Rainbow, whose acronym means: Right Against INtolerance Building an Open-minded World, is an action-research targeted to education professionals (teachers mainly, but also educators), as well as to children and young people, the final beneficiaries, aimed at fighting homophobia in educational settings.

The Rainbow project connects EU gay and lesbian associations, schools and media professionals promoting the rights of children and young people to their sexual identity and orientation and who fight against homophobia, in order to A) study stereotypes and B) challenge them, to develop knowledge and good practices in Europe (Italy, Belgium Bulgaria, Germany, Holland, Basques Countries and UK).

The project is coordinated by CIG Arcigay Milano, in partnership with Synergia, ECFA, Farapi, SAPI, Jekino Distributie, BJF, COC Amsterdam, LGBT Consortium/Schools Out, Ararteko, Arcigay and the collaboration of Arcilesbica Zami Milano.

RAINBOW is now seeking submissions of short films made by young people aged 15 -19 years from European countries.

The films, up to 10 minutes, must enter one of the following 3 the categories:

1. live action
2. animation
3. documentary

In one of these two different issues about sexual orientation and gender diversity:

1. Surroundings: being gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual at school, in the family or in sports
2. Relationships: me and my friends

Deadline for entries is May 11th, 2012

(The films must be delivered by May 11th)
The films must be produced in the years 2011-2012

The film should correspond to one of the given categories and send to:

Rainbow Short Films Competition against Homophobia
Centro di Iniziativa Gay ONLUS
Comitato Provinciale Arcigay di Milano
Via Bezzecca 3
20135 Milan – Italy

The Rainbow Project team will appoint an international jury – involving experts and LGBT professionals connected to the Milano Mix Festival – Gay and lesbian cinema and queer culture that will award a weekend for 2 people in a European city (flight and accommodation in hotel 3* BB) for the  2 best movies.

The winning films and a selection of the films participating (shortlisted films) will be screened at the 26th Milano MIX Festival – Gay and lesbian cinema and queer culture, in Milan, Italy, June 2012 and in other festivals organised by partners of the Rainbow Project.

Files:
Film submission form
Postcard (pdf)
Competition guidelines

The project focuses on the right to sexual identity and on the fight against homophobia.

The aim of the project is to study stereotypes and challenge them with educational tools:

1. An educational kit for teachers and students of primary and secondary schools, based on 9 short movies for 4 different age groups. A DVD and a study guide with class activities and suggestions will be distributed.
2. A playful toolkit for young people of schools, sports groups, and associations based on web and paper activities (table game).

The Rainbow Project, in order to complete nn.1 and 2, would like to add  also a competition of films produced directly by young people from high schools in Europe, to acquire their personal point of view for the development of possible future projects and events.

All the images in the RAINBOW project reflect a diversity of real images of LGBT issues. The images show real people with real emotions. Feelings such as: desire, doubts, dreams, uncertainty, falling in love, friendship and identity.

Films will be accepted in 3 categories:
- Live action
- Animation
- Documentary

In one of these two different issues about sexual orientation and gender diversity:

1. Surroundings: being gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual at school, in the family or in sports
2. Relationships: me and my friends

Age:
The films have to be made by young people aged 15 – 19 years old as an individual or as a group.
The possible involvement of adults and professionals in the making of the films will be considered by the jury. The more independently made by young people, the higher and more positive will be the jury’s evaluation. For this reason it is important to describe the context in which the film has been created.

Rights:
Only films that have been cleared of rights (including musical rights) will be accepted.

Duration and year of production:
Films should be no longer than 10 minutes and must have been made in either 2011 or 2012.

Deadline for Submission:
All films and entry forms have to be received by 11th May 2012

Shipping information:
Send your film(s) along with the completed entry form(s) with the relevant signatures and all additional information to:
Rainbow Short Film Competition against Homophobia
Centro di Iniziativa Gay ONLUS
Comitato Provinciale Arcigay Milano
Via Bezzecca 3
20135 Milano (Italy)

Accepted formats and documents:
You must send with each entry a good quality copy of your film in either AVI or Quicktime format or a copy of the finished DVD (do not send links to websites), the completed entry form, a short description of the film, its creators, and the context in which the film was made. Where possible, please send high resolution photo(s) from the film either via e-mail to rainbow@arcigaymilano.org or via CD rom with your postal submission.

