The 17th of May marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. Started in 2014, IDAHOBIT marks and highlights the violence, discrimination and abuse often experienced by people of the LGBTQ+ community around the world.
Recent years have, sadly, seen an increase in LGBTQ+ hate incidents around the world, even in countries that would consider themselves to be progressive and accepting.
In the UK alone, we have seen a rise of groups who would seek to spread discriminatory messages against a number of groups, not just those in the LGBTQ+ community.
It is important to recognise that discrimination can take many forms – it can be subtle and discrete, it can include restricting access to support services, healthcare, and information.
People perform better when they can be themselves. As a Council we promote equality and fairness for all staff and have a Dignity at Work Policy that promotes this. If you feel that you have experienced harassment in the workplace then please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team. If you would like more information on the Dignity at Work policy, you can view the policy on Inform.
By raising awareness of the issues that LGBTQ+ people can encounter and by challenging or reporting discriminatory behaviours, we can support our friends and colleagues and make a more inclusive workplace and society.
If you would like more information about the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia you can visit the IDAHOBIT website here.
The Council also has a number of staff networks available to join, including our LGBTQ+ network, Perthyn. If you are interested in joining our staff networks or would like to discuss any issues raised in this article, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Team at equality@rctcbc.gov.uk.