Flying the flag for IDAHOBIT

THE Surf Coast Shire is again showing its colours for the LGBTQIA+ community, raising the rainbow flag outside its council chambers today (Friday, May 17) to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).

The Geelong community will mark the occasion with an event in central Geelong this evening.

A crowd of about 50 councillors, shire staff, Surf Coast Secondary College students and community members gathered on the front lawn of the council chambers to hear speeches from shire mayor Liz Pattison and shire youth facilities and engagement officer Ella Sweeney, before Cr Pattison raised the flag to the top of the flagpole.

The flag will remain flying for the rest of May.

Cr Pattison said she was proud the shire ran the event for the International Day against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination (another term for the annual global celebrations on May 17).

“It’s great that flying the flag really shows that we are a supportive, inclusive workplace that really supports and is an ally for our community.

“I think it’s important that we engage with issues that are happening in our community and stand against discrimination.”

She said the shire’s LGBTQIA+ initiatives include launching the Surf Coast Rainbow Playgroup in 2020, progress towards forming a LGBTQIA+ reference group, and establishing a Gender Champions working group.

Each year, IDAHOBIT celebrates the anniversary of the World Health Organisation removing homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases in 1990.

“”While we do celebrate this milestone and other advancements of LGBTQIA+ equality, the reality is there’s still a lot of work to do,” Ms Sweeney said

“For me, how recent this day is seems pretty horrifying and what pre-dates that milestone is equally horrifying.”

She said Minus 18 research had found two in three LGBTQIA+ youth experienced abuse due to their identity, 35 per cent had experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months, 66 per cent experienced bullying or harrasment based on their identity, and 68 per cent of Australian employees had not yet spoken out about their identity to everyone at their work.

The shire will run a youth-focused LGBTQIA+ event for those aged 12 to 25 later today.

In Geelong, Platform Arts is hosting a Speakers’ Corner event from 6-8pm as a space for LGBTQIA+ people from Geelong and surrounds to connect, listen and share stories about finding identity and community.

The open mic event  also concludes the FAIRY exhibition program and will be MC’d by Jo Bangles from Splatters Cheese Bar.

The Speakers’ Corner event is 18+ only and alcohol will be available to purchase.

For more information, head to platformarts.org.au/events/speakers-corner-idahobit