An email copy of the submission form must be sent to rainbow@arcigaymilano.org

Postal expenses for the film(s) are not the responsibility of the festival organisers. All films should be labelled correctly with the name of the filmmaker/group and title of the film.
DVDs will not be returned. The films submitted for the competition will remain with Rainbow Project partners for archive purposes. Therefore, please do not send the master copy of your film.

If you need help or advice please email us at rainbow@arcigaymilano.org

Selection and winning film notification:
All the young filmmakers of the shortlisted films will be notified by email of the selection and invited to attend the Milano 26th Mix festival, June 2012.
The organisers will not pay expenses for young people (except for winners) to attend the Milano 26th Mix festival.

Allies (n) People who don’t identify as LGBT but who support LGBT equality.

Androgyny (n) A rejection of the binary model (see below) and advocacy of gender fluidity. Many believe gender stereotyping pressurises us from infancy to conform to behaviour patterns associated with our perceived gender.

B

Binary model (n) A model that presupposes everyone to be exclusively male or female.

Bisexual (n) A sexual orientation in which an individual is sexually attracted to both males and females.

Bullying (n and vt) repeated aggressive behaviour designed to hurt someone. Can be physical, mental and/or emotional. A person does not need to be LGBT to be homophobically or transphobically bullied. In European countries, homophobia and transphobia form the motive behind a disproportionately high amount of bullying.

C

Camp (adj) an affected or effeminate mode of male comportment and/or behaviour; a gay stereotype.

Celebrate (diversity) (v int & t) To celebrate diversity and difference means to accentuate the positive values of a diverse society as a method of promoting equality and human rights.

Cisgender (n & adj) The term for someone whose birth sex and gender are matched exactly.

Coming Out  (prep. v int) The process by which someone acknowledges that  being gay, lesbian or bisexual and chooses to be open with others about it. Sometimes people refer to ‘Coming Out of the Closet’. People may be ‘totally’ or ‘partially’ out; e.g. open to friends but not to family or vice-versa.

Closet (in the) (n) The term used to describe lesbians, gay men and bisexuals who are not open about their sexual orientation. This can be total or partial

Cross-dressing (v int & t) transvestism or transvestitism

D

Difference (n) Recognition that we are not all the same. Recognising, accepting and celebrating difference is part of developing an equal society. See Diversity.

Diversity (n) An approach to equalities that seeks to celebrate people’s differences.

Drag (n) dragging up (prep. v int) Cross dressing; usually for entertainment purposes.

Dyke (n) Derogatory term for a lesbian. Origin uncertain. Literally a dam or a bank, it could be a sexual reference to blocking a passage. Or it could come from ‘buildyker’ a dam-builder, referring to a macho stereotype. Some lesbians have repossessed the term and use it as an affirmation.

E

Equality (n) The concept that all people should be treated as equals and be given the same political, economic, social and civil rights.

Equal Opportunities (n) The concept that everyone should have equal access to jobs, services, housing, health etc. whatever their race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender etc. All European countries have equalities legislation but it varies in extent.

F

Faggot fag (n) derogatory term for a gay or bisexual man. Literally a bundle of sticks that fuel a fire. Thought to relate to a medieval tradition of throwing ‘sodomites’ onto the fire whilst burning convicted criminals at the stake as a form of execution.

Family (n) A real loving family does not need a female mother and a male father. In-vitro fertilisation and progress in adoption legislation has led to a growth in families with same-sex parents. Children in western society are coming out as LGB and presenting as T earlier in life, so many families are bringing up children they know to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans. This needs to be reflected in school curricula and resources.

Freedom Flag (n) See ‘Rainbow’.

