International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia: Strategic Litigation as a Tool for Resistance
This International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we are proud to share the voices of some of our grantee partners and how they are using strategic litigation to advance the digital rights of LQBTQI+ people around the world.
“Strategic litigation continues to drive progress for trans rights, largely thanks to the courage and persistence of trans people challenging injustice despite ongoing, very real barriers in their daily lives. In a context where policymakers are too often indifferent or actively hostile, litigation—and the support of funders like DFF—can make a decisive difference. This is clearly illustrated by recent Court of Justice of the EU rulings, which have strengthened protections around legal gender recognition and non-discrimination for all trans people.”
Richard Köhler
TGEU - Trans Europe and Central Asia, Expert Advisor
“The tide has turned in Hungary. This #IDAHOT, we celebrate the end of a government infamous for its anti-LGBTQI politics and the CJEU’s landmark ruling finding that the 'propaganda law' violated not only EU law, but the values on which the European Union rests. Háttér Society's research funded by DFF provides evidence of the harm caused by these laws and policies -- now, we look forward to building a pro-European Hungary where digital rights and human dignity belong to everyone.”
Dr. Polgári Eszter
Háttér Társaság / Háttér Society, Director of the Legal Program
"While the LGBTIQ+ community has been celebrating IDAHOBIT for 21 years, the Kaos GL Association has been advocating for LGBTIQ+ rights in Türkiye for just as long. Even during the most challenging times, the international solidarity behind us has not only given us strength but has also shown those opposing LGBTIQ+ rights just how difficult their task is. One of the key partners demonstrating this solidarity has been the Digital Freedom Fund. The successes we achieved in the strategic cases they supported have played a vital role in enabling LGBTIQ+ people in Türkiye to access their digital rights today. Solidarity makes us stronger!"
Kerem DİKMEN
Kaos GL, Human Rights Program Coordinator
"Anti-gender mobilisations attack LGBTQI+ rights, but also they target the people who defend those rights, especially queer activists and human rights defenders. Through online harassment, disinformation, and public intimidation, these attacks seek to silence activists and portray LGBTQI+ advocacy as illegitimate or dangerous. Strategic litigation offers a way to turn these harms into evidence, accountability, and protection, but also into a message of hope: that LGBTQI+ people and those who stand with them have the right to be present, safe, and heard in public life."
Irena Cvetkovikj
Coalition “Sexual and Health Rights of Marginalized Communities” (Coalition Margins), Executive Director
“As Lambda Warszawa we very well know that the far-right attacks on trans rights are one of the crucial fronts of the global fight against women and gender and sexual minorities. Trans persons are our members, our friends, partners and lovers - we fight together for a common goal. Thanks to DFF funding we've mapped major gaps in government digital information systems related to gender marker change. This knowledge will allow us to provide an important resource to any trans person wanting to safeguard their right to privacy in a rough legal landscape devoid of any trans-specific regulations and possibly pursue their right on legal path.”
Karolina Gierdal
Lambda Warsaw Association, Legal Team Coordinator
“The International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination is a moment to remember that discrimination and exclusion also happen in digital spaces. Binary forms that force users to identify as ‘Mr’ or ‘Ms’ fail to reflect the diversity of gender identities. With the support of the Digital Freedom Fund, Mousse is leading a strategic litigation campaign to compel major companies and French public authorities to respect and recognise non-binary gender identities.”
Etienne Deshoulières
Association Mousse, Lawyer
“IDAHOBIT is a day when our everyday work to fight LGBT+-biased hate speech, hate crimes, and discrimination becomes more visible. Ahead of Pride Month, we remember how much the LGBT+ community has already done to secure basic rights through court cases, strategic litigation, and political advocacy, which gives us hope and strength to continue this work - both through our legal actions and strengthening our community’s presence on the streets and in the digital world. In this spirit, to mark IDAHOBIT this year, we launched the very first edition of the Rainbow Ribbon (“Tęczowa Wstążka” in Polish) campaign to boost intersectional solidarity and support LGBT+ rights. You can find out more at teczowawstazka.pl (available in Polish).”
Annamaria Linczowska
Campaign Against Homophobia, Advocacy and Litigation Officer
“International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is a reminder that rights must be effective in practice, not only guaranteed on paper. As discrimination, harassment and hate increasingly spread through digital spaces, we must stop normalising violence and exclusion against LGBTQIA+ people. Through strategic litigation and awareness-raising, we work to secure effective remedies, accountability and stronger protections, while calling on the authorities and online platforms to adapt to the realities of technological change and fully uphold the fundamental rights of the LGBTQIA+ community online.”
Anca Baltac
Association Accept, Lawyer