Day against homophobia gets support up North
The north of England will be the most active part of the country during the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), event organisers say.
A Manchester initiative to end homophobia through education is coinciding the launch of its third newsletter with IDAHO.
The three-year programme, “Exceeding Expectations,” aims to reach all the 12,000 adults working in secondary schools around Manchester with appropriate resources, training and advice on homophobia and sexuality.
An event will take place at Manchester Town Hall to promote the initiative to school governors and teachers.
It will attended by the Lord Mayor of Manchester.
Meanwhile, the Urbis Centre, a modern exhibition centre in Manchester, will host a “Question Time” evening about international LGBT issues as part of the “It’s Queer Up North” festival.
The panel will include politicians and campaigners and the debate will be relayed to other venues in the city.
Liverpool is participating in IDAHO for the first time this year.
The Outsiders Film Festival is promising a special event to mark the day, including a showing of Beyond Hatred, a powerful documentary about a homophobic murder in France.
In Gloucestershire, a group of men and women will be going back to the closet (an oversized wardrobe) in order to highlight the countries in the world where gays are still persecuted.
There will also be a candlelit vigil for Jody Dobrowski, a young Gloucestershire man who became the victim of a homophobic murder in London in October 2005.
In Sheffield, the City Council, UNISON and many others have united to participate in a minutes noise against homophobia in the City Centre.
Last year 100 people turned up in the rain to blow whistles and bang drums, to make the point that no-one should be silent against homophobia.
One minute noise events are also planned Londonderry, Northampton and Brighton.
The International Day Against Homophobia takes place on May 17th and is marked in around 50 countries.
