A new video produced by young people in Greater Dandenong aims to raise awareness of the stigma and discrimination that exists for culturally diverse LGBTIQA+ young people.
Council will celebrate IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia) this Friday (17 May), with a flag raising in Dandenong’s Harmony Square followed by a public screening of the short video.
The #Proud2Be project was created by young people with lived experience and participants were supported to create a short video to raise community awareness and understanding of the challenges they face.
Youth Development Officer Venushi Dewundege worked alongside the project participants and said the campaign should raise awareness of more subtle forms of discrimination.
“It was a privilege to be privy to such rich conversations with the young people. They were really pointed about not villainising or ostracising anyone, but keeping true to their experiences of discrimination,” Miss Dewundege said.
The video was produced with the support of Momentum Studios Australia Creative Director Michael Hardinge.
“There’s something quite magical that happens when you put young people with lived experience in the driver's seat of creating campaigns like this,” Mr Hardinge said.
“We hope this video touches anyone and everyone who comes into contact with it and starts important conversations, which is what IDAHOBIT is all about.”
#Proud2Be was funded by Greater Dandenong City Council and the Victorian Government through the Healthy Equal Youth program.
Join us in Harmony Square to mark IDAHOBIT with a flag raising and public screening of the #Proud2Be short video, on Friday 17 May from 10am-11am.
Visit Council's Youth and Family Services website to find out more and to see the video.