Newsletter - December 2020

View this email in your browser December 2020 In this December edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: Karl Zlotkowski’s report on our Salon78 forums: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978 Garry Wotherspoon’s review of the Coming Out in the 70s Exhibition at the State Library Diane Minnis on the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras AGM Ken Davis on the SGLMG Ethics Policy Sallie Colechin's report on the SGLMG 78ers Committee and Parade 2021 A review from Ken Davis of the film Women of Steel Details of the outdoor Social Lunch on Saturday 13 February, 2021 Calendar of Events. Diane Minnis Chair and speakers at Part 1 of Fifty Years of Visibility. Clockwise from top left: Betty Hounslow (Chair), Robert French, Abbie Pobjoy, Dennis Altman, Barry Charles, Gabrielle Antolovich. Photo montage: Sallie Colechin. Over the last two weeks we have held the latest of our forums, with the theme of Fifty Years of Visibility: Pioneers and Connections before 1978. Our aim was to highlight the pioneering activism of the early 1970’s, and how it laid the way for the emergence of Australia’s LGBTIQ communities after the events of 1978. This was an ambitious program. From the first we had to divide one forum into two sessions and even then, as our speakers got into their stride, we knew there was so much more to tell. And we plan to tell it. Already we’re planning more events for next year, exploring themes that surfaced in the formal presentations and the Q&A sessions that followed. Amongst these is the way that class, as opposed to gender, fed the face-off between men and women that often surfaced in the mid 70’s, and had to be worked through before a viable community emerged after 1978. And then there is the intriguing question of conflicts between activists and bar owners (the Sydney 'Syndicate’), as well as scintillating stories of high-jinks on overnight trains between Sydney and Melbourne (the ’Spirit of Progress?’). More please... We included Melbourne this time because the history of activism in Australia is not just a Sydney thing.  Half of our speakers this time were from Melbourne, or based there now, and this forum showed how strong the political and social links between the two cities were back then, even in those pre-digital dinosaur days. In Part 1 of Fifty Years of Visibility on Sunday 29 November, we heard from: Robert French – The historical timeline of early activism: late 1960s to mid 1970s Abbie Pobjoy – Australasian Lesbian Movement from 1969 Gabrielle (Gaby) Antolovich and Barry Charles – Emerging activism: CAMP Inc., Women’s and Gay Liberation Dennis Altman – US influences and the early Sydney scene. In Part 2 of Fifty Years of Visibility on Sunday 6 December, we heard from: Jamie Gardiner – UK experience, HLRC and “Equality for Homosexuals. Now.” Jude Munro – Early Melbourne Gay Liberation Diane Minnis – Early lesbian activism in Melbourne and Sydney Robyn Kennedy – Progression from early activism, CAMP Inc. 1974 onwards Ken Davis – Progression from early activism to the triggers for 1978. We would like to thank our speakers and the keen audiences for these forums on Zoom. Recordings of each part of Fifty Years of Visibility, together with slides, photos and a video clip, will be available on our website, 78ers.org.au, in January. Karl Zlotkowski 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member Chair and speakers at Part 2 of Fifty Years of Visibility. Clockwise from top left: Karl Zlotkowski (Chair), Jamie Gardener, Jude Munro, Ken Davis, Robyn Kennedy, Diane Minnis. Photo montage: Sallie Colechin. From left: ACON’s Justin Koonin with 78er advisors and contributors to the exhibition – Garry Wotherspoon, Robyn Kennedy, Robert French, Diane Minnis, Ken Davis and Pam Stein. Photo: Courtesy of State Library. Most of us 78ers remember the heady times that were the seventies, when we were young and out on the streets, chanting our slogans, confronting those who oppressed us, and doing our bit to make the world a better place - and a safer place for our LGBTI sisters and brothers. So, if you are in the mood for a trip down memory lane, the current exhibition at the State Library, Coming out in the Seventies, is the place to go. The Exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of the emergence of the gay and lesbian rights movement in Australia, and, drawing on its extensive collection, the staff at the State Library have put together a most remarkable exhibition, tracing the development of this activism over the decade. There are three sections, Being Seen, Being Heard, and Being Together. The first section, Being Seen, recounts how, when homosexuality was still perceived as a mental illness, a crime, or a sin, in September 1970 The Australian newspaper (so different from the Murdoch trash of today) reported on the formation of a new group aiming to change Australia’s perception of homosexuals. This was CAMP Inc, a political group built around sexual orientation, something new for Australia, and it soon became part of a strong political movement, especially in Sydney. Documents here include a copy of Carl Wittman’s A Gay Manifesto, written in San Francisco in 1969, and copies of the various gay press that appeared here – the first gay magazine CAMP INK; Apollo, Gayzette, and Gay, and publications from the various liberationist groups that soon emerged. Being Heard: Such open talk about homosexuality brought many lesbians and gay men ‘out’, and these activists fought for change, creating one of the most successful reform movements in Australian history. They made the personal ‘political’, marching in solidarity and ‘shocking the straights’ with spontaneous actions known as ‘zaps’. Newsletters, manifestos, flyers and posters spread the word about gay issues. Using humour and catchy slogans, they attracted media attention and gained public support. Graffiti affirmed that ‘Lesbians are lovely’ and ‘Gay is good’. Badges and T-shirts proudly displayed a connection to the cause. Gay and lesbian groups encouraged shared identity and offered safe meeting places. Festivals and conferences created the chance to build new fields of study. Gay Pride Week 1973 was one highpoint for Sydney’s gay rights movement, and then, in June 1978, Sydney activists joined in International Day of Gay Solidarity events around the world – our first Mardi