On 17th May 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. The date has become symbolic and, today, in the four corners of the world we are looking to raise people’s awareness on the importance of the fight against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
Some Engineering Physics students at Instituto Superior Técnico had the idea of creating QueerIST, a LGBTI + group (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex or others). The initiative quickly spread and the group ended up creating an Autonomous Section (SA) of AEIST, which would need to be voted in the General Students Assembly (AGA). “Several people attended deliberately this AGA to vote against; that is not to mention the hundreds of hateful comments on Facebook”, recalls Francisco Sousa, president of QueerIST. Still, QueerIST was created on 6th December 2017.
At the time QueerIST was created, it was the only group on the LGBTI + front in the academic context, in Lisbon. Francisco Sousa believes that this “inspired other schools to follow the same path”. “Técnico once again took an historic step in the Portuguese student movement”, he stresses.
QueerIST aims to be a “meeting place for queer community that may feel discriminated or isolated”. “We want to promote more union and inclusion among students”. To this end, the group carries out a diverse set of actions ranging from talks to cinema sessions- followed by debates, and also QueerIST library and “Pela Arte Queer” initiative. “Dialogue is the biggest agent for change”, stresses Francisco Sousa.
One of the main goals of this student group is to promote the inclusion of members of queer community. “Our events always promote a safe and inclusive atmosphere, where people feel comfortable with their sexuality and gender identity”, says Francisco Sousa. “We organise a wide range of events, such as talks and debates, and also cinema sessions and barbecues, which we call ‘Queer Wednesdays’”, he adds.
The events are open to everyone. “We have had some support from professors, who participate in our events”, shares the president of QueerIST. The events and activities have captivated students from other schools, “perhaps due to the versatility of the topics”, highlights the Técnico student. “We encourage open and honest dialogue, and contact between people because we believe that this is the best way to combat discrimination”, he stresses.
Numbers vary widely in the LGBTI + community. “Many people choose not to join the community because they fear discrimination”, explains Francisco Sousa.
The results recently released by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, reveal that Portugal is the country of the European Union (EU) with fewer attacks motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity. According to this study, 68% of the respondents believe that prejudice and intolerance have decreased in the last five years. This survey included the participation of 4,294 Portuguese people. Francisco Sousa points out that “although some attitudes are improving at Técnico, discrimination continues to occur and i tis expressed in more subtle and implicit ways”.
Promoting information on LGBT+ is part of QueerIST’s strategy. “We met some people in our community who were positively affected by our activity, and we noticed that the dialogue of queer issues has become more common and visible at Técnico,” says the student, who also highlights “discrimination is far from end. Acceptance will avoid discrimination”.
As long as fear, violence and discrimination continue to exist “QueerIST like any other group that fights for equality, will be necessary”, stresses Francisco Sousa. “We only need to look at other movements, like the feminist and the anti-racist, to see that the fight does not end tomorrow and, as long as there are oppressed, isolated and silenced minorities, we will be here to fight for them”, he concludes.
