Rosie Dowsing for City News
Amnesty International campaign outside the Russian Embassy on The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

As Taiwan legalise gay marriage and the LGBT community celebrates IDOHOBIT, campaigners and MPs claim there’s much work still to be done.

As many as 70% of LGBT people claim they have been harassed at work in the UK, according to the latest figures.

Meanwhile, in London, hate crimes are consistently on the rise.

  • One in five LGBT people have experienced a hate crime or incident in the last 12 months
  • Two in five trans people have experienced an incident because of their gender identity
  • Four in five anti-LGBT hate crimes go unreported, with younger LGBT people particularly reluctant to go to the police.

Jenna is from Tower Hamlets and told City Radio the type of discrimination that she typically faces on London streets.

“Those times that you’re verbally abused, and you shrug it of, that’s a hate crime.”

“The most prolific experience I’ve had was when me and my partner – a woman – were walking hand in hand. A man had his hands down his trousers, implying he had a knife, as he shouted abuse at us, including phrases like, ‘you will burn in hellfire!’

“He chased us for 25 minutes.”

Jenna joins a Tower Hamlets Peace Walk against Hate Crime every month

Angela Eagle MP said this type of crime also manifests itself online.

“So much anger and hostility is being incubated and spread by social media.

“We have much to do to counter these disturbing trends if we’re to be able to celebrate our progress on future IDOHOBIT days.”

What’s happening in London on IDOHOBIT day?

There’s lot’s of things going on in the capital today to bring the LGBT community together.

Tonight the LGBT Awards will take place in Grovesnor Square. Often dubbed the ‘gay Oscars’, previous award winners include Prince William and Tom Daley.

This morning campaigners gathered outside the Russian Embassy to urge the Russian government to release the 40 gay men detained in Chechnya.

Hospitals in London are wearing the rainbow NHS badge, launched by the charity, Evelina London.

All over London the rainbow flag has been appearing today, and the Foreign Office alongside many universities have been flying the flag in recognition of IDAHOBIT.

An international effort

Yesterday, Nick Herbert MP reminded the House of Commons that “70 countries still criminalise sexual acts between men and women.

“Only 42 states protect against anti-LGBT hate crimes, and 11 states still have the death penalty for homosexuality.”

For this reason, The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia, is about solidarity across borders.

Campaigners say the topic of sexuality and gender should transcend race, ethnicity and place.

People in the streets celebrate the legalisation of gay marriage in Taiwan. Craig Ferguson/LightRocket via Getty Images

Today might seem a progression for many, as those in Taiwan are relieved to have secured such progressive policy change.

But in London, and internationally, the LGBT community agree that there’s still a long way to go to combat homophobia, biphobia, intersexism and transphobia.

London news