UK Humanists support new parliamentary motion on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)

UK Humanists support new parliamentary motion on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)
(Note: Lady  Gaga guest Editor in Chief for Metro on the International Day against  Homophobia and Transphobia     On May  17th, Lady Gaga will be acting editor in chief for all  editions of the  worldwide free daily paper METRO !  Ahead of the release of her new  album ’Born This Way’ on May 23rd, the global Diva will be commenting  on global issues on May 17th, in a renewed expression of her commitment for Human Rights.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) and the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) have come together to back a new initiative in support of the seventh annual International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia  (IDAHO). The organisations worked with Liberal Democrat MP Stephen  Gilbert in tabling an ‘Early Day Motion’ (EDM) in support of IDAHO,  which has co-sponsoring MPs from across the political parties.
IDAHO, held annually on 17 May, is a day to promote anti-homophobic  and anti-transphobic messages on a global level. The aim of IDAHO is to  increase awareness of the problem of world-wide homophobia and  transphobia, and to provide a platform for activity at all levels in the  fight against discrimination and persecution.
UK  EDM 1780 states: That this House welcomes the annual International  Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17 May 2011; supports those  local authorities, police, health authorities and voluntary  organisations who will mark this day with events, campaigns and  statements of support; further supports the raising of the rainbow flag  to reaffirm that homophobia and transphobia are unacceptable wherever  they occur, whether in the UK or around the world; and calls on the  Government to bring full equality to lesbian, gay, bisexual and  transgender (LGBT) people in the UK and to actively encourage equality  for LGBT people around the world.
Stephen Gilbert MP stated, ‘Around the world gay,  lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people continue to experience  discrimination and prejudice at home, at school, in the office and in  the street and it’s time this changed.  Equality for the LGBT community  isn’t an optional extra for Governments around the world – it’s time  that the community was treated with the same respect and enjoyed the  same rights and opportunities as the straight community.’
BHA Head of Public Affairs Naomi Phillips commented,  ‘We just need to look at the serious moves to impose prison sentences  and even the death penalty for gay people in Uganda, the position of  Anglican churches in Africa towards gay people, the Vatican’s refusal to  sign a UN resolution calling for the decriminalisation of  homosexuality, or the execution of gay teenagers in Iran, to see that  religiously-inspired hatred against people because of who they are or  who they sleep with remains a deep problem in many parts of the world.  It is ever-more important to join together with others to tackle the  rise in homophobic and transphobic violence and hate throughout the  world.
‘Discrimination and persecution of people who are lesbian, gay,  bisexual or transgendered continues to exist, so we urge people to show  support for IDAHO, and to ask their MPs to sign this EDM in order to  demonstrate recognition of this important day at all levels.’
Derek Lennard from the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association  said, ‘GALHA has been very pleased to coordinate IDAHO activities in  the UK since its formation in 2005. We very much appreciate the support  of the BHA in doing this and look forward to the day when LGBT people  from around the world have full and equal rights.’