Ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17, a day to raise awareness on LGBT rights violations, Minus18, an Australian not-for-profit organisation has collaborated with LGBTQI+ community and Snap Australia to create a series of Augmented Reality lenses.
The despite the significant progress made towards ridding discrimination among the LGBTQI+ youth, three out of four still fall victim to bully or discrimination of some form. Growing up part of the LGBTQI+ community can be difficult as it is, with many feeling alone and different. The idea behind these lenses is to encourage “young people to continue to celebrate their individual identity and the wider queer community,” says Minus18 CEO Micah Scott.
These lenses, set to be released on May 12, comes after Snap’s in-app release of Here For You, giving Snapchatters access to resources and most importantly support regarding mental health. Micah adds that “LGBTQIA+ youth are still twice as likely to be diagnosed and treated for mental health illnesses in Australia,” which is why it is even more important for that community to be included.
Snapchat remains on of the most used platforms by the younger generations, and so it is key that it be a “safe and engaging platform that allows you to be your authentic self, while communicating with your close friends,” explains Kathryn Carter, General Manager, Snap Inc. ANZ.
For more information on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia, check out https://www.idahobit.org.au.
IDAHOBIT will take place on May 17, and the lenses will be available from May 12, 2020.
