17 May marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). This is a day when millions of people around the world take a stand against LGBTIQA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual) discrimination.
Celebrating IDAHOBIT is a way to show your support for our LGBTIQA+ community. It is an important day as 2 in 3 LGBTIQA+ youth experience abuse due to their identity.
Support for students
At La Trobe, we want everyone to feel safe, valued and supported. In December 2022, we launched the new Trans and Gender Diverse Policy and Gender Affirmation Support Plan. These documents emphasise La Trobe’s commitment to ensure our University is a safe and enjoyable place to study and provide advice and guidance on the actions people can take if they witness or experience discrimination or transphobia.
For students, we have dedicated queer counsellors, Finding Pride (an eight-week Queer social support program at the Bundoora campus) and the LTSU Queer Collective. Further information is available on the LGBTIQA+ Resource Hub web page.
Celebrating IDAHOBIT
To celebrate IDAHOBIT on Wednesday 17 May, an event will be held at our Albury-Wodonga Campus. La Trobe will also be holding an origami stall at a community event in Shepparton.
| Campus | What’s on | Time and location |
| Albury-Wodonga | Celebrating IDAHOBIT Activities include: • Free Gumtree pies • Rainbow cupcake decorating station • Pronoun wall & pronoun badges • Meet the La Trobe Ally Network • Frisbee with Micheal (La Trobe Student Advisor) | 12 pm – 2 pm Ceremonial Lawn |
| Shepparton (Queens Gardens) | Celebrating IDAHOBIT Come and join us at Queens Gardens for activities, live music, flag-raising, and free food. This is a community event, led by Greater Shepparton City Council. La Trobe will be holding an origami stall on the day. | 12 pm – 2 pm Queens Gardens Shepparton |
Below are some practical tips on how you can support our LGBTIQA+ community:
- Wear rainbow to signal your stance against LGBTIQA+ discrimination. It is okay to wear a rainbow ribbon, lanyard, or pronoun badge, even if you’re not part of the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Decorate your space. Hanging rainbow or educational posters in your classroom, office, meeting room or office kitchen is a small step towards building inclusion.
- Attend or host an event. There will be many events held across Victoria to celebrate IDAHOBIT, including an Introduction to LGBTQIA+ Inclusion hosted by Minus18.
- Impact the community. We know that leaps in progress occur when systematic and institutional change happens. La Trobe’s LGBTIQA+ working group continues to advise, advocate and raise the visibility of our LGBTIQA+ colleagues.
Minus18 also have a range of free digital resources such as email signatures and zoom backgrounds that you can download to show your support.
If this has raised any concerns, Staff Wellbeing Connect is a service available for all staff at La Trobe University, offering confidential support, information and referral. The service is free and staffed by experienced health professionals. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is also available to La Trobe University staff, with free short-term counselling and coaching services provided by Converge International.
For students, a range of support services is available on the Health and Wellbeing Services Hub, including the Counselling and Mental Health Service.