International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence Based on Musical Preferences, Lifestyle and Dress Code
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The celebration of the International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence Based on Musical Preferences, Lifestyle and Dress Code was a proposal of the Romanian Humanist Association supported by The Sophie Lancaster Foundation and its purpose is to prevent discrimination and intolerant attitude towards people who adopt an "unconventional" of life and behavour.
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[edit] Sophie Lancaster Foundation
În 2007, Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were attacked and severely beaten while walking through Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Rossendale in Lancashire, by a group on teenagers due to the fact that they were dressed in Gothic fashion. Her death has become a symbol for many people who experience intolerance, discrimination and violence only because they have different musical preferences, lifestyle or dress code.
Sylvia Lancaster, the mother of Sophie, founded The Sophie Lancaster Foundation to stand for stamp out prejudice, intolerance and hatred everywhere.
The aims and objectives of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation are as follows:
- to create a lasting legacy to Sophie.
- to provide educational group-works that will challenge the prejudice and intolerance towards people from alternative subcultures.
- to campaign to have the UK hate crime legislation extended to include people from "alternative subcultures" or "Lifestyle and Dress".
[edit] Black Cat Campaign
The Romanian Humanist Association, being inspired by the work of The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, started a similar campaign in Romania called The Black Cat Campaign. It was launched in partnership with The Sophie Lancaster Foundation in London, on 10 June 2009. The British Humanist Association welcomed this event in London.
The goals of the Black Cat Campaign are:
- to raise awareness concerning the numerous incidents of intolerance, violence and discrimination perpetrated on individuals who dress and look "different";
- to provide assistance, including legal assistance if so needed, to persons who are victims of this type of intolerance, violence and discrimination.
- to provide the necessary support in dealing with the media, in order to prevent the dissemination of stereotypes and prejudices against people who dress "differently" or choose to have an otherwise "unconventional" physical appearance.
- to promote the right to be different and encourage diversity.
[edit] The celebration
On 24 August 2009, this day was for the first time celebrated. The event took place in Bucharest, Romania, on that day, in Control Club near the Architecture University. There were projections about Sophie Lancaster's case and discussions based on the Romanian Humanist Association declaring the day of 24 August as the International Day Against Intolerance, Discrimination and Violence based on Musical Preferences, Lifestyle and Dress Code.
The second celebration of this day takes place in Bucharest, on 24 August 2010.
A similar event took place in Sibiu, on 27 May, the same year. The end goal of the project is to promote an attitude that is not discriminating anyone based on musical, lifestyle and dress code.
[edit] External links
- SophieLancasterFoundation.com
- InMemoryOfSophie
- BackStreet-Merch.com
- (Romanian) Black-Cat.ro
- (Romanian) SecularHumanism.ro
