Festival IDAHOT

IDAHOT is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. May 17th marks the anniversary of the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses of the international classification of the World Health Organization.

Opening evening of the Amiens IDAHOT Festival 2023 - Simon Ducatez

Origins

This day of celebration of diversity was founded by the Frenchman Louis-Georges Tin, and was observed for the first time in 2005. It has since been a day of celebration and visibility of diversity on a global level.

Initially named IDAHO, transphobia was added to the acronym, which became IDAHOT in 2009, a year that devoted particular attention to the visibility of discriminations against trans people. On May 17th 2009, France announced its desire to remove transgender from the list of mental illnesses, thus becoming the first country to take this step. The World Health Organization removed transgender as a mental illness on June 18th 2018.

This date marks one of the major turning points in the fight against discriminations against LGBTQIA+ people.

And in Amiens?

In Amiens, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has been celebrated in the form of a festival since 2012.

At the beginning set up by the local association Flash Our True Colors and called the Flash Festival, between 2018 and 2022 the festival was called Festival IDAHOT, its organization was ensured by a collective of associations following the emergence of other associations fighting for the defense of the rights and visibility of LGBTQIA+ people. In 2023, after the dissolution of the IDAHOT collective, our association has ensured the continuation of this projet that bring visibility to the conditions of LGBTQIA+ people and their stories during a week in Amiens.

For more information about the festival, head to the site Fiertés Amiens.

Gathering in front of the City Hall during the IDAHOT Festival 2023 in Amiens - Simon Ducatez