Gras. Demos, ‘zaps’, and marches were only part of the story; there was also partying and fun. And the humour in taking the mickey out of mainstream society’s attitudes shows through in the badges and posters. In Being Together, the focus is on the gay cultural life that blossomed over the Seventies, when artists, filmmakers, photographers and performers developed unique perspectives that sparked radical individual and collective creativity. Sydney’s Feminist Bookshop promoted women’s writing, and lesbian bands made ‘wimmin’s’ music. The Exhibition has brought together a remarkable collection of books, pamphlets, posters, magazines, flyers, and photographs. It is great to see so much of our history on public display – encourage all your friends and family to go and see it. A brief online version is at https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/coming-out/   Garry Wotherspoon   78ers and former First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member These are my personal reflections on the Annual General Meeting of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was held on 5 November 2020 via Zoom. The AGM was notable in three ways: how SGLMG used online platforms, that all resolutions were defeated except for those conferring Lifetime Membership and that procedural motions and amendments were not allowed. At the start of the meeting, 128 members were logged on and this included holders of 449 proxies – making a total of 577 votes in the meeting. Total votes went up to 610 as more members logged in but drifted down to the low 500s in the third hour of the meeting.   SGLMG use of online platforms Members were able to view motions, vote, ask questions and indicate that they wanted to speak via the Vero platform. But Mardi Gras did not allow Zoom video to be displayed of speakers aside from the chair, Michael Woodhouse, and Board members and staff who gave reports or spoke to motions. In addition, speaking for and against motions was limited to two speakers for and two speakers against and no right of reply for the mover of the motion. All speakers to motions were limited to one minute as well. A couple of members were unable to speak when given the opportunity, possibly due to their older versions of Zoom or not realising that they had to use headphones with their particular device. Some members had trouble juggling the Vero window, where you voted and entered comments, and the Zoom window that displayed after you clicked the link on the Vero screen. With a large group using an online meeting platform, there are bound to be a few members who have trouble with the technology. But Mardi Gras’ overtight control of the meeting with no Zoom video being shown except for a few, Board and staff members and chair, wasn’t exactly inclusive.   Special Resolutions – 75% vote to be carried These five Special Resolutions proposed by the Mardi Gras Board were changes to the constitution and were that: updates be made to meet current Corporations Act requirements a 4-month waiting period for new members before they can vote proxies be limited to 20 per member the number of Directors increased to 9, with a Treasurer separately elected the Director’s terms be extended from 2 to 3 years. In an article in the November newsletter, Ken Davis and I indicated that these changes were an improvement on Mardi Gras’ earlier proposals, some of which were undemocratic. However, we said that having a separately elected Treasurer goes against contemporary governance standards for all Boards, including those of not-for-profit community organisations. That all Board members need to have the ability to understand balance sheets and profit and loss statements in order to carry out their duties as Directors. And that SGLMG can employ external finance experts, as they currently do with the Company Secretarial function. Accordingly, we planned to put a procedural motion so that parts of the motion containing the clause that the Treasurer be separately elected could be voted on independently. My proposal of a procedural motion and an amendment were denied by the chair, on the basis that the Vero system could not accommodate this. Three further Special Resolutions, proposed by former Board members, also changes to the constitution, were that: a Director’s term be limited to six years consecutively or three elections proxy votes will not be counted in the election of Directors the wording of the Australian Electoral Commission’s proportional representation voting system be adopted to clarify and simplify the current voting system wording. None of these motions were carried by the 75% margin required and for all except two motions; the vote did not even get to 50%. The failure of their constitutional change motions is a serious setback for Mardi Gras, after the member consultation they did and the modifications they incorporated into their final proposals. There were some progressive elements of these motions including that an EGM being called to elect a new Director after a resignation, rather than an appointment by the Board. One of the resolutions proposed by former Board members to clarify and simplify the current voting system wording would have improved election vote counting for all candidates. People from the Pride in Protest group spoke against several Special Resolutions and they appear to have block voted against them all, even one that would benefit them and other candidates.   Ordinary Resolutions to grant Lifetime Membership – 50% vote to be carried Then first two Ordinary Resolutions were to grant 78er Lifetime Membership to a list of 78ers and Lifetime Membership to Teresa Leggett, a stalwart of Parade organisation for many years. In proposing the 78er Lifetime Membership motion, I said that it’s a great honour to be made a Lifetime Member of SGLMG. And that I was speaking on behalf of the elected 78ers Committee of SGLMG, who are elected by and from 78er Lifetime Members, but liaise on behalf of Mardi Gras with all 78ers. So having an elected Committee is an important issue of democracy, governance and integrity. Given the objections from a small group of 78ers to an elected 78ers Committee, I thought it essential to stress the importance of a democratically elected committee to represent 78ers. This Ordinary Resolution was carried by 565 votes in favour and 2 against. I wonder who the two members who opposed the motion are! The Ordinary Resolution to award Lifetime Membership to Teresa Leggett was also overwhelmingly carried but the vote was not announced.   