May 17 - Day against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia!
Estonian and international activists will speak out for diversity and representation in society at the rally on May 17
To the rally on May 17, 2024 in Tallinn on the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), the organization Q-Space invited activists from different backgrounds and identities. They will all talk about the importance of diversity, inclusion and representation of diverse groups in society and culture.
Gender Self-Determination Law and Trans Rights
The rally host, trans activist Andres Liivaste, believes that “it is very important now to advocate for the rights of transgender people, because the political and cultural climate is becoming increasingly harsh towards LGBTQ people.” Currently in Estonia, the process of transgender transition takes more than 3 years, which is very difficult psychologically and is considered by experts to be completely irrelevant, and legislative practice in many countries of the world has already made significant progress towards the adoption of a law on gender self-determination.
Andres continues, “My message to trans children and teens first is that the trans community deserves equal rights, respect, safety, and autonomy!”
Representation saves lives
Queer couple Anna and Monika Meurer came to Estonia several years ago; Anna and Monika work in the tourism industry. They initiated the photo project Just a Normal Life, which aims to highlight older queer couples, trans people, families with queer children, and other groups within the community that often lack representation.
Anna and Monika Meurer: “We are confident that when there are enough representations for different people, invisible “others” will finally become ordinary and part of society. We believe that fear, aggression and hatred will go away as we see more and more diversity in everyday life. When will there be more representation. After all, what we have seen many times already does not scare us. And people who are “non-normative” will recognize themselves in portraits and will find the courage to show themselves, because they will no longer need to hide.
Speakers Eeva Koplimets (Estonian LGBT Association), Yuri Yoursky (queer activist from Ukraine), Enn Nazarov (volunteer of the Peemoti queer center from Tartu and artist) and others will talk about the situation of Russian-speaking queer people in Estonia, the need for serious reforms in the field of education, about the challenges for the LGBTQ movement around the world.
The first International Day Against LGBT Hatred (IDAHOBIT) was celebrated in 2005, and since then has been officially recognized by many countries, local authorities, and international institutions. The date also marks the World Health Organization (WHO) decision to remove homosexuality from the international classification of diseases in 1990.
Q-Space is a cultural project in Estonia dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community and human rights. As part of the project--film screenings, discussions, seminars, and other events related to LGBTQ+ topics occur monthly.
The demonstration will take place on Friday, May 17 from 17:30-18:30 in Tammsaare Park and will be held in Estonian, Russian, and English.
On the same day, Cafe Botik (Põhjala tehas, Marati 5a) will celebrate its birthday and the start of the season by offering guests great music, food, and drinks. Starting from 5:30 p.m., all families--queer or not--are invited to enjoy an evening packed with fun activities such as a quick friend-making session, a children's corner, and live performances. On-site, you can enjoy the cafe's delicacies, and admission is free until 9:00 p.m.