Love Makes a Family: ‘Together a mighty group of rainbow family advocates are creating history’
In a region where LGBTI families have very few rights, a ‘mighty group’ of people are coming together to sing the praises of rainbow families.
‘Families’ is the theme of this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia’s (IDAHOT). So, Planet Ally and the International Family Equality Day (IFED) came together to organize the first annual Asia-Pacific Rainbow Families Forum.
The two day event in Hong Kong will feature 100 delegates from around the region and the world on May 11 and 12.
Organizers said the event is historic and will raise the visibility of rainbow families in the Asia-Pacific.
‘Together a mighty group of rainbow family advocates are creating history,’ Bess Hepworth, mother of two, founder of Planet Ally and co-founder of the Forum told Gay Star News.
‘The Asia-Pacific region has never convened a rainbow families dialogue on this scale before. Being proud, visible, and sharing stories can change hearts and minds.
‘We humbly hope this forum can help to dispel notions that LGBTI rainbow families don’t exist or are not a relevant cultural issue for LGBTI people in Asia and the Pacific Islands.’
Equality now
The forum will share research findings advocating for the urgent need for recognition, protection and equal treatment of rainbow families and LGBTI people
‘Families are one of the most crucial building blocks of our societies, and this is why families matter,’ said Joel Bedos, international coordinator of IDAHOT.
For Filipino lesbian mom and OutRight International’s project coordinator for Asia, Ging Cristobal, the forum will be about breaking down boundaries for same-sex parents.
‘LGBTI families continue to face the challenge of nurturing a family amidst violence and discrimination that LGBTI persons face especially in Asia,’ she said.
‘As we continue to prevail even without any legal protection, we strive to break down social and cultural barriers for our LGBTI family just by making people witness, experience and realize that indeed, love is what makes a family.’