Ordinary Resolutions from Pride in Protest – 50% vote to be carried And it went downhill from there – with all seven Ordinary Resolutions proposed by Pride in Protest being defeated. In summary, their motions called for: NSW Police to be barred from the Parade sponsorship with Qantas to be terminated as they deport asylum seekers Morrison and Berejiklian to be banned from attending Mardi Gras and the Liberal float be banned from Parade support of the Black Lives Matter movement; and that State and Federal government to release all prisoners on remand, remove monetary bail, defund all private prisons and detention centres, and ultimately abolish all prisons that State and Federal government abolish the sniffer dog program, end the presence of the riot squad at protests and ultimately abolish the police for the release the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the policing of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2018 to the public sponsorship with ANZ and all sponsors with investments in fossil fuels to be terminated a concession, student or unwaged membership tier priced at $10 sponsorship with Star Casino and all sponsors who have a pattern of:  exploiting the COVID-19 economic recession at the expense of workers, or contributing to high rates of gambling addiction be terminated. The Pride in Protest motions received between 169 and 261 votes, but none were carried. The motion to bar NSW Police from the Parade got the most votes and the Black Lives Matter motion, received the least support. This is despite the fact that many of us support the Black Lives Matter movement. But when Pride in Protest includes abolishing all prisons and police in the same motion, this seriously limits wide support. If we could have voted on separate elements of the motion, I’m sure that the motion to support of the Black Lives Matter movement would have been carried. This gets to the crux of the Pride in Protest approach – some may remember the Spartacist League, who was active in the 1970s – they take an absolute position on questions and would rather lose a motion than get part of it through. They also held up the meeting as they handed over to speakers different to the proposers of motions listed on the meeting notice.    Procedural motions and amendments not allowed This is a real issue for democracy in the Annual General Meeting of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as no notice was given that procedural motions and amendments would not be allowed. In previous years, it was possible to move both procedural motions and amendments to motions. On their social media this year, Mardi Gras made the point that members could not vote on resolutions ahead of the AGM, as amendments to motions were made at the meeting. Yet when I tried to do this, I was told by the chair, that the Vero platform could not accommodate procedural motions or amendments. Surely the Vero voting system could be set up to either vote on a motion as a whole or vote clause by clause. And there must be a way to leave blank sections where amendments could be entered and voted on. If neither of these functions could be included, Mardi Gras needed to make it clear, prior to their AGM, that procedural motions and amendments would not be allowed.   This impasse between the majority of the Mardi Gras directors and Pride in Protest will mean that it will be difficult to amend the SGLMG constitution – even with progressive and helpful changes. Pride in Protest’s approach of proposing similar motions to each Mardi Gras AGM, and their elected Directors repeatedly hammering these issues, will continue to alienate some members. Both of these situations ensure that SGLMG is unable to respond to members and changing circumstances and takes their focus away from a Parade that we want to remain a worldwide beacon for LGBTIQ rights. A more nuanced and open debate on key strategic questions is needed.   Diane Minnis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair Smoking Ceremony, Mardi Gras Parade 2020. Photo: Josephine Ki. SGLMG released its Draft Ethical Charter (sglmg-draft-ourethicalcharter-v2.pdf (mardigras.org.au) on 13 November 2020 for member feedback online or to membership@mardigrasarts.org.au. These are my personal reflections. A comprehensive ethics policy should cover all aspects of internal governance, human resources, due diligence, accountability, information management, communications, financial management and investment, relations with members, community, governments, and sponsors. The focus of this draft charter is on partnership and sponsorship. A key note in the draft is about transparency, for example about agreements with sponsors, so members know exactly what the benefits to the Mardi Gras are, and what our obligations or trade-offs are. Certainly SGLMG needs both private and public sector sponsors, but ultimately the parade in particular relies on the unpaid contributions of thousands of people and community groups, over many decades, and this is the social capital that SGLMG is entrusted to safeguard, and not sell for a pittance. The most obvious and urgent ethical question is about the presence in the parade of big business or government sponsors, which can easily dilute the queer, community and grassroots identity of the parade. This is also a question, though maybe less urgent, about Fair Day. At the SGLMG AGM on 5 December 2020, motions about excluding police, ANZ, Qantas, and Star Casino, were defeated, but they won significant minority support. Last year a resolution against participation by Gilead pharmaceuticals was carried. Opponents of the motions demanded the parade be inclusive, but for thirty years the Mardi Gras committee has chosen which groups to prioritise, include or exclude, as of course it must. Across the world, pride parades are grappling with policies to regulate which government and corporate entities can gain prominence in the displays. The ethics of parade participation is an old question. When the Mardi Gras moved to summer in 1981, the committee decided to exclude from the parade people or floats that are racist or sexist. The Coors beer boycott in USA was the background to the mobilisation in California in 1978 which led to the request for solidarity and the