Ave, Sandum Citizens!
The State of Sandus and the Commonwealth of Zealandia both commemorate 17 May as International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. To celebrate the occasion, both governments have released joint statements.
Sandus
17 May is International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). Created in 2004, IDAHOBIT was once International Day against Homphobia but Sandus commemorates the holiday to stand against biphobia and transphobia, in addition to homophobia.
Though homosexual, bisexual, and trans* expressions and behaviours have been a part of human society for millennia, the identities and communities are modern creations in response to negative social stigma that makes life for homosexuals, bisexuals, and transpeople difficult to exist peacefully and in the same dignity as heterosexuals. In Sandus, we seek to raise awareness of social problems felt by peoples around the world and it is a constitutional policy of Sandus’s to pursue policies favouring liberation and social advancement.
Each community in the LGBTQ community faces tremendous negative social pressure: from bullying of LGBT and heterosexual youth through “fag” and “lesbian” baiting to physical violence against trans* people and lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, the State of Sandus commemorates IDAHOBIT in a spirit of revolutionary defiance. The misconception that the LGBTQ community is an “other” from the main culture of society stems from heterosexism – the systematic institution of favouring heterosexual and rigorous traditional gender roles. Many of us harbour bisexual attractions or even bisexual behaviours and, in the vein of our culture, many of us will wear some clothing ascribed to another gender than that ascribed to each one of us at birth. LGBTQ people are no different from each of us: they are people who are comfortable in expressing their romantic and sexual attractions (or lack thereof) and who are comfortable in their own gender.
In micronationalism, many intermicronational leaders are LGBTQ people and LGBTQ people can be found in esteemed positions of our broader society. From the Austrian drag queen and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst to the common micronational citizen, LGBTQ people exist in all religions, races, ethnicities, sexes, genders, classes, ages, and places. From the Zealandian trans Queen Astrid to the Sandum bisexual Sôgmô Gaius Sörgel P., we are like any other people traversing this world that we all suffer in. From the Honourable Sôgmô:
«In my life, I have faced homophobia and biphobia that has directly impacted me. From “fag baiting” in school for my effeminate behaviour to outing myself because others asserted I was gay and unnecessarily closeted, I have seen my fair share of hurtful behavior. Some have denied my identity as bisexual and considered I was lying about my sexuality; some have told me they think my identity as a bisexual does not exist; some, including family, have called me a “faggot” and consider they have right to determine my path as a person. While I have been fortunate enough not to face physical violence, I am well aware that bisexuals and transpeople together face abysmal rates of depression and suicide. In the broader society, too, biphobia is denied representation during LGBTQ holidays such as IDAHOT, leading to bisexuals proclaiming March Bisexual Health Month under the slogan “Bi the way, our health matters too.”
The ultimate message of homophobes, biphobes, and transphobes is not of love, peace, or common dignity between peoples – as they often profess behind a veneer of religious doctrine: it’s a message of domination, subordination, and powerlessness. But society is changing for the LGBTQ community. Just like Sandus has asserted its self-determination, so too does the modern lesbian-gay-bisexual-trans*-queer-intersex-asexual movement.»
Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia do not just harm those who are out and those who are closeted, they harm heterosexuals whose expression or behaviour may not be the social norm of the heterosexist main culture. The queer community and its straight allies stand together, across peoples and across sovereign frontiers, to stand up for liberation and social advancement. Don’t make our lives harder for all of us:
Stand against Queerphobias!
Zealandia
As IDAHOBIT is celebrated today around the word (officially in many parts as IDAHOT or IDAHO), we still must pause for thought to remember those of us whom cannot be here with due to homophobia, biphobia and trans*phobia.
Whilst homophobia is as part of the mainstream western discourse being stamped out from the cultural output and is being scorned upon by an increasing majority, the same cannot be said for Trans*phobia or Biphobia.
Both Trans*phobia and Biphobia are still rampant in western society, in fact the IDAHOT website (for the macronational day) excludes biphobia.
Trans*phobia is something I am unfortunately all too familiar with, having recently started the process of living my life as the gender I am rather than that to which was assigned to me.
The statistics are that around 40% of Trans* people have attempted suicide and the murder rate for us is substantially higher and we often are discriminated against by the law on many many fronts.
It is not just the law however that shows us trans*phobia, it when you are attacked or threatened in the street, on the train or in a the toilet, when people deny you your identify because they see you as a pervert and or a fraud, when you are excluded from certain womens areas because although you are a woman, you where not born with boobs and a uterus.
IDAHOBIT is not just about homophobia, it is about eliminating and fighting for equal rights and the right to be free from discriminations for every letter in LGBTQIA.
Rt Hon. Anna Lindström PC RL KSCZL KSCZ KSCK KSCSB CAO, Minister for Culture of the Commonwealth of Zealandia, Director of the Stieg Larsson Memorial Anti Discrimination Institute of Zealandia.
sandus.org 