IDAOD 2023

It's 17 May 2023 and another significant day on the calendar for us.

It's IDAOD (more commonly known as IDAHOBIT).

IDAHOBIT was International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia and was updated to International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination, whilst still using the IDAHOBIT acronym.

The updated name aimed at being more inclusive but here at PHANTOM, we're going further and calling it International Day Against OAGID Discrimination or IDAOD, since the term 'LGBTQIA+' or any of the numerous derivatives aren't truly inclusive.

For those not up to speed, OAGID is Orientation And Gender Identity Diverse.

Let's examine the case more closely.

IDAHOBIT advocates against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia.

LGBTQIA+ specifically includes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual persons.

(Some people include Allies as being represented by the 'A' but as much as they might be ive, they aren't truly part of the rainbow umbrella, just as being a er of people of colour doesn't necessarily mean their own skin pigment is going to change.)

Homophobia ←→ Lesbian, Gay

Biphobia ←→ Bisexual

Interphobia ←→ Intersex

Transphobia ←→ Transgender

As you can see, all of the identities covered by the IDAHOBIT acronym are also covered in the majority of the 'LGBTQIA+' acronym.

The additional identities specified are Queer, Questioning and Asexual folk.

The '+' is supposed to represent everyone else but that can be rather ambiguous, since the extent of knowledge of other orientations and gender identities will vary significantly between individuals, which is a form of erasure and invisibility, even if unintended.

It's good that someone tried to make IDAHOBIT more inclusive but when you break it down, it actually does the opposite and only the same commonly known identities are generally recognised.

The PHANTOM method of using the term 'OAGID Discrimination' doesn't specifically name any particular identities but rather names them all collectively in a generic manner.

This leans more towards equality as you don't have the inequity that occurs when you name a few and leave the remainder unnamed.

Name of the day aside, why do we celebrate this day?

In addition to it being the anniversary of the WHO removing homosexuality as a disease in their classifications (over thirty years ago), discrimination against OAGID people still occurs to this very day.

Discrimination takes many forms, too many to cover here without this turning into a book.

Some examples of OAGID discrimination include:

• Countries where identifying anything other than heterosexual and the binary gender at birth, is illegal and in some cases, with the death penalty attached.

• Jurisdictions where there are various levels of restrictions on transgender classified persons, such as in schools in some US States or by FINA within international aquatics.

• Marriage inequality, including in jurisdictions where there is Marriage Equality legislation that is still exclusive.

• Inability to update official documents or medical records to reflect one's true gender identity and/or pronouns, without the necessity of intrusive or inaccessible surgeries or other medical interventions. In some cases, surgery makes no difference, such as someone indentifying as Non-Binary or Agender.

• Lack of non-gendered bathrooms and change facilities in most schools, hospitals, government buildings, businesses and other organisations.

• Widespread misgendering, even when one's correct pronouns have been communicated.

• Exclusion from school groups/activities, sporting/business/employment opportunities, social situations or being in a family, simply for identifying as one's true self.

• Being subjected to conversion therapies or in the case of intersex persons, intrusive medical procedures, most often without consent.

There are many more forms of OAGID Discrimination and we must continue advocating and fighting to have all of these eliminated from global society.

Any discrimination against one of us is discrimination against all of us.