Unlearning Hate: International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia

If someone had an irrational fear of an eight-legged, many eyed, web spinning creature, we would say they had “arachnophobia”. Someone who struggles with enclosed spaces would be “claustrophobic”, and someone afraid of the depths of the ocean has “thalassophobia”. Fears and phobias are very real to those who experience them, but there is a difference between fear and hate. Homophobia is not true to its name. It is not a fear of houses; it is hate targeted towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia can all affect a wide range of people, even those who you may not have considered.  

As a young child, I remember facing ridicule from my classmates for liking red, blue, and green because “those colors aren’t for girls”. At the time, it seemed normal, right? All the little girls had to like princesses and the color pink, and boys had to like superheroes and dinosaurs. Nobody was going to question it. Now I look back and think about how seemingly small pressures, like gender roles, led me to believe something was wrong with me.  

Not all homophobia is overt or easy to recognize, meaning it can be perpetuated through simple comments, backhanded compliments, and stereotypes that many people will not bat an eye at. Hate like this is so normalized that even queer people can be homophobic without realizing. May 17th, 2025 is the 20th observance of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). At Glow, we oppose hate 365 days a year, and today we ask that you work with us on tackling this issue. 

One thing we encourage you to do is to look inwards. Hate is taught and learned, spread down generations, which means it needs to be unlearned by us all. Though it can be difficult, try challenging your thoughts, and ask yourself where they came from.  

Here are some questions you can start with: 

• Who taught me this value? 
• Why did they teach me this? 
• How did I learn it? 
• Am I certain about this being correct? 
• What other perspectives are there?  

Regardless of where you stand, a crucial part of self-growth is to reflect on yourself. As students, we are encouraged to be curious and learn, so why not take those values beyond your studies?  

If you are interested in finding resources, Glow will happily provide them for you. At the Glow Centre, there is a collection of books connected to the University of Waterloo Library, which you are able to borrow from, as well as informational pamphlets and booklets. Education is the best way to battle misinformation, so we encourage you to be curious as you start from the root of your own internalized homophobia and hate. The change we want to see will always start from ourselves, so that’s a good first step. 

Riley (they/he) 

Glow Centre Coordinator 

You can follow Glow on Instagram at @uwglow or learn more about their work on their website.