FTM (adj) Female-to-male transsexual. Also known as Tran-man/men

G

Gay (n & adj) Emotionally/physically attracted to someone of the same gender.

Gender (n) Either male or female based on psychological and emotional characteristics.

Gender affirmation See gender reassignment.

Genderqueer (n & adj) Alternative term for trans person that rejects society’s binary model of assumptions about gender. See Androgyny.

Gender dysphoria (n) The feeling that one’s gender is different from his/her birth sex. *
*Gender dysphoria is a recognised medical condition. Those who experience the
condition do not feel, on the inside, to be of the gender that their bodies are perceived to be. Many…experience such intense and prolonged discomfort that…they undergo aprocess of gender  role transition in which they express their innate gender identities and, usually, obtain medical treatment to modify their bodies accordingly. They…may be regarded as having the condition termed transsexualism.” (Whittle, 2002)
‘Transgender’ is a broader term and includes those who temporarily change their gender Some people prefer ‘gender variance’ because dysphoria suggests something malfunctioning and therefore has negative connotations and implies mental illness. This feeling usually begins early in childhood

Gender reassignment (surgery) (n) medical intervention to change one’s physical sex, including genitalia. Sometimes it is called Gender affirmation. This surgery is available to adults throughout Europe

Gender variance (n) See gender dysphoria.

H

Harassment (n) Unwanted conduct or behaviour which may be used to upset, offend or coerce; often sexual in nature. Like bullying, it is often motivated by homophobia and transphobia.

Hate crime (n) a crime that is motivated by prejudice. In most European states this includes homophobia or transphobia.

Heterosexual (n & adj) Attracted emotionally or physically to members of the opposite gender.

Heterosexism (n) The assumption that all people are heterosexual and that heterosexuality is the norm. Institutionalised heterosexism (n) means heterosexism that is embedded and systematic; making LGB people feel invisible or isolated.

Heternormativity (n) assumes that everyone is white, able bodied, young, middle class, heterosexual, male and Christian.  Others are ‘different’ and may present a ‘challenge’.

Homophobia (n)  Irrational fear, hatred, intolerance or prejudice towards LGB people. It can manifest itself in verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse against LGB people. Internalised homophobia (n) means self-hatred by LGB people who are homophobic themselves. Institutional homophobia (n) means homophobia that is embedded and systematic

Homosexual (n & adj) A generic term for someone who is generally attracted physically/emotionally to someone of the same sex. It can refer to both lesbians and gay men. In English speaking countries the word is often used offensively and the terms Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual  (LGB)are preferred.

Human Rights (n) An agreed criteria that every individual should expect; e.g. justice, freedom of speech and movement etc. Often used with Equality.

I

Intersex (n) Having physical characteristics of both sexes. Many children are born intersex and their birth sex is usually defined by surgery. This often causes gender dysphoria.

Intolerance (n) Intolerance is a term meaning bigotry; proscription based on ignorance. Some people confuse ‘tolerance’ with acceptance because it is the opposite of intolerance. However we ‘tolerate’ a bad thing, such as a certain level of crime or vandalism in our community. Thus we ‘celebrate’ rather than ‘tolerate’. See Celebrate.

L

Lesbian (n & adj) The term used to describe a woman who is emotionally/physically attracted to women.

LGB (adj) Abbreviation of Lesbian (L), Gay (G) or Bisexual (B). Commonly used abbreviation.  Often  T for Trans is also added to form LGBT. You may also see QQIA added this would stand for Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Allies.

LGBT History Month (n) USA every October; UK every February. An annual affirmation of the history of LGBT people and their achievements throughout the world, held to celebrate our hidden histories and make people aware of who we are and what we have done.

M

Medical model (n) a model that sees sexual orientation and/or gender variance as a medical issue. Proponents of the medical model will tend to see LGBT people as having ‘a problem’ that needs to be ‘fixed’ through medical intervention. The medical model tends to pathologise homosexuality and transgenderism and was common in Eastern and Western Europe during the twentieth century. See Social model. In 2010 France removed ‘transsexualism’ from its list of mental disorders. To date it is the only country to have done so.

