The World Health Organization deemed homosexuality a disease up until 23 years ago.

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, or IDAHO, an annual event aiming to raise awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights advocacy.

In an effort to highlight great investigations and landmark media attention around LGBT discrimination, The I Files editors have put together a playlist that takes a look at LGBT rights outside of the U.S. Many LGBT citizens today still face violence or persecution based on their sexuality or gender. In more than 76 countries around the world, same-sex relationships are still considered illegal and punishable by jail time or fines. The repercussions of being gay in some of these countries can even result in a death sentence.

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Julia B. Chan worked at The Center for Investigative Reporting until June, 2017. Julia B. Chan is a producer and the digital editor for Reveal's national public radio program. She’s the voice of Reveal online and manages the production and curation of digital story assets that are sent to more than 200 stations across the country. Previously, Chan helped The Center for Investigative Reporting launch YouTube’s first investigative news channel, The I Files, and led engagement strategies – online and off – for multimedia projects. She oversaw communications, worked to better connect CIR’s work with a bigger audience and developed creative content and collaborations to garner conversation and impact.

Before joining CIR, Chan worked as a Web editor and reporter at the San Francisco Examiner. She managed the newspaper’s digital strategy and orchestrated its first foray into social media and online engagement. A rare San Francisco native, she studied broadcasting at San Francisco State University, focusing on audio production and recording. Chan is based in Reveal's Emeryville, California, office.