NEW YORK, NY – Today, on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, Logo, the leading entertainment brand inspired by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community, launched the Global Ally multiplatform storytelling project and released initial findings from the inaugural ILGA-RIWI 2016 Global Attitudes Survey on LGBTI People in partnership with Logo, the largest survey of attitudes toward LGBTI people around the world. The survey of nearly 100,000 individuals in 65 countries including Brazil, China, Congo, Egypt, France, Iraq, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, and the United States, conducted by global survey technology company RIWI Corp. and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), found that acceptance of the LGBTI community is growing both in the United States and around the world, but there is a long road ahead for equality.
Logo Launches Year-Long “Global Ally” International Storytelling Project
The launch of Logo’s Global Ally project coincides with The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), an annual day when LGBTI activists in more than 130 countries mobilize to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people. Logo partnered with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and OutRight Action International on Global Ally, a year-long multiplatform storytelling project which will feature video interviews with dozens of international LGBTI activists, hosted on http://globalally.org. Global Ally provides Logo’s audience with inside looks into the lives of international LGBTI people and features ways to send direct messages of solidarity and support to activists around the world.
Global Ally videos will be presented by advocates Geena Rocero and Omar Sharif Jr. and will spotlight issues including censorship, criminalization, discrimination and transgender equality. The first video debuted last night at the United Nations during OutRight’s Celebration of Courage event. Additional videos will be released throughout the year.
On GlobalAlly.org, allies can share videos of activists sharing their personal stories and send individual messages of solidarity to activists featured in the videos. The messages of support will be posted on GlobalAlly.org and activists will be able to personally respond on the site. GlobalAlly.org will also feature news about international LGBTI issues from NewNowNext.com.
“Stories of LGBTI people in the media have the power to create real change, but in too many countries today, LGBTI people cannot turn on the TV, open a newspaper or go online and see themselves represented,” said Rich Ferraro, Senior Director of Communications & Public Affairs at Logo. “Global Ally is a platform for international LGBTI people to share their own stories as well as a way for our audience to amplify them and send a message that we stand in solidarity.”
Results of ILGA-RIWI 2016 Global Attitudes Survey on LGBTI People in partnership with Logo
As part of Global Ally, Logo also released the first round of results from the ILGA-RIWI 2016 Global Attitudes Survey on LGBTI People. RIWI Corp. polled nearly 100,000 respondents from 65 countries on their attitudes toward LGBTI people and issues. The survey fielding used RIWI Corp.’s patented Random Domain Intercept Technology™, which targets random Web users around the world, including remote locations, who are surfing online through an anonymous opt-in survey. RIWI Corp. has conducted similar global surveys for the World Bank, Freedom House, and the International Association of Prosecutors.
Initial findings from the Global Attitudes Survey show that attitudes towards the LGBTI community have become more favorable over the past five years across the world, but reinforce that acceptance is far from a reality in dozens of countries around the world. Throughout the year, Logo’s Global Ally project will release additional regional research findings.
“We are witnessing a significant shift in consciousness away from the most egregious forms of discrimination at the global level, albeit with remarkable differences between the various regions. With the exception of Pakistan, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana, even in countries known for laws criminalising same-sex sexual behaviour among consenting adults, less than 50% of the population supports those laws,” said Renato Sabbadini, Executive Director of ILGA. “We need, however, to increase support for activists and broaden the basis of our allies, if forward progress is to continue, especially in the domains of legislation and public education.”
Infographics are available to review and share at http://globalally.org/
