International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
May 17th was the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia — and as a result we’ve been looking back on our ‘Talking LGBTQ+’ documentary and campaign for Bristol 24/7.
We’re still struck by the eye-opening, historic accounts from members from Bristol’s LGBTQ+ community, telling stories of the significant generational change they witnessed and fought for.
Although the progress on social equality from the 1960s to present is huge — it’s critically important to remember how far there is to go, and how much still has to be endured by people outside of the heteronormative default.
Bear in mind that legislation that banned the “promotion of homosexuality” (put in place by the Conservative government) was still in place as late as 2000. And the recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida again attempts to erase all mention of sexual orientation and gender identity from classrooms.
Are you surprised that lawmakers have banned or are attempting to ban discussions of LGBTQ+ life in schools in our recent history?
Or do you have a different perspective?
What age should children be taught about LGBTQ+?
More young people than ever are claiming the expression and identity that feels right to them. The internet provides access to community and support, but reactionary conservative attitudes seem to be rearing their head once more, perhaps threatened by the pace of change in society.
None of us should take the liberty of individual expression for granted. The rights and safety of the LGBTQ+ community affect us all, whatever your orientation or identity. All of us have a part to play in ensuring that the needle continues to move in the direction of acceptance and progress.
Taking a stand on social media, educating yourself about queer culture, and learning new terminology — this is how we can actively shape society to match our values.
With that in mind, here’s a quick breakdown of some actions we try to undertake ourselves.
Here are 5 ways to make a difference and be an ally:
Ask for pronouns, and use them on your social media profiles
The simple step of asking for someone’s pronouns can help people to feel seen and safe within social groups. A subtle way to do this is to supply your pronouns after your name when you introduce yourself. It takes seconds, but can be a supportive and open-minded step to take.
2. Support LGBT+ culture
Watch TV shows and films by LGBTQ+ authors. Buy their books. Seek out narratives about love outside of heterosexuality.
Films and TV shows that made a huge impression on us include:
Call Me By Your Name
Moonlight
It’s A Sin
Tangerine
The Kids Are All Right
3. Normalise the spectrum of sexuality around young people (and older people)
Sometimes members of the older generation need new ideas explaining to them. So even if you have someone in your life with objectionable, outdated views — hold out hope that they’ll come to understand with enough patient explanation.
As for the young people in your life, make sure they have access to diverse representations of love, partnership, gender identity and sexuality. This can be as simple as buying a progressive children’s book for the kids in your life, and being prepared to have open-ended conversations about the possibilities of love and identity when they start asking those questions.
Here’s a list of children’s books that celebrate and portray LGBTQ+ families to check out.
4. Research the views of your local MP
Do they have a history of voting against equality measures? Have they expressed reactionary homophobic views in the press? There is a significant presence in parliament still upholding views that limit equality opportunities.
Letter writing, posting on social media, attending rallies — these are the actions we can take to keep the political temperature moving forward.
5. Be an ally amongst straight people
Allies have a critical role to play during the coming out process by helping to normalise the conversation with family members. It’s also a matter of continuously feeding the idea that it’s never OK to discriminate on the grounds of orientation, and holding a line against ignorant comments and outdated attitudes.
But as well as fighting against discrimination, it’s also useful (and enjoyable) to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture. We should value the history of the liberation movement, and we should acknowledge the vast contributions LGBTQ+ people make to our world.
Looking for someone?
It’s important to remember the huge amount of creativity and courage that has gone into the fight for equality over the decades. It’s hard to imagine society as it is today without freedom of sexual orientation.
Adopting an attitude of open-mindedness towards the preferences and personalities of anyone you meet has positive effects. Times are changing faster as society is becoming more open, so an attitude of continuous education and curiosity will help us to understand and create space for the new waves of expression and identity coming through.
And the more conversations we have, the better we’ll be able to relate to people who might see things differently — and discuss the changes happening in our society from a place of openness and awareness.
We’re here to join forces with nonprofits and social impact businesses who share our views on progress and equality. If you’d like our help with weaving your values into your marketing, send us an email.