IDAHOBIT joy and acknowledgement

WITH all its rain, South Gippsland does rainbows better than anyone else Cr Mohya Davies declared before the hoisting of the rainbow flag outside Leongatha’s council office to celebrate IDAHOBIT on Friday.

The International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination falls on a pertinent date, with May 17 the day the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its Classification of Diseases.

A healthy gathering assembled in Leongatha despite the chilly weather.

Sam Jones-Hunter, a South Gippsland representative of the Gippsland Pride Initiative described it as an important day for the LGBTQIA+ community.

She is pleased to see councils around Australia advocating for equality and showing their support for people who continue to face discrimination.

“There are still hate crimes,” Sam said, adding that a lot of people don’t feel safe and it is important to see others in the community lending support.

“The more we show that being yourself is ok, the better the world’s going to be,” she said.

Her wife Sarah Hunter was also at Friday’s IDAHOBIT event, representing Anglicare’s Qspace, which provides counselling for the LGBTQIA+ community, face to face or by telephone or videocall, being funded by Drummond Street Services in Melbourne.

Qspace’s services are available to people of all ages.

“It’s to provide counselling, a safe space, an opportunity to work through what’s happening for them, linkages to the local community whether that’s an online group or in person,” Sarah said.

Qspace is a pilot program that Anglicare has been running for the last four years, currently due to expire next year and subject to review.

“Some of my clients aren’t even out to the community,” Sarah said, noting many are also socially isolated.

“You’re not being your true self or living your true life if you’re not out to the community and not out to yourself and comfortable,” Sarah said.

“It doesn’t need to be announced but it’s about allowing that person to express themself, who they are, and being comfortable in their own skin.”

South Gippsland Shire Council’s Tony Peterson said IDAHOBIT is a chance to celebrate and show support, opening up conversations and helping address discrimination and create a more inclusive environment.

He mentioned that unfortunately many members of the LGBTQIA+ community continue to be affected by negative or offensive statements and subtle forms of harassment in the workplace, referring to the Gippsland Pride Initiative’s ‘Rainbow Brick Road Report’ that quantified such impacts locally.

“Seventy three percent have considered self-harm or suicide in their lifetime,” he said of one of the alarming statistics revealed.

While Mohya’s comment about doing rainbows better was lighthearted, she reflected on the serious side of the day by acknowledging that discrimination still exists, albeit she is confident progress is being made.  

Rachel Jones, who works for South Gippsland Shire Council, was resplendent in her sequined rainbow jacket.

She considers the open discussion and positivity that IDAHOBIT promotes as important.

No doubt the vibrant burst of rainbow gear will be missed as another South Gippsland winter approaches.