Every year on May 17, communities around the world mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)— also known as No Homophobia Day. It’s not just a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder of what LGBTQIA+ people have fought for, what we’re still fighting for, and why the work is far from over.
This day is about visibility, resistance, and truth. It’s not about tolerance. It’s about dignity, safety, and the right to exist without fear.
The History We Can’t Ignore
May 17 was chosen for this global day of awareness because on this day in 1990, the World Health Organization officially removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. That was only 35 years ago — a stark reminder that many of the rights and recognitions LGBTQIA+ people have today are recent, and still not universal.
Across the globe, LGBTQIA+ individuals continue to face discrimination, violence, and institutional neglect. In some countries, queerness is criminalized. In others, it’s quietly punished through cultural rejection, social isolation, or legal loopholes. The struggle is far from over.
Why This Day Still Matters
No Homophobia Day isn’t about asking for acceptance. It’s about refusing to be erased. It’s about calling attention to the real, often dangerous consequences of anti-LGBTQIA+ attitudes — in our schools, workplaces, homes, and governments.
- LGBTQIA+ youth are still disproportionately affected by bullying, mental health crises, and homelessness.
- Trans and gender-diverse people face targeted violence at alarming rates, with Black and brown trans women at particular risk.
- Bisexual, pansexual, and asexual people are still misunderstood and marginalized, even within the broader community.
- Queer people in rural areas, faith communities, or under oppressive regimes often live in silence or fear.
We mark this day to break that silence — because silence protects the status quo, and the status quo still harms people.
Being Visible Is Not Always Safe — But It’s Still Powerful
Visibility is a complicated thing. For some, it’s a form of resistance. For others, it’s a risk they can’t afford to take. That’s why May 17 is as much about showing up for each other as it is about showing ourselves.
Whether someone can live openly or not, No Homophobia Day reminds us that every person deserves safety, support, and recognition. We advocate, speak out, and build change not just for ourselves, but for those who can’t.
Beyond Symbolism — A Call to Action
Let’s be honest: awareness alone is not enough. Performative allyship, rainbow logos in June, and vague statements about inclusion don’t save lives or change systems.
What does?
- Education: Challenging harmful narratives, teaching accurate history, and pushing for inclusive curricula.
- Policy: Fighting anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and pushing for protective laws at every level.
- Support: Providing safe spaces, access to mental health care, housing, and community.
- Allyship: Standing up — not just when it’s easy or popular, but when it’s uncomfortable or risky.
If you’re wondering how to show up on this day, start where you are. Listen. Learn. Speak up. Support the people and organizations doing the work. Advocate for those whose voices are ignored. Use your platform, however big or small it is.
Intersectionality Is Non-Negotiable
Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia don’t operate in a vacuum. They intersect with racism, sexism, ableism, classism, and other forms of oppression. To fight one, we must confront them all.
That means uplifting the voices of queer people of color, disabled queer folks, working-class LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants, and others at the intersections of multiple identities. Liberation is collective, or it’s incomplete.
The End Goal Is Simple: Safety, Respect, and Freedom
What we’re asking for isn’t complicated.
We want LGBTQIA+ people to be able to live without fear of being attacked, excluded, or punished for who we are. We want young queer people to grow up without shame. We want our elders to age with dignity. We want to be treated as equals — at work, in schools, in families, and under the law.
We want the right to simply exist — fully, openly, and safely.
Closing Thoughts
May 17 is a day to reflect, but also a day to act. It’s a day to remember those we’ve lost to violence and neglect, to honor those who continue to resist, and to imagine a world where being LGBTQIA+ is not a risk, but a right — affirmed, protected, and celebrated.
It’s not about being loud for the sake of it. It’s about being clear. And today, the message is this:
There’s no place for homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia in any community that claims to care about human rights.
Not now. Not ever.
In Solidarity, Always
-Ryder
Discover more from Ryder Tombs
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
