Crystal Hendricks She/Her
Intersex, South Africa
Why – in your opinion – are days against discrimination like IDAHOBIT still important?
With a shifting narrative of rights and an erosion of protection and promotion of LGBTIOA+, commemorating days like IDAHOBIT is more crucial than ever. Globally, 69 countries criminalize same-sex relationships, 32 of which are African countries. Transgender people face punishment in at least 26 nations and unprecedented violence worldwide. Countries continue to enforce the death sentence on those who embrace their sexual orientation, which is considered deviant from the norm.
Days like IDAHOBIT are still important in an era when we see a global rise in anti-gender movements and propaganda that has facilitated the drafting of draconic laws mostly on the African Continent in countries like Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya, that aim to erase the existence of LGBTIQ people. The goal of honouring such days should massively be geared toward raising awareness of LGBTIQA+ rights violations and inspiring interest in LGBT rights promotion and protection around the world.
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