Sunderland Football Club flies rainbow flag in support of IDAHOT
![Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.](https://www.thepinknews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PN-Article-Image-6.png?w=792&h=416&crop=1)
Sunderland Association Football Club has flown a rainbow flag in favour of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), and the city’s mayor has celebrated the decision.
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), marks the World Health Organisation’s decision on 17 May 1990 to remove the classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder, in the International Classification of Diseases.
The Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Robert Heron, said the raising of the rainbow flag shows the city understands its diverse cultures.
“Sunderland continues to support IDAHO Day and the flag-raising event demonstrates a commitment to understanding and celebrating the cultures that make Sunderland special,” he said.
“The City Council is a Stonewall Diversity champion and it is only fitting that we use IDAHOT Day to make it clear that unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation are unacceptable in our city.”
A rally in the Georgian city of Tbilisi to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), was today taken over by a violent mob of thousands who chased down demonstrators, forcing police to evacuate gay rights supporters.
The UN Human Rights Office released the video message to mark 2013′s IDAHOT, featured the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, and addressed LGBT people, saying “you are not alone”.