San Francisco's Int'l. Day Against Homophobia & Trans/Biphobia

The San Francisco Bay Area community will gather for International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on Wed., May 17, 2017, 6 to 7pm, at Harvey Milk Plaza (Market & Castro streets.) >>>Please post all actions on social media with the hashtags #IDAHOT & #IFED2017 to inspire & encourage others.<<< The San Francisco rally will focus on three subjects: 1. Demanding justice for victims of extreme LGBTQ persecution (E.g., The recent kidnapping (torture & killing of some) of 100 gay men in Chechnya & opening of a concentration camp.) (E.g., Continuing transgender murders in America.) 2. Resistance to the Trump adminstration's threat to LGBTQ people and families. 3. Celebrating US Whistleblower Chelsea Manning's release from federal prison on May 17 with a show of solidarity for her continued wellbeing. Organization co-sponsors and suggested speakers are welcome & may be submitted to Gary Virginia of Gays Without Borders via Facebook or MRSFL96@aol.com. CODEPINK San Francisco, South African Human Rights Coalition & Gays Without Borders are supporters to date. President Obama commuted all but four months of the remaining prison sentence of Chelsea Manning, the Army intelligence analyst convicted of a 2010 leak that revealed American military and diplomatic activities across the world. As reported by the New York Times, “the decision by Mr. Obama rescued Ms. Manning, who twice tried to kill herself last year, from an uncertain future as a transgender woman incarcerated at the men’s military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. She has been jailed for nearly seven years, and her 35-year sentence was by far the longest punishment ever imposed in the United States for a leak conviction.” The date of Manning's liberation coincides with the IDAHOT, on May 17, which turns this decision into a much broader acknowledgement of the situation faced by Trans prisoners in US jails. 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. The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. The day represents an annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, opinion leaders and local authorities to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and all those who do not conform to majority sexual and gender norms. May 17 is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal, with 1600 events reported from 1280 organizations in 2014. These mobilisations unite millions of people in support of the recognition of human rights for all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is not one centralised campaign; rather it is a moment that everyone can take advantage of to take action. The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has received official recognition from several States, international institutions as the European Parliament, and by countless local authorities. Most United Nations agencies also mark the Day with specific events.