establishment of gay Solidarity Group and the march and late night first Mardi Gras on 24 June 1978. The parade has and always should welcome groups of workers or employees in particular companies, services or industries, or unions, but that is distinct from floats whose purpose is advertising and promotion for big business within the parade. Many sponsor floats may be welcome and not contentious e.g. Opera Australia. Since SGLMG is now a serious company, like mainstream corporate entities, it needs a comprehensive ethical screening policy. A narrow definition about whether companies or government departments are superficially good with LGBTIQ people is not enough to manage risk, since LGBTIQ people may also be indigenous, workers, shareholders, people with HIV, people with disabilities, refugees, or concerned about the climate crisis. It is easy for a company or service to promote its diversity education program while screwing all its workforce. It is easy for a company to market to the gay community, while ripping off all its consumers. Reflecting on popular international consumer and investor boycotts over last two decades, that gained support in Australia, let’s ask questions about ethical and reputational risks about advertising floats in the parade from big businesses: Associated with corruption, crime, child abuse, money laundering or terrorism (anyone remember the Banking Royal Commission?). That are anti-worker, anti-union, or profit from systematic wages theft, child labour or slavery, including in supply chains (how about a 7/11 or an Amazon float?). That commit crimes against indigenous people in Australia or elsewhere, (a Rio Tinto float anyone)? That destroys environment, food security, water access, biodiversity, or accelerate the climate crisis including mining, carbon energy, nuclear, big polluter, over fishing, terminator seeds and deforestation companies (an Adani float anyone? A palm oil company float?). That adversely impact on health: such as tobacco, asbestos, alcohol, gambling, armaments corporations, or profiteering Big Pharma. Associated with regimes that are highly repressive, or maintain illegal occupations (e.g. Poland, Russia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, China, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Israel, Morocco….). That fund the political campaigns of authoritarian anti-worker, anti-environment, sexist, racist, heterosexist and transphobic leaders, like Trump or Duterte or Bolsonaro.  Associated with religious groups that are repressively sexist, heterosexist or transphobic, such as Scientology, Mormons, Wahhabis. Salvation Army, Falun Gong… (an Amway float anyone? Remember Gloria Jean?). Security and transport companies that imprison or deport refugees (a SERCO float anyone?). Media companies that are consistently racist, sexist, heterosexist and transphobic (a Sky news float anyone?). In order to safeguard the value and character of the parade, SGLMG needs a more rigorous and comprehensive ethics policy.   Ken Davis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair The 78er Committee managed to sail smoothly through the last month, with exciting announcements from SGLMG regarding our COVID-19 safe parade for 2021 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This ensures that the yearly celebration of our lives and the reminder through our history that there are still battles to be won is not interrupted after 43 years. The 78ers have still been given pride of place in the parade around the stadium behind our First Nations People, and allowance for seating afterwards to watch the parade with each 78er being allocated 4 tickets in the stands. The SGLMG AGM saw another member of the Pride in Protest group being elected to the Board. We discussed the proposed Pride in Protest gathering at Taylor Square on the day of the parade at the Sydney Cricket Ground, March 6 2021. The 78ers Committee in no way supports this action, as we see it as divisive. We aim to ensure that our ongoing communication with the SGLMG Board remains transparent and cordial. Our float in the 2021 Parade will celebrate the Fifty years of Visibility of our community with a strong salute to those pioneers amongst us who stood proudly pre-1978. Also, excitingly at our last meeting, we welcomed newly elected members to our committee – Penny Gulliver, Richard Riley and Karl Zlotkowski. They join Sallie Colechin, Diane Minnis and Helen Gollan who were elected last year for two years. We warmly thank Rae Giffen (one year), Lance Mumby (two years), and Kate Rowe (three years) for their input and participation in the committee over the last year. We have certainly harnessed our use of Zoom for Committee meetings and it is proving a valuable communication tool, especially for those of us in rural areas. Stay safe all.   Sallie Colechin 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member On 19 November 2020 in Warrawong, I attended the hometown premiere of Women of Steel which features 78ers Louise Casson and Diana Covell. Other 78ers such as Mystery Carnage helped make the film. The story is the struggle from 1980 for women to get jobs in the steelworks, winning battles against one of Australia's biggest firms AIS/BHP. This was biggest class action victory for the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act. Check out the film’s website for further screenings. Women of Steel (2020) | Australian film (womenofsteelfilm.com).   Ken Davis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair Join us for a social lunch on Saturday 13 February, 2021 at 12 noon in the outdoor area of the Terminus Hotel, 61 Harris St Pyrmont. RSVP to: info@78ers.org.au. There is a light rail stop with lift access in John Street Square and the 389 bus runs from Park St near Town Hall and stops across the road from the hotel. Calendar of Events Coming out in the 70s: Early Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia Exhibition at the State Library – Saturday 28 November 2020 to 16 May 2021 Parade registration for 78ers email – mid-December 2020 First Mardi Gras Inc. General Meeting – 4pm, Saturday 30 January 2021 by Zoom First Mardi Gras Inc. Social Lunch – 12noon, Saturday 13 February 2021, Terminus Hotel, 61 Harris St Pyrmont (outdoors) MG Fair Day (not yet approved by NSW Health) – Sunday 21 February 2021 MG Parade and Party – Saturday 6 March 2021 (Party not yet approved).

