people to mark IDAHO:

Ireland IDAHO 2012

“In marking IDAHO day, we stand together with all LGBT young people in Ireland. We reaffirm our determination to ensure that all LGBT young people will have a safe, supportive and affirming education,” said the joint statement by Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald TD, Fianna Fail’s Education spokesperson Brendan Smith TD, Sinn Fein’s Sean Crowe TD, and Finian McGrath TD on behalf of the Dáil Technical Group.
(See document below)

Ireland IDAHO 2012

Trans activists also took advantage of IDAHO to launch a landmark publication entitled “Touching the Surface: Trans Voices in Ireland”. It is a celebration of trans experiences from across Ireland. More than 35 people contributed to the collection, reflecting the personal, political and creative spheres of trans people across the country.
And for the fourth successive year, special church services were organized to mark IDAHO. This year’s theme was “Moving Forward Together”/”No More Them and Us”.