It's IDAHOT Day!

"This day was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally.

In under a decade, May 17 has established itself the single most important date for LGBTI communities to mobilise on a worldwide scale.

The Day represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms.

May 17 is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal, with 1600 events reported from 1280 organizations in 2014. These mobilisations unite millions of people in support of the recognition of human rights for all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is not one centralised campaign; rather it is a moment that everyone can take advantage of to take action.

The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has received official recognition from several States, international institutions as the European Parliament, and by countless local authorities. Most United Nations agencies also mark the Day with specific events."
From "What is May 17th" at IDAHOT's webpage.

IDAHOT Day 2015

"The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally.

In under a decade, May 17 has established itself the single most important date for LGBTI communities to mobilize on a worldwide scale.

The Day represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms.

May 17 is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal, with 1600 events reported from 1280 organizations in 2014. These mobilizations unite millions of people in support of the recognition of human rights for all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is not one centralized campaign; rather it is a moment that everyone can take advantage of to take action.

The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has received official recognition from several States, international institutions as the European Parliament, and by countless local authorities. Most United Nations agencies also mark the Day with specific events."

The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (Official webpage)

IDAHO Day 2013 (Updated)

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia (url).

In almost 80 countries around the world, loving someone of the same sex is still considered illegal, at times involving lifetime imprisonment and, in nine countries, it is even punishable by death!

And in many more countries still, citizens are denied their right to live according to their preferred gender identity.

As well as legal discrimination's  social homophobia and transphobia serve to daily deny millions of people across the world their basic human dignity.

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to this issue.

It is not one centralized campaign; rather it is a moment that everyone can take advantage of to take action.

The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

Today is the day to take action in your local area, talk about it or simply mention it, just spread the word!

Update 1
The European Union´s Agency for Fundamental Rights today presented a report of a survey among 93 000 gay inhabitants in the EU and Croatia (read the summary here)

The lowest rate of discrimination occurs in the Netherlands followed by Denmark and Luxembourg, while the highest rate of discrimination occurs is in Lithuania followed by Croatia and Poland.

Update 2
Read my friend Garth Raleigh's suggestion in the comments below about how to take part in the manifestation in SecondLife today!

IDAHO

May 17th is IDAHO day and events are taking place around both in the real world and in-world to draw attention to Homophobia and Transphobia. From bullying at school or work to discrimination in healthcare, prejudice works on many levels, often resulting in physical attack, self-harm, suicide and murder.

EVENTS SCHEDULED ON MAY 17th 

DRAMA QUEEN THEATRE (click for SLurl)
12pm = GINS ALLEN

Gins Allen plays acoustic and electric guitars and harmonicas. He sings love songs, ballads and folk songs.

He started to play in SL in june 2008. He loves to sing in many languages such as English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Yiddish, Catalan or even Czech and Russian... His gigs are only live music, no soundtracks, and of high quality sound on profesionnals devices.

DRAMA QUEEN THEATRE (click for SLurl)
01pm = LOLLO STRING

Lollo String (Alessandro Lollobrigida) is a composer, author, professional arranger. He has experienced many musical genres, before testing them “on the road ", then consolidated at singing school.

His experience in vocal technique includes many different musical genres through the years: Jazz, Swing, Blues, Rock, Pop, R'n'B, Rock'n'Roll, Jive... and of course the classic, melodic and light Italian.

EXHIBITIONS SCHEDULED FROM MAY 13th TO MAY 18th

Gay Rights Awareness Center-Figh, Brokeback (99, 221, 23) (click for SLurl)
=> "Born that way" (Zack Preminger)
=> "Transgenders and Homophobia" (Jenelle Levenque)
=> "Civil Rights and Equality" (Brokeback Forum)
=> "United to be Stronger" (Intersim work)