ABC RADIO: Coming out Gay and Lesbian in the 1970s

Newsletter - November 2020

View this email in your browser November 2020 In this November edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: Registration information for our Salon78 forums: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978 Robert French and Robyn Kennedy’s update on the Coming Out in the 70s Exhibition at the State Library Diane Minnis on Mardi Gras 2021 at the SCG Ken Davis and Diane Minnis on the SGLMG AGM and Constitution Changes Robyn Kennedy’s report on InterPride and Oceania InterPride Calendar of Events. Diane Minnis Our Salon78 forums: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978 will be held by Zoom over two sessions on Sunday 29 November and Sunday 6 December. Our speakers will bring their recollections of the people and events that created the Australian LGBTIQ movement, and developed a community consciousness that took to the streets in the 70’s. Our aim is to show that without these pioneers, there would be no Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras or Melbourne Midsumma. In Part 1 on Sunday 29 November, we will hear from: Robert French – The historical timeline of early activism: late 1960s to mid 1970s Abbie Pobjoy – Australasian Lesbian Movement from 1969 Gabrielle (Gaby) Antolovich and Barry Charles – Emerging activism: CAMP Inc., Women’s and Gay Liberation Dennis Altman – US influences and the early Sydney scene. In Part 2 on Sunday 6 December, we will hear from: Jamie Gardiner – UK experience, HLRC and “Equality for Homosexuals. Now.” Jude Munro – Early Melbourne Gay Liberation Diane Minnis – Early lesbian activism in Melbourne and Sydney Robyn Kennedy – Progression from early activism, CAMP Inc. 1974 onwards Ken Davis – Progression from early activism to the triggers for 1978. At the end of each session, we will take questions from the audience but these will be written questions through the Zoom chat function. The events are free, but we will be asking for registration via Eventbrite, Facebook or to info@78ers.org.au. Here are the Eventbrite registration links to the forum’s two sessions:   Part 1 – 3-4.30pm, Sunday 29 November 2020: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/salon78-fifty-years-of-visibility-part-1-tickets-127944354007 Part 2 – 3-4.30pm, Sunday 6 November 2020: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/salon78-fifty-years-of-visibility-part-2-tickets-129399584641   Karl Zlotkowski, Barry Charles and Diane Minnis 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Members In an important celebration of Fifty Years of Visibility, the State Library’s exhibition Coming Out in the 70’s exhibition is about to open. It is divided into three sections – Being Seen, Being Heard and Being Together. The event will be held in the Library’s Paintings Gallery and opens on Saturday 28 November 2020, running to Sunday 16 May 2021. 78ers Robert French, Garry Wotherspoon and Robyn Kennedy have been members of the Advisory Committee for the exhibition. Robyn says: “The State Library has collected an enormous amount of gay and lesbian material from the 1970s including posters, photographs, personal papers, oral history and ephemera such as badges. It’s a fantastic record of our stories.” Robert explains “As this year marks the beginnings of 50 years of visibility of the LGBTQ community in Australia, the State Library of NSW is commemorating this significant anniversary with an exhibition, Coming Out in the ‘70s. The exhibition specifically looks at the forgotten years, the early years of activism before the 1978 Mardi Gras and the formation of such groups CAMP Inc, Gay Liberation and Radicalesbians. It tells the story of those vibrant, sometimes raucous, times and the beginnings of the march from Liberation to Equality.” The State Library is promoting the exhibition as follows: “Gay and lesbian life went public in the 1970s. Speaking up and standing out, gay men and women took to the streets proudly demanding to be seen, heard and accepted. This exhibition tells their story. Drawing from the library’s little-known collections of gay and lesbian posters, photographs, personal papers, oral history and ephemera, it pays tribute to the people and events that drove this profound social change, offering rich and compelling context for continuing debates and issues around LGBTQI+ experience and life today.”   OPEN: 28 November 2020 to 16 May 2021 ADMISSION: FREE NOTE: There is a maximum of 13 people allowed into the gallery at any one time – based on current NSW health guidelines. If you would like to get together with a group of 78ers, partners and friends for a guided tour, let us know at info@78ers.org.au and we will organise it with the State Library.   Robert French and Robyn Kennedy   78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member and Committee Member On Sunday 8 November, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras launched its 2021 season at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Yvonne Weldon, from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, gave the Welcome to Country flanked by colourful representatives of regular Parade groups. Mardi Gras CEO, Albert Kruger then announced that a scaled-down 2021 Parade would circle the SCG on 6 March 2021, with marchers later joining the seated audience. This will allow NSW Health Covid-safe procedures to be followed. There will be no big floats as trucks and buses cannot fit through the entrances to the ground. Golf buggies will be able to carry less able participants, including as many as possible of the 78ers contingent who usually travel on the bus. Other speakers included Lord Mayor Clover Moore and NSW MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich. Greens Party MP for Newtown, Jenny Leong, was also in attendance. I would have liked to seen Penny Sharpe representing Labor at the event, as she has played a key role in law reforms benefiting the NSW LGBTIQ community. At the launch, there was colourful electronic signage around the ground and we were told that SBS will have lots of cameras to cover the Parade for the live broadcast. The next day, all Mardi Gras members, including 78er Lifetime Members, were sent an email with a code to access seating tickets. 78er members are allowed 4 free tickets. General member tickets are $20, with 4 tickets for $50. On 11 November, the Mardi Gras elected 78ers Committee met and I raised the issue of 78ers who aren’t Mardi Gras members and their access to free tickets. Mardi Gras staff assured us that there would be plenty of seating tickets for 78er non-Mardi Gras members. Parade production staff also attended the meeting and explained the assembly and access processes. If you are marching, you will need to have a seat ticket. All 78er contingent members will need to sign in for Covid tracing and wear masks when assembling and when seated. The Parade route is about the same length as our usual march up Oxford Street to the 78ers seating, but it is flat rather than uphill. Mardi Gras will allow up to 80 people in our 78ers group. The 78ers Committee will send out a Parade registration form to all 78ers in mid-December 2020. The Covid pandemic is preventing us marching along the Parade’s historic Oxford Street route. However, this smaller and less publicly accessible event ensures that we will still have 43 unbroken years of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.   