(Blogmensgo, gay blog of May 17, 2016) Today is the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. As every year, this day commemorates May 17, 1990 – the day when the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminated homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Many countries deleted homosexuality from their nomenclatures subsequently. Others still penalize homosexuality with the death sentence.
Yes, there has been a lot of progress concerning LGBT subjects over the last decades – but there is still a lot to do, particularly for transsexual people.
Old and gay? Double discrimination in many cases… ©Homophobie.org.
So we ask ourselves: Is the glass half-full or half-empty today? Despite all the declarations, promises and initiatives in the weeks leading up to this commemorative day, the answers are still rather controversial, as the two following examples may show:
Despite all these small and big steps, it is time for universal legalization of homosexuality and comprehensive equality – and a lot still remains to do.
Different countries or regions of the world emphasize different subjects of course. Gay Pride celebrations in Western Europe often call for more rights for transsexual people.
In Canada (particularly in Quebec), a frequently seen subject is LGBT people and old age, referring to gays and lesbians aged 50 and up.
In Quebec, this group shows a few very alarming facts:
It is is quite simple to see the importance and urgency of the message contained in the poster above.
Frank-S / MensGo