The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 2, 2 April 2026, page no 26.
A significant date is coming up for the LGBTQ+ community – the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), which is held on 17 May each year. It is a day to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community while raising awareness of past and ongoing challenges.
Up to 21 per cent of Australian high school students identify as LGBTQIA+. Sadly, 66 per cent of Australian LGBTQIA+ youth experience bullying or harassment based on their identity.
The Department of Education recognises IDAHOBIT as part of upholding its responsibility to keep schools safe for all. The DoE website reads: “Queensland state schools are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all students, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) students. The Department of Education supports state schools to respond to the individual needs of all students to ensure their wellbeing is nurtured and their learning maximised.”
Schools are in a unique position to support LGBTQ+ students and to model inclusivity to the school and wider community. Whether it is a whole school event or small actions from individual staff, acknowledging IDAHOBIT makes a significant difference.
Schools are encouraged to observe IDAHOBIT in some way. According to the IDAHOBIT Impact Report, more than 5,568 Australian schools and workplaces registered IDAHOBIT events in 2024, and many others organised events without registering.
Will your school get involved this May?
Schools can support IDAHOBIT by:
- acknowledging IDAHOBIT at assembly or in class
- displaying IDAHOBIT posters (free ones are available for printing here, while hard copy posters are included in the Minus18 Resources Kit, which is free to schools from here)
- displaying safe space posters (free printables, with options for different school locations, are available here
- having a free dress day or encouraging students to wear rainbow socks and accessories (fundraising could support Minus18 or another LGBTQ+ youth charity)
- flying the Pride progress flag, the trans flag, or the rainbow flag
- running a face paint or rainbow shoelace bead activity (for up to eight packs of free beads visit this link (postage charge only)
- publishing newsletter articles and social media posts of school activities.
For more ideas, visit here.
There are FREE resources available to schools via Minus18, which fundraises throughout the year to provide these packs to schools at no charge. Fundraising packs and other resources are also for sale via this link.
Please send photos of events and activities to services@qtu.asn.au with “IDAHOBIT” in the subject line.
If schoolwide events aren’t possible, there are still many ways individual staff members can show their support, such as:
- adding pronouns to their signature bar
- using a rainbow lanyard for keys
- having posters, stickers, or flags on display
- learning more about LGBTQ+ inclusion − the DoE offers face to face and online professional development and ongoing support to schools (see the EFI catalogue or contact the expert team at Central Office via lgbtiqstudentinclusion@qed.qld.gov.au).
Even a small act can make a big difference, in ways you may never know.