Diane Minnis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair Above: Yvonne Weldon giving the Welcome to Country. Below: Parade participants at the Launch. Photos Diane Minnis In our August 2020 Newsletter, we reported on the Mardi Gras consultations on their proposed Constitution changes. There were concerns about some of the proposed amendments including: New members having to wait for 6 months before being granted voting rights The number of Board members being increased to 10 (currently 8) with the 2 extra members appointed by the Board through an EOI process. This isn’t democratic and would allow Board members who are not re-elected to then be appointed. The Board appointment of a Treasurer if elected members do not have those skills, bringing the proposed number of non-elected Board members to 3. In this article the writers comment on the final proposed Constitution changes put forward by the SGLMG Board as well as changes and motions proposed by others. First Mardi Gras Inc. urges all 78ers to review the proposals themselves and participate in voting at the upcoming Mardi Gras AGM, to be held online on 5 December 2020.   Special Resolutions Proposed by the Board (require 75% of the vote to pass) A repeated suggestion in the Constitution consultations was a 3-month waiting period before new members can vote – a common provision in the rules of unions and political parties. In the notice paper for the SGLMG AGM, Mardi Gras has now settled on 4-month waiting period, which is better than 6 months. Appointing extra Board members rather than electing them is now off the table. There is a proposal for the number of Directors to be increased to 9, with a tenth Director; a Treasurer, to be separately elected. We believe that increasing the number of Directors is much needed, given the workload of the Board and the organisation. However, having a separately elected Treasurer goes against contemporary governance standards for all Boards, including those of not-for-profit community organisations. All Board members need to have the ability to understand balance sheets and profit and loss statements in order to carry out their duties as Directors. SGLMG can employ external finance experts to support the Board, as they currently do with the Company Secretarial function. There is also a proposal to extend the Director’s terms from 2 to 3 years. Again, this is a sensible change, given the breadth of their roles.   Special Resolutions Proposed by Former Board Members (require 75% of the vote to pass) There are three proposed changes from former Board members: To prohibit proxy votes being used to vote for Directors – we do not support this. To limit terms so that a Director may not seek re-election if they have served consecutive terms greater than six years or have been elected at three elections – this seems reasonable. To update the wording in the Constitution to reflect that used in the Australian Electoral Commission’s proportional representation voting system – this is a much needed clarification of the current wording and does not change the way votes are counted. These special resolutions must be passed by at least 75% of the votes cast by members present at the AGM or there by proxy.   Ordinary Resolutions (require 50% of the vote to pass) A series of Ordinary Resolutions, that require 50% of the vote to pass, have also been proposed. The first of these is to vote for a list of 78ers to be granted Lifetime Membership of Mardi Gras. One of the roles of the elected 78ers Committee is to check that applicants for 78er Lifetime Membership are actually 78ers. The remaining 8 motions are from Pride in Protest supporters. Half of these motions relate to terminating current Mardi Gras corporate sponsorship arrangements. At last year’s AGM, Diane Minnis successfully moved a procedural motion to allow each part of a Pride in Protest motion to be voted on separately. The motion called on SGLMG to terminate a list of their then major corporate sponsors – one of which, Gilead, profiteers from the HIV and Hep C drugs they manufacture. The motion to terminate Gilead sponsorship was carried but the other sponsorship motions were not carried. Mardi Gras needs sponsors but these corporations and government agencies need to behave ethically to the LGBTIQ community and be ethical in general. Groups of workers or volunteers from particular services or industries have always been a welcome feature of the Parade. Another Pride in Protest motion repeats their demand to bar the NSW and Federal Police from having contingents in the Parade, in part in solidarity with international and Australian anti-racism campaigns. Some 78ers will support this but many of us have mixed feelings, as the most of the Police who march are the GLLOs and others who fight against homophobia inside the Police Force.   SGLMG Directors' Election Elections for SGLMG Directors are open now, with electronic voting invitations sent to members by email. Four candidates are to be elected by preferential voting from 12 nominations. SGLMG needs a dedicated board of Directors that is diverse, representative, competent, talented and accountable. We urge all 78ers to vote.   SGLMG 78ers Committee Election Nominations for three positions for a two-year term on the SGLMG 78ers Committee have now closed and results will be known this week. The 78ers elected will join Sallie Colechin, Diane Minnis and Helen Gollan who were elected last year for two years. It is important that democratic processes are used to elect members of the 78ers Committee, as the Committee liaises between Mardi Gras and all 78ers.   Ken Davis and Diane Minnis 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chairs I have been elected to the Board of InterPride as Vice President Global Outreach and Partnerships (VPGOP). There are four VPGOP on the Board, each with responsibility for five of InterPride’s 20 regions. My responsibility is for growing and supporting Pride and Global Advisory Council members in Oceania (which includes Australia), Asia, the Middle East and two regions in Europe. As a member of the Board, I have a greater role in influencing the policies and directions of InterPride. Recently, I gained the support of the Board to introduce a new system for scheduling meeting times, which have historically disadvantaged our region and Asia. Under a new approach to more inclusive practices, the new schedule will ensure that late night and early morning meetings are equitably distributed across time zones. As a result of my election to the Board, I was required to stand down as a Global Advisory Council member for Region 20. Elections were recently held for a replacement representative. First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair Diane Minnis was elected to the position. Diane will join Russell Weston, Co-Chair of First Nations Rainbow, as Regions 20’s representatives on the Global Advisory Council.   By Robyn Kennedy 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member Calendar of Events Coming out in the 70s: Early Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia Exhibition at the State Library – Saturday 28 November 2020 to 16 May 2021 Salon78 forum: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978, Part 1 – 3pm, Sunday 29 November 2020 by Zoom Annual General Meeting of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (including changes to their Constitution) – 11am, Saturday 5 December 2020 by Zoom Salon78 forum: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978, Part 2 – 3pm, Sunday 6 December2020 by Zoom Parade registration for 78ers email – mid-December 2020 First Mardi Gras Inc. General Meeting – 4pm, Saturday 30 January by Zoom MG Fair Day (not yet approved by NSW Health) – Sunday 21 February 2021 MG Parade and Party – Saturday 6 March 2021 (Party not yet approved).

