Sporting initiatives celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia
Sporting
initiatives across the globe will take place today to help celebrate
the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO);
reinforcing the need to tackle homophobia both
in sport and in society, and also helping to promote the wider
inclusion of the LGBT community.
Ahead
of IDAHO’s ninth year of activities, the United Nations’ High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, stressed the urgency of
educating people to help ensure the rights of LGBT people,
and called for the action of governments and organisations across the
world to help achieve this.
“When
I raise these issues some complain that I am pushing for new rights or
special rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but
there is nothing new or special about the
right to life and security of a person, the right to freedom from
discrimination. These and other rights are universal”.
Now
recognised in over 60 countries, IDAHO was first held in 2004 and marks
the date, on the 17th May 1990, when the World Health Organisation
removed homosexuality from its list of mental
illnesses. IDAHO now campaigns to encourage all people in society,
regardless of their sexual orientation, to act towards a prejudice-free
world.
Homophobia in Sport
Sport
as a tool for social inclusion has been playing an important role in
campaigning for the rights of the LGBT community in recent years,
nevertheless homophobia and transphobia are still
present in all sports and at all levels.
A
2009 report from the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights,
revealed that at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, only 10 out of
10,708 athletes were openly gay or lesbian. In the
e-survey developed by the media company Outsports.com, 41% of the
Olympic athletes stated that there was “no opportunity” or only a “low
level of opportunity” to be ‘out’ as LGBT, even in non-professional
sports.
In the Olympic Games in London in 2012, out of nearly 11,000 athletes, only 23 were openly gay.
Earlier
this year, discussion around sport and homophobia increased after the
25 year-old US footballer Robbie Rogers announced he was gay at the same
time as announcing his retirement from
the game. The decision of the former US national team player
highlighted that homophobia in football is still a major taboo and that
the game is not yet a welcoming environment for the LGBT community.
Since
Robbie Rogers’ announcement, leagues and federations as well as fans
groups have intensified their work in trying to create a more inclusive
sport.
More
recently, in May 2013, the US basketball player Jason Collins came out
as gay, the first active male athlete in a major American professional
team sport to do so. The news created shock
waves across the globe, but Jason received strong support from
politicians, including the American president, Barack Obama as well as
his own peers, reinforcing the need and importance for LGBT role models
in sport.
This year, some of the sporting activities taking place across the world to help celebrate IDAHO include:
Australia
The
Australian Football League (AFL) Players Association launched a new
campaign ahead of IDAHO, using some of the country’s biggest names in
the sport to tackle the issue of homophobia. The
Association’s initiative includes a social media campaign #Footy4IDAHO
targeting the use of homophobic language and a series of videos
featuring AFL players pledging to stamp out homophobic language. The
video will also help to raise awareness of the damaging
effects homophobia can have within sport and the community.
Canada
In
recognition of IDAHO, the LGBT resource centre QMUNITY will hold their
annual breakfast and a panel discussion exploring the theme of
homophobia and transphobia in sport.
Cuba
The
Cuban National Centre for Sexual Education (Cenesex) launched a program
to celebrate IDAHO that started on the 7th May and will end on the 17th
May. Now in its sixth year, the Cuban days
will consist of a series of cultural and sporting activities against
homophobia.
England
Hackney
Women’s Football Club will host a charity football match in celebration
of their history as the first “out” UK lesbian team.
Germany
In
Berlin, the Monaco Queers, an official fan club of Bayern Munich which
is open to members of any sexual orientation, will hold a charity match,
followed by a panel discussion on homophobia
and transphobia in football. All of the money raised from the charity
game will be used to tackle homophobia in sport.
Mexico
In Monterrey, on the 19th May, a 5K run against homophobia will be held, aiming to promote the inclusive power of sport, unity, equality and respect.
USA
Ahead
of IDAHO, fans of the US football team Portland Timbers staged an
anti-homophobia crowd choreography at a match against Chivas USA, along
with banners reading “Pride not Prejudice” and
“Football fans against homophobia”.
This
list of activities is by no means a complete summary of all that will
be taking place across the world to help promote the International Day
Against Homophobia if you would like us to
list your IDAHO event, send us an email at info@farenet.org -tweet us - facebook us.
Mariana Linhan
Media Intern
FARE | PO Box 72058 | London | EC1P 1UH | UK
