Today, we are using the International Holocaust Remembrance Day to talk about the important history of the Holocaust. The international Memorial Day held on the 27th of January every year was introduced following the liberation of the concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and death camp, by the Red Army. Historians put the death toll of Jews and other groups including ethnic Poles, Soviet civilians, and prisoners of war, Roma, disabled, political, and religious dissidents at 11 million. Often forgotten, the victims of Nazi Germany also include gay men marked with the Pink Triangle. It is now believed that between 5,000 to 15,000 gay men were sent to concentration camps of whom 3,000 to 10,000 met their deaths as part of the Holocaust. Sarah had the chance to talk to Dr. Alexander Zinn, historian as well as a sociologist from Germany, talking about the LGBTQ+ group of victims of the Holocaust for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021. The article and the interview are part of our queer history series on Couple of Men.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is observed annually on February 7 to increase awareness, spark conversations, and highlight the work being done to reduce HIV in Black or African American (hereafter referred to as Black) communities in the United States and show support for people with HIV in these communities.

On Zero Discrimination Day, 1 March, we celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life—and live it with dignity. Zero Discrimination Day highlights how people can become informed about and promote inclusion, compassion, peace and, above all, a movement for change. Zero Discrimination Day is helping to create a global movement of solidarity to end all forms of discrimination.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Celebrate women's achievements. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.

March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). Share the social media posts below to help spark conversations about HIV and highlight prevention methods to reduce HIV among women.

Today is dedicated to celebrating the resilience and strength of Two-Spirit and Indigenous peoples. People in this community face unique challenges including high rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Research finds that 57% of non-cisgender Native people attempt suicide (12 times higher than the general US population).

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) is observed annually on March 20. NNHAAD increases awareness, starts conversations, and spotlights the work being done to reduce HIV among American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, and show support for people with HIV in these communities.

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

International Asexuality Day (IAD) will take place on April 6th. IAD is a coordinated worldwide campaign promoting the ace umbrella, including demisexual, grey-asexual and other ace identities.

The four themes of IAD are:

Advocacy

Celebration

Education

Solidarity

These themes highlight the aims of recognising and enabling the work that the international ace community and organisations do, particularly in non-Western and/or non-English speaking countries.

7 April is World Health Day

It is celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

April 10 is National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). Share the social media posts below to help spark conversations about HIV and highlight prevention methods to reduce HIV among youth. You can also find and share Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign resources for young adults in English and Spanish.

April 18 is National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD). Share the social media posts below to help spark conversations about HIV testing and status awareness, as well as HIV prevention and treatment for transgender and nonbinary people. You can also share Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign resources for transgender people (in English and Spanish) as well as HIV testing resources (in English and Spanish).

Every third Sunday in April celebrates Nonbinary Parents Day, a special spotlight on the enby (nonbinary) parents in our lives.  

This day is a haven for lesbians to feel recognized, safe, and visible in a world that still discriminates against them through inequality, and in some countries with violence. One of the many points of acknowledging this day bring awareness to the stereotypes, judgment, and lack of representation that happens daily.

The International Family Equality Day is celebrated on May 1st in 71 countries and 237 towns worldwide!

National Honor Our LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender) Elders Day, May 16, is an opportunity to recognize and pay tribute to earlier generations whose activism and bravery have created a path for younger community members to envision a future free from discrimination and stigmatization.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

The Day represents a major global annual landmark to draw the attention of decision makers, the media, the public, corporations, opinion leaders, local authorities, etc. to the alarming situation faced by people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

Led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseasesexternal icon, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is observed on May 18. This event is an opportunity to recognize the many volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists who are working together to find a safe and effective vaccine to prevent HIV. It is also a day to educate communities about the importance of HIV vaccine research.

May 19 is National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a day to combat stigma in Asian and Pacific Islander communities. When we reduce HIV stigma and promote prevention, testing, and treatment, we can #StopHIVTogether.

May 19th marks Agender Pride Day!

To be agender means to not identify as any particular gender. Agender is also called genderblank , genderfree, genderless, gendervoid, non-gendered, ungendered, or null gender. The agender identity falls under the nonbinary umbrella and (sometimes) the transgender umbrella.

Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22. Harvey Milk was a gay rights activist during the twentieth century and assassinated in 1978. Harvey Milk, was a visionary civil and human rights leader who became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.

The 24th May marks Pansexual and Panromantic awareness and visibility day. These are two terms that not everyone might be conscious of so an awareness and visibility day such as this is really important. So what do these two terms mean?

Pansexual people – people who are attracted to others regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.

Panromantic people – people who are romantically (not necessarily sexually) attracted to others regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.

HIV Long-term Survivors Awareness Day is a time to celebrate the strength and resiliencies of people living longest with HIV/AIDS while highlighting current challenges and creating changes to improve the Quality of Life for HIV Long-term Survivors.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a proclamation declaring June 12 "Pulse Remembrance Day," in memory of those killed during a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, a popular LGBTQ+ venue in Orlando in 2016.

“The first Autistic Pride Day started in the early 2000s, and it's been growing in popularity ever since. The day is all about promoting acceptance and understanding of neurodiversity, and challenging the idea that autism is something that needs to be cured.”

