BeLonG To marks International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

BeLonG To marks International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

Thursday, May 17th 2018

On today, International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) BeLonG To Youth Services calls for an end to the prejudice and bullying LGBTI+ young people face daily.

Students are still reporting high levels of LGBTI+ bullying in Irish secondary schools. 70% of young LGBTI+ people do not feel safe at school. 67% of LGBT+ young people witnessed bullying of other LGBTI₊ students, and over 50% of them personally experienced bullying. Bullying puts the mental health, wellbeing, and potential of LGBTI+ young people at serious risk.

Executive Director of BeLonG To Youth Services, Moninne Griffith says:

“Sadly, the young LGBTI+ people we work with experience discrimination, bullying and violence as a result of their sexual orientation and gender identity. This suffering ranges from being kicked, beaten and thrown down stairs to being rejected by their loved ones and asked to leave the family home.

We are very concerned about the serious impact that this has on their mental health. The frightening truth is LGBTI+ young people are three times more likely to attempt suicide, and twice as likely to self-harm, compared to the general population of young people. I see the reality of these stark statistics at BeLonG To. IADHOTB is an important day to challenge prejudice in classrooms, in communities, and in families across Ireland, and stand in solidarity with LGBTI+ people.”

ENDS

Contact: To arrange interview or for further information, please contact Sinead Keane, Communications Officer: 087 768 0389/ 01 670 6223/ sinead@belongto.org

Notes for Editor:

• BeLonG To Youth Services is the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) young people in Ireland.
• The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia (IDAHOT) was created in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI+ people internationally.
• May 17th is now celebrated in more than 130 countries. The date was chosen to commemorate the World Health Organisation’s decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1990.
• LGBTIreland Report 2016
• GCN Youth Issue Survey