May 17 – ERG Cancels IDAHO Event In Protest
The Equality Rights Group (ERG) has decided to cancel the annual celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) as a protest against what it sees as the lack of progress on the “unresolved issue” of Equal Marriage.
The Equality Rights Group has been marking IDAHO on the 17th of May in Gibraltar since May 2012. The group says it has also been pleased to count on and been very grateful for the direct participation of Unite the Union, NASUWT (the teachers’ union), GGCA, government, political and community representatives in successive years.
A statement from the group continued: “We once again acknowledge and thank them all. However, whilst we realise there will be disappointment, this year we have decided not to mark the day. We do this in strong protest.
“For the past four years we have been pleased to gather outside Parliament to highlight issues of human and LGBT rights. And we have been accompanied by many representatives of our Community. In the process, we have also celebrated advances and improvements along the way.
“Nonetheless, this year we have concluded, given the uncertainty surrounding the still unresolved issue of One Civil Marriage Law for All (Equal Marriage), that it would be inappropriate, incoherent and somewhat hypocritical for us as a group and others to assemble outside Parliament to give speeches on the virtues of Equality while there still exists a discriminatory and unequal legislative situation for the LGBT community (for whom we will continue to stand up without hesitation or delay) in our country.
“It is yet to be seen whether 2017 will provide us with the opportunity to reconsider the situation.”
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