Travelling Thoughts

17th of May is more than the Constitution Day in Norway (hooray for Norwegians!). It also commemorates the day when World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders back in 1990.

And thus, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) was born.

Not Another Gay Day…

When you saw the topic, did you automatically think of this: Yet another Pride event where sexuality is flaunted in your face?

Wrong.

Whereas Pride tends to veers towards seeking validation, and celebration of who we are as human beings, IDAHOBIT has grown into a day to make sure countries, and governments, take their citizens welfare into heart, providing a safe place for everyone to thrive, regardless of their sexuality.

“No matter where we live, who we are, or the faiths that drive us, most people want to nurture neighbourhoods and communities where every life can flourish. But today, reactionary governments worldwide are poisoning our gardens with the invasive weeds of their authoritarian policies and exclusionary legislations.”

–May17.org

Surely There Are Laws?

Of course there are laws. That, in many countries is just the problem. The laws have been built to jail the LGBT people, even to kill them. Some countries use the laws to protect those who beat gay people up.

Even in the so-called western world, which is supposed to be democratic and pro-LGBT, some countries are retracting their steps back towards the 19th century, banning gender affirming treatments, forcing trans-people to seek out illegal and often dangerous treatments.

The rising tide of anti-LGBT rhetoric in mainstream media is forcing young people, who are still questiong their sexuality, back to the closet, and some of them to suicide. If that happened to your child, could you live with yourself?

Maybe this is exactly why the May17.org chose this topic internationally for 2026. “At the heart of democracy.” The theme serves as a reminder that society and community is only as strong as their weakest members, and that only by working together, the community can flourish.

Don’t You Dare Blame Me…

I dare, if you are one of those people who refuse to take a stand for human rights.

If you think this is something you don’t need to concern yourself with, you are dead wrong. In a world where there is that nephew or niece of yours who feels uncomfortable at family gatherings every time the topic of “Why are you not married yet?” comes up, or when someone comments of their effeminate movements prompting laughter from people around, days like IDAHOBIT are sorely needed. These events are mandatory on personal level because these nephews and nieces need, nay, require you to be on their corner against the unfair reality.

It is called love—and justice for all. Wouldn’t you want someone to defend you when the tables are turned?