MTF (adj) Male-to-female (transsexual). Also known as Tran-woman/women.

O

Oppression (n) The exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.

Outing (someone) (v t) Revealing that someone is LGB or T against their wishes. In the UK and some USA States, it is illegal for an employer to disclose an employee’s transsexual status to a third party without permission.
P

Prejudice (n) A preconceived belief, opinion or judgment toward a group of people.

Pride (n) Pride in this sense is an affirmation of one’s self and the community as a whole. The modern “pride” movement began after the Stonewall riots in 1969. Pride marches are common in western societies.

Q

Queer (n) Alternative term to LGBT. The term has also been used in a derogatory way so not all lesbian and gay people are comfortable with it, but many young LGBT people use it as an affirmation.

Questioning (v int) Describes a person who is not certain of his/her sexual orientation.

R

Rainbow (n) Emblem of Gay pride, most commonly displayed in a flag format sometimes referred to as a “freedom flag”. red: life orange: healing yellow: sunlight green: nature blue: serenity/harmony violet: spirit

Rainbow flag, originally designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, is similar to, but not the same as the peace flag of seven colours, based on a design by Picasso, which was first flown in a protest in Italy in 1961

S

Same-sex (adj) an adjective that often pre-fixes terms e.g. same-sex marriage, same-sex relationship.

Sex (n) Either male or female based on physical sexual characteristics.

Sexual Identity (n) Describes the ways a person self-identifies sexually. For example, a person may have sex with members of the same gender without identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual. Therefore sexual identity is not the same as sexual orientation.

Sexual Orientation or Sexuality (n) Emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction towards the same or opposite gender partners.

Social model (n) a model that sees sexual orientation and or gender variance as a part of the diversity of the human race. Proponents of the social model will tend to see society and its institutions as the obstacle if LGBT people suffer from discrimination or their needs are not met. The social model has been or is being adopted in most European countries in the twenty-first century. See Medical model.

Stereotype (n) A fixed, commonly held notion or image of a person or group, based on an oversimplification of some observed behaviours or traits. Generally, stereotypes are negative. Children are usually expected to conform to gender stereotypes.

Straight (n & adj) Colloquial term for people who are heterosexual.

Straight ‘acting’ (adj) gay or lesbian with no outward appearance of being so. See Camp

T

Tolerance (n) See Intolerance

Trans person or people (n) Someone who does not conform to predominant gender roles.

Transgender(ed)1 Same as Trans.

Transgender(ed)2 Someone who lives in the sex/gender they were not assigned at birth but does not undergo gender reassignment surgery.

Transphobia (n) The irrational fear, hatred, intolerance or prejudice towards trans people. It can manifest itself in verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse against trans people.

Transsexual (n and adj) A legal term for someone who is preparing to undergo/is undergoing/has undergone gender reassignment surgery. It is offensive in to describe a person as a transsexual (like referring to a gay or lesbian as a homosexual) and one should always identify a person in the gender to which they identify. It is fine, however, to use transsexual as an adjective; e.g. ‘transsexual status’ or ‘transsexual conference’

Transvestite (n) someone who dresses in clothes associated with the opposite sex to that in which they were born. This may be public or private; occasional or full-time. Also called cross-dressing
N.B. Cross-dressing and TV tend to be used to describe male to female transvestism for the purposes of sexual gratification. However there is a historic tradition of transvestism, both male to female and female to male for comfort, security and a range of other motives.

V

Victimisation (n) When a person is treated less favourably because they have taken action in respect of discrimination e.g. making a complaint. Victimisation is unlawful.

Visibility (n) How visible a group is among the wider public. Young LGBT people often feel ‘invisible’ because they don’t see or hear of anyone like themselves.

Z

Zero-tolerance (n) An approach to equality that advocates no acceptance of racism, disablism, homophobia, transphobia etc. including childhood name-calling.