Network Ten and many of its top presenters are lending their support to an international effort to reduce discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people.

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) on May 17, selected Network Ten personalities will appear in a special 30 second advertisement encouraging people to get involved in This Is Oz, an online photo gallery where participants can upload pictures of themselves with messages that challenge homophobia or celebrate diversity and social inclusion. The web address is www.thisisoz.com.au

Some of the Network Ten stars participating in the project include newsreader Sandra Sully, The 7PM Project hosts Charlie Pickering, Carrie Bickmore and Dave Hughes, Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown, and Yumi Stynes, Denise Drysdale, Gorgi Coghlan and Chrissie Swan from The Circle.

The community service announcement will start screening nationally on TEN and ONE from Sunday 9 May and will continue to be screened after IDAHO. Other Network Ten celebrities and campaign participants will be added to the line-up on a regular basis.

Also supporting the campaign are Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers from the NSW Police Force at Westfield’s Penrith Plaza on the evening of Thursday 13 May to promote IDAHO and This Is Oz.

A series of free postcards featuring the Panthers, Olympic hero Matthew Mitcham and other This Is Oz participants are also currently being distributed throughout NSW to raise awareness of IDAHO.

This Is Oz is a project of ACON, Australia’s largest community-based GLBT health and HIV/AIDS organisation. ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill says he’s delighted that Network 10 and the Penrith Panthers are supporting IDAHO and This Is Oz.

“IDAHO gives us an opportunity to reflect on the serious impact that homophobia and discrimination has on the health and wellbeing of our community, especially on young GLBT people who are up to 15 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population,” Mr Parkhill says.

“Our This Is Oz initiative offers people throughout Australia a simple yet powerful way to speak up and show their support for a society that respects human rights, embraces diversity and accepts people on face value.”

“We’re extremely grateful for the support of all our This Is Oz project partners, especially this latest contribution from Network Ten. This kind of publicity from high profile media personalities is a really effective way of getting ordinary Australians to engage with the issue of GLBT discrimination, face up to the impact of homophobia and then hopefully do their bit to help make Australia a place where everyone belongs.”

Other supporters of This Is Oz include Evolution Publishing, SameSame.com.au, the University of Western Sydney, Family Planning NSW, the Gay and Lesbian Right's Lobby, NSW Dept of Justice and Attorney General and the City of Sydney.

Visit www.thisisoz.com.au to view the community service announcement and the images of the Network 10 celebrities, the Penrith Panthers and lots of other famous and fabulous folk.