Star Observer: First Mardi Gras Inc Celebrates 50 Years of LGBTQI Activism

Newsletter - October 2020

View this email in your browser October 2020 In this October edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: FMG Inc. statement on the 78ers trademark issue: “78ers” belongs to all 78ers Karl Zlotkowski on our next Salon78 forum: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978 Robyn Kennedy on Where did the name “78ers” come from? Barry Charles’ account of the InterPride AGM and Conference Our statement on the arrests and fines at the Community Action for Rainbow Rights 10 October Rally against the Anti-Trans One Nation Bill Our tribute to Kendall Lovett on his passing A link to Sydney Arts Students Society's diverse sexuality and genders literary magazine 1978, with Foreword by Diane Minnis and Ken Davis Calendar of Events. Diane Minnis In late 2017 a small group trademarked the term “78ers SEVENTYEIGHTERS”.  This was done without consultation with the wider 78er community and they are trying to limit who can use the term 78ers. Recently, a representative of the Original 78ers Collective Inc. (which incorporated in late 2017, with no connection to First Mardi Gras Inc.) has asked Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to pay them a licence fee for using the term 78ers. Our legal advice is that the term 78ers describes a group of people, not a product or service, and that claiming an exclusive trademark on a descriptor for a group of people is not legally enforceable. In addition, registering a name as a trademark where the name is already in use, even if not trademarked, can constitute misleading or deceptive conduct. In this case, the ACCC can issue fines as well as force a change to the trademarked term. Later in this newsletter, Robyn Kennedy details how the name 78ers has been in use for over 20 years. This matter was extensively discussed at out recent AGM.   On 19 September 2020, at the Annual General Meeting of First Mardi Gras Inc., the following motion was carried unanimously: “That this meeting of First Mardi Gras Inc. believes that the term 78ers cannot be appropriated or licensed for exclusive use by any one group, since it belongs to all 78ers.” Following our AGM, Co-Chairs Diane Minnis and Ken Davis met with SGLMG CEO, Albert Kruger, and Board member Louis Hudson. We understand that a person said to be representing the Original 78ers Collective is asserting that SGLMG needs their permission to use the term 78ers, including for SGLMG‘s elected advisory 78ers Committee. SGLMG has previously been “granted” a licence by this group to use the term 78ers for the 2018 season. Albert Kruger told us that no royalties had been paid on that occasion. In light of the unenforceability of the trademark and extensive prior usage of 78ers, we urged Mardi Gras to strenuously reject the demand for a licence payment or any restriction on their use of the term 78ers. The claim by some members of the Original 78ers Collective Inc. to claim exclusive ownership of the term 78ers lacks any merit and is unethical. This represents an insult to all of us that fought so hard for our identity. We encourage all 78ers to use 78ers as frequently and appropriately as they wish.     By Diane Minnis and Ken Davis 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chairs Salon78 goes Zoom! Our series of forums on issues of interest to 78ers and our friends returns in November 2020. This time we will be hosting the event by Zoom, which means that for the first time the audience of Salon78 will extend beyond Sydney to the rest of Australia, and the world. Our theme is Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978. Our speakers will bring recollections of the people and events that created the Australian LGBTIQ movement, and developed a community consciousness that took to the streets in the 70’s. Our aim is to show that without these pioneers, there would be no Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras or Melbourne Midsumma. Given the scale of this topic, we have divided the forum into two sessions:   Part 1 – 3pm, Sunday 29 November 2020 Part 2 – 3pm, Sunday 6 December 2020 The event will be free, but we will be asking for registration via Eventbrite, Facebook or to info@78ers.org.au. Keep an eye out for updates in the next two weeks! By Karl Zlotkowski 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member In 1997, around 30 people who had participated in the events of 1978 began meeting to plan commemorative activities for the 20th Anniversary of the first Mardi Gras Parade in 1998. Fairly early on the group decided that they needed a name and the term “78ers” came into being. The name 78ers appeared on meeting minutes, newsletters and correspondence including an application to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for funding. The 78ers formed various sub-committees which produced a website, an exhibition, and the publication It Was a Riot. This booklet documented the background leading up to the first Mardi Gras Parade, what took place on the night of the Parade as well as the subsequent protest rallies and marches. The publication included numerous photos including many that were previously unpublished. The 78ers Festival Events Group aimed to ensure that It Was a Riot remained accessible in perpetuity by depositing copies with the National Library of Australia. Copyright of the publication by the 78ers Festival Events Group is recognised in Library’s citation, with copyright held until 2068. This recognition clearly establishes pre-existing use of the name 78ers which, along with numerous other examples, demonstrates that any attempt to claim ownership of the name is invalid.   By Robyn Kennedy 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member Above: It was a Riot! InterPride AGM and Conference 2020 The AGM and Conference of InterPride, the international association of Pride organisers, was held on 1-11 October, 2020. First Mardi Gras Inc. is a member organisation and the AGM sessions were attended by Barry Charles, Robyn Kennedy and Helen Gollan. Of course, this year the conference was held online. InterPride membership has changed dramatically in the last 5 years. Membership has more than doubled to 374 groups in 2020 and regions outside North America now account for 49% of members compared to 29% in 2015. In 2020, however Board positions have largely continued to be based in North America. The organisation therefore needs to go through a structural and cultural change. A Strategic Planning Task Force co-chaired by our own Robyn Kennedy presented ideas, involving re-balancing of regions and greater outreach to developing Pride groups. These proposals were responded to on the last day. There were a number of sessions held over the 11 days, covering topics such as Seniors, People with Special Needs, Health promotion at LGBTIQ Festivals and Combating Racism. These sessions were