Unis to become Sea of Hearts for IDAHO

Campuses across three of Sydney’s major universities will be transformed into a Sea of Hearts and information stalls will be set up to promote equality as students celebrate International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) next Thursday.

The Ally Network and queer campus groups will be present at the University of Western Sydney (UWS), University of NSW as well as Macquarie University on May 17 hosting barbecues, handing out Golden Gaytime ice creams and calling for allies to help them battle homophobia and discrimination.

Events will be held at four separate UWS campuses at Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Campbelltown, UWS Ally Network co-convener David Lenton told SX, with plenty of interaction, discussion and fun promised for the day.   

“There’ll be an opportunity for people to share their own stories of, and thoughts about, homophobia and transphobia for a video that will be produced about the day’s events,” Lenton said.

“We’ll also have a Sea of Hearts on each campus, so people can write their messages of support and give a gold coin donation to the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, as well as providing staff and students with information about local services for members of the GLBTIQ community and their allies.”

Lenton said he hoped the event would help in dispelling perceptions that Western Sydney was an “unremitting bastion” of homophobic attitudes.

“I believe the fact that we went from running a successful IDAHO event on Bankstown campus last year, to now having enough interest and support to run events on four campuses just a year later, is a strong indicator of that,” Lenton told SX.

IDAHO commemorations will also take place at Macquarie University and the main Kensington campus of the University of NSW, with jugglers set to perform on the library lawn.

UNSW: Thursday, May 17, 12pm-2pm, Kensington Campus, Library Concourse and Lawn. Visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allyunsw/149076221829664

MACQUARIE UNI: Thursday, May 17, 12pm-2pm, Central Courtyard. Visit http://www.facebook.com/MQEquityandDiversity

UWS: Thursday, May 17, 10am-3pm, Hawkesbury, Parramatta, Bankstown and Campbelltown campuses. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/273667616061672