The International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) has been marked around the world for seventeen years to draw attention to the stigmatization, violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer people, and people of all other kinds of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender characteristics that do not fit into socially imposed norms, stated from BiH Pride organisation on Monday.

“When it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, where we struggle with various problems on a daily basis, the LGBTIQ people are becoming ever more marginalized. From the authorities in technical mandates incapable of leading this country and solving the problems we face as citizens, politicians who use ubiquitous problems for populist moves and achieving their own goals, through public health that has been destroyed and politicized, people who are not approached systematically and humanely, all the way to the pandemic and the psychological consequences that are smouldering in all of us. All these problems are deeply present in the LGBTIQ people, affecting all spheres of our lives every day,” the organisation said.

The pandemic, they say, has left and still has serious consequences for the whole society, including the LGBTIQ people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We have a long way to go in re-working on socialization, increasing visibility, strengthening, opening of safe spaces, driving and fighting violence and homo/bi/trans/interphobia to which we are exposed, they say.

“This year's IDAHOBIT world theme is Let's Persevere, Support, Heal: TOGETHER! And that is what we are sending as a message to our community. It's not easy, often we are all overwhelmed by stress, fear and various problems, but we will persevere, we will be supportive and we will work together to heal. We will never give up the fight for a better life for all of us. For equal status in society, free from prejudice, stereotypes, discrimination and fear of violence.” The BiH Pride organisation concluded.