Mark your calendars!
May 17, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
The first national day against homophobia, an initiative of Fondation Émergence, took place in Quebec, Canada in 2003. This day later became the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, now celebrated in many countries around the world. The date of May 17 was chosen to commemorate the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the same date in 1990. Every year, Fondation Émergence organizes an awareness campaign on an issue faced by LGBTQ+ people.
Pride
This festival, organized on different dates across Canada, is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ people and allies to celebrate progress, commemorate the past and highlight the battles that still need to be fought. It’s also a time of the year when sexually and gender-diverse people can assert their identity with pride and connect with their communities.
Other significant dates for LGBTQ+ communities:
- March 31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility
- April 11 – International Day of Pink (anti-bullying)
- April 26 – Lesbian Visibility Day
- September 23 – Bisexual Visibility Day
- October 11 – National Coming Out Day
- Third Wednesday in October – International Pronouns Day
- October 26 – Intersex Awareness Day
- Last week of October – Asexual Awareness Week
- November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
- December 1 – World AIDS Day
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