Indigo Shire Council has long been committed to supporting, affirming, and celebrating LGBTQIA+ young individuals throughout the Shire.
We proudly support our LGBTQIA+ young people through the following programs and events:
- Rainbow Connection Social Groups
- Northeast Pride Collective Network and the Rainbow Ball
Find out more about events and resources for young people at LGBTQIA+ youth.
The Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination, also known as IDAHOBIT Day, is celebrated annually on 17 May.
On this day we, as a community, acknowledge that collectively we stand against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia and support all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people.
Every year Indigo Shire Council together with the community celebrate this important milestone and acknowledge the work we need to do together as a community to move forward.
IDAHOBIT 2024 - Wear rainbow and join in to celebrate together
On Friday 17 May, we will celebrate IDAHOBIT- International day against LGBTQIA+ discrimination with an in-community event and flag raising ceremony.
Kicking off at 4pm outside Beechworth’s Historic Courthouse, festivities include speeches from Mayor Sophie Price and Al from LINE Wangaratta, a performance by an Indigo Shire Youth representative followed by the raising of the rainbow flag.
Come along to acknowledge that we, as a community, collectively stand against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia and support all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people in our community and beyond.
When: Friday 17 May 4:00pm
Where: Beechworth Historic Courthouse, 94 Ford Street
What: Cupcakes. Rainbow giveaways. Speeches. Music.
What is IDAHOBIT?
IDAHOBIT is the anniversary of May 17, 1990, when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases.
The first IDAHOBIT was held in 2005 and is today acknowledged by millions of people globally. While IDAHOBIT has evolved over these years, the purpose remains the same - celebrate the progress we have made while also raising awareness for the discrimination that LGBTQIA+ people still face today.
Why IDAHOBIT is still important today
68% of LGBTQIA+ employees in Australia are not out to everyone at work. (Out at Work, 2018).
2 in 3 LGBTQIA+ youth experience abuse due to their identity.
35% of LGBTQIA+ Australians have experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months.
While experiences of discrimination most commonly occur in public and at work, there are also many instances where inequality and discrimination are still protected by government. In Australia:
- LGBTQIA+ people can be discriminated against by religious organisations, including LGBTQIA+ teachers and students being expelled from religious schools.
- Many intersex people experience medical procedures performed on their bodies that modify their sex characteristics without their consent.
- LGBTQIA+ people are not adequately included in the census and other government research. This results in less data
- Trans and gender diverse people in most states experience harsh and unnecessary barriers to updating their birth certificates, and therefore other legal documents.
These are just some of the issues LGBTQIA+ people face in Australia today. An up-to-date list can be found via Equality Australia.
You can also visit the IDAHOBIT website to find out more, including how you can get involved.
Indigo Shire Council supports the annual Drag'd Out Beechworth festival, held in November each year. The festival is a queer positive all-inclusive community event.
Drag'd Out Beechworth