recorded and information on the list and videos is provided below. Highlights of the final General Sessions were the: discussion on proposed changes outlined by the Strategic Planning Task Force a stunning presentation from Copenhagen on their plans for World Pride in August 2021 election of Board members, with Robyn Kennedy elected Vice-President - Global Outreach and Partnerships, and plans for future World Pride events. There was controversy over the last of these items. Since last year’s vote for Sydney in 2023, the Board of InterPride decided to award a WorldPride to Montreal for 2024. There was significant criticism of this decision given that the vote to award Montreal a WorldPride title was influenced by participation of Board members with a material conflict of interest and that the Standing Rules require a vote of the membership to award WorldPride. Before the AGM finished it was decided to take the decision back to the whole membership. Another idea presented for discussion was that WorldPride be held every year instead of every two years. In 2019 a number of us went to New York where it coincided with the 50 year anniversary of Stonewall. The next WorldPride is in Copenhagen in 2021 and then Sydney in 2023 at Mardi Gras time. There were some objections to the idea of annual WorldPrides given that that 2 year gaps ensured that smaller cities could develop viable bids and attract visitors. If WorldPride were to be held annually the financial risk to hosting cities may increase.   InterPride AGM Workshops Around 25 workshops covering diverse topics were conducted during the InterPride AGM held in early October. Recordings and slide sets are available for most of these workshops with topics including: Pride and Prejudice - Are LGBTQIA+ Elders the Forgotten Population (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Sherri Rase Combating Racism within the Queer community (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Richard Bell Living Proudly, Living Longer: Incorporating LGBTQ Health Promotion at Pride Events (Workshop Recording)Speakers: Adrian Shanker Solidarity at Stake - How Your Pride Can Change the World (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Stein Runar Østigaard, Antonio Mihajlov, Mina Skouen, Valentina Volunteer Empowerment: Building A Powerful Volunteer-Led Organization (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Melanie Mijares, Bob Leyh Organizing Pride Events in a Conservative Society (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Rahul Upadhyay Criminalization of same-sex relations: covid-19 and its impact on access to justice for LGBT persons in Uganda (Workshop Recording) Speakers: Adrian Jjuuko 2Spirit/Indigenous LGBTQ+ Resurgence in the 21st Century (Workshop Recording)  Speakers: Albert McLeod If you would like a copy of the workshop recording and presentation for any of these workshops and/or a full list of topics presented please contact Robyn Kennedy at robyn.kennedy@interpride.org.   By Barry Charles 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Secretary Help Pay Protestor's Fines Community Action for Rainbow Rights organised a rally and march on 10 October 2020 against the anti-trans One Nation Bill in the NSW Parliament. If passed, the bill will increase discrimination against many, and in particular, increase repression of gender diverse children in schools. First Mardi Gras Inc., together with other organisations, endorsed the rally and opposed the court ruling against this protest. NSW allows many much larger gatherings of people at sporting events, without the masks, distancing, and preventive measures the rally organisers put in place. So why should political protests be subject to different rules? On the Saturday, hundreds of people took part in the rally in Taylor Square and marched down Oxford Street. The police arrested two participants and heavily fined eleven people. This shows a proclivity to discriminatory authoritarianism that predates the Coronavirus pandemic. The police actions compound the thrust of the One Nation Bill, which is designed to curtail social and political freedoms. Community Action for Rainbow Rights has now set up a Go Fund Me campaign to help pay the fines at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/73xau-community-action-for-rainbow-rights-fighting-fund?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet. Vale Kendall Lovett 6.10.1922 – 21.10.2020 A life of activism for social justice Mannie De Saxe (L) and Kendall Lovett (R). Photo David Urquhart, ALGA First Mardi Gras Inc. is sad to report that a few weeks after turning 98, 78er Kendall Lovett has passed away. Ken is survived by his partner of 27 years, Mannie De Saxe. Ken was a tireless activist and campaigner for LGBTIQ, refugee and human rights. Most demos we went to from the late 70s onwards had Ken’s placards, banners, slogan vests or people-shaped placards – all in his distinctive calligraphy. Ken was a lovely supportive colleague in the Gay Solidarity Group (GSG), which organised the first Mardi Gras and coordinated the massive Drop the Charges campaign that followed. Ken joined GSG after the first Mardi Gras in 1978, and was arrested in the August demonstration in Taylor Square. Often during Mardi Gras parades and demonstrations, Kendall was waiting on alert with bail money ready. Ken stayed active in GSG, later renamed Lesbian and Gay Solidarity into the 2000s, after he and Mannie moved to Melbourne. Ken had been active in Gay Liberation after he returned to Sydney from the UK in the late 1960s, where he was part of the move for homosexual law reform. He took part in the 1972 demonstration outside St Clement’s Anglican Church at Mosman after they had dismissed Peter Bonsall-Boone from staff. Kendall’s main political activism prior to GSG in 1978 was in a resident action group saving Woolloomooloo from developers, with the support of the Builders’ Labourers Federation Green Bans in the early 1970s. Ken was very active at the time of the nationalist bicentenary in 1988, helping organise a big queer contingent in the First Nations mobilisation, around the slogan “200 years of oppression and bad taste.” He was involved in Enola Gay, the peace and antinuclear activist group, and founded “Inside Out” a network supporting gay and lesbian prisoners. Ken was one of the people in GSG who was very involved with international solidarity. He sustained a long correspondence with anti-Apartheid gay activist Simon Nkoli when he was in prison in South Africa on treason charges.   In the early 1980s Ken and GSG were active in organising around inclusion of homosexuality in the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act, in demanding removal of the anti-buggery law and in responding to the rise of the Christian Right. Just prior to American Jerry Falwell’s visit in 1982, Kendall and Leigh Raymond registered the name, Moral Majority, and used it to campaign against