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. This day came to be known as #Juneteenth, now officially a federal holiday. Celebrate with @NMAAHC: nmaach.si.edu/Juneteenth

June 26 marks a major milestone for civil rights in the United States, as the Supreme Court announces its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. By one vote, the court rules that same-sex marriage cannot be banned in the United States and that all same-sex marriages must be recognized nationwide, finally granting same-sex couples equal rights to heterosexual couples under the law.

In an effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is recognizing June 27 as National HIV Testing Day.

An estimated quarter of a million Americans are unaware of their HIV infection, but knowing their status could save their lives. In the MDCH funded testing sites throughout Michigan, more than 83,000 people are tested for HIV every year, and about 450 of those tests are positive for HIV.

"It is very important for people who may be at risk for HIV to get tested," said Janet Olszewski, MDCH Director. "Knowing your status can protect your health and the health of your partner."

Queer Youth of Faith Day is a time for queer youth to celebrate their faith and take pride in ALL of who they are. One in five LGBTQ+ youth say their faith is important to them. However, most queer youth are still taught that queerness has no place in God’s kingdom. Negative aspects of certain religious groups push conversion therapy because they believe that identifying as LGBTQ+ is a sin. As a result, many of these young believers suffer from self-hate, depression, and self-harm. Many ultimately leave their faith behind while bringing their religious trauma along with them. However, there is hope for those who are in need of a safe comforting space.

July 6th is Omnisexual Visibility Day. This holiday was created to bring awareness and understanding to this sexual identity.

Omnisexuality is the attraction to people of all genders, with an awareness of gender. Gender can play a factor in who Omnisexual people are attracted to.

July 14 is recognized around the world as International Non-Binary People’s Day. This occasion shines a light on those who identify as non-binary and celebrates the rich diversity of the community.

The term “non-binary” describes someone who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary folks may identify as being both a man and a woman or as falling completely outside these categories. Many non-binary people also identify as transgender, though not all do.

While American culture may reinforce the notion that gender exists as a strict binary, we know there is so much more to it. Non-binary people show us every day that knowing one’s self and identity is a powerful thing that no one can strip away. There’s a lot of work to be done in securing full protections and rights for our non-binary siblings, but amid that work we must take time to celebrate as well.

The International Drag Day is an annual event on July 16 that aims to celebrate and recognize the Drag art all around the world.

In order to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups, including their health needs, every 9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.

Gay Uncles Day, also known as Guncles Day, is celebrated on the second Sunday in August. It was first celebrated in the US on a wide scale Sunday, August 14, 2016.

September 18 is National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD). NHAAD brings attention to issues related to HIV among older Americans, including new infections among older adults and adults over 50 aging with HIV.

September 27 is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD). Share the social media posts below to raise awareness about the impact of HIV on gay and bisexual men in the United States and encourage them to get tested and know their prevention options. You can also share Let’s Stop HIV Together testing campaign resources for gay and bisexual men in English and Spanish.

International Lesbian Day is an annual day to celebrate and bring visibility to lesbians in the LGBT+ community. The purpose of the date is to celebrate and shine a light on the diversity of lesbians internationally. Whilst the exact foundation of International Lesbian Day is uncertain, it is widely believed that it began in Australia and New Zealand in 1980 when a Lesbian Day March was held in New Zealand. The first Australian event was held at the Collingwood Town Hall in Melbourne on October 13, 1990.

Whether you're lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, be proud of who you are and your support for LGBTQ+ equality this Coming Out Day!

Every year on National Coming Out Day, we celebrate coming out as LGBTQ+. This year, we will mark the 33rd anniversary of National Coming Out Day with the theme of Born to Shine!

International Pronouns Day seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace.

Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender and gender nonconforming people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities.

Oct. 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day, a day that aims to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and encourage the use of prevention and treatment methods in the Hispanic and Latino communities. The National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day encourages everyone to make a commitment to know the facts about HIV, get tested for HIV and get into and stay in medical care if they are diagnosed with HIV.

Take the pledge against bullying. Each year on Spirit Day, millions go purple to support LGBTQ youth.

LGBTQ youth disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. Each year, millions go purple for Spirit Day to support LGBTQ youth in a united stand against bullying. Pledging to “go purple" on Spirit Day is a way for everyone — global and local brands and companies, world leaders, celebrities, neighbors, parents, classmates, and friends — to visibly show solidarity with youth and to take part in the largest, most visible LGBTQ anti-bullying campaign in the world.

On October 19 (every year), CenterLink holds “LGBT Center Awareness Day”, a national day of action focused on awareness around the work of LGBT community centers everywhere.

October 26, 1996 marks the anniversary of the first public demonstration by intersex people in the United States. Members of the now defunct Intersex Society of North America and their allies arrived in Boston, MA at the annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics. They demonstrated and shared their pain in a very public way, denouncing non-consensual infant genital surgeries and demanding the medical industry take notice. Doctors dismissed the activists as a vocal minority in a 1997 New York Times article covering the intersex action. The tides are slowly changing.

Each year, on the first Sunday of November, the world celebrates TransParent Day. Since 2009, when the initiative was established, it has been a great honor for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to honor the Trans community’s rights.

Intersex Day of Remembrance, also known as Intersex Solidarity Day, is an internationally observed civil awareness day designed to highlight issues faced by intersex people.

Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

This World AIDS Day, help raise awareness (and life-changing funds) in your university to fight HIV.

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

National Pansexual Pride Day on December 8th is marked to celebrate strides taken by the pansexual and panromantic community to be accepted and understood.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.