International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), held every year on May 17, aims to raise awareness of the high rates of discrimination LGBTQIA+ people in Australia and around the world continue to face today.
The date was chosen to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990. While progress has been made in the intervening years, LGBTQIA+ people unfortunately still face discrimination. In 2025:
- LGBTQIA+ people are less likely to be out at work than in 2022
- Two-thirds of LGBTQIA+ youth experience abuse due to their identity
- 35% of LGBTQIA+ Australians have experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months.
How to get involved and support LGBTQIA+ rights
Whether it's going rainbow, hosting an activity, or learning about LGBTQIA+ inclusion, there are many things you can do to support LGBTQIA+ rights in your workplace, school or community. Here are a few ideas:
- Wearing a rainbow signals to others that you'll respect their LGBTQIA+ identity. Try wearing a rainbow ribbon, rainbow lanyard, or a pronoun badge. And yes, you can wear the rainbow even if you're not LGBTQIA+ yourself.
- Something as simple as hanging rainbow or educational posters in your space can build inclusion. It also lets your group know that you support LGBTQIA+ days of significance like IDAHOBIT.
- If you can, organise an activity with your team or classroom. And if you're unable to organise one, attend a public IDAHOBIT event to learn about inclusion.
The IDAHOBIT website has more ideas, including a free toolkit that you can download.
Flourish Australia is committed to inclusion
Flourish Australia is committed to supporting the LGBTIQA+ community. We are a proud member of ACON's Welcome Here Project, with our sites proudly committed to guaranteeing a safe space for people to be who they are no matter where they live.
We are also a member of Pride in Health and Wellbeing, part of the ACON Pride in Inclusion programs, that helps service providers in health and human services to develop and deliver culturally appropriate and safe services to people from the LGBTIQA+ community.
Find out more about our commitment to diversity.
Talk to us today
For more information, contact us on 1300 779 270 or make an enquiry now.
