International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO)

If world Pride where to be set..... this day could be considered the day, if any. On this day the LGBTQ community stands against any discrimination, be it past, present or future. With over 64 events taking place in the UK to mark the day.

Throughout history homosexuality has played a role in the make-up of society. From as far back as 12000 BC, it has been documented, and in both ancient Egyptian times and throughout the Roman Empire (Pre-Christian) “Gay love” was held in as high a regard as marriage, with several documented instances.

In 342 AD The first law against homosexual marriage was imposed by the Christian emperors Constantius II and Constans and by the year 390, the Christian emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius I and Arcadius declared homosexual sex to be illegal and those who were guilty of it were condemned to be burned alive in front of the public. Modern history has seen many different views and quite a few more atrocities inflicted upon the LGBTQ community (e.g. NAZI Germany) and individuals such as King Edward II in 1327 (reportedly killed with a hot poker up the rectum) and Oscar Wilde being imprisoned for two years in 1895.

The Stonewall riots in 1969 marked a turning point for a community of people who no longer believed that they should have to live a secret and ILLEGAL lifestyle, merely to gain a fraction of the happiness many of us now take for granted. It was not until 1990 that the UN took homosexuality from the registry of mental illnesses. Every time one person walks under the rainbow flag we stand to correct this injustice and as much as we should celebrate our new found political freedom, I hope we can all take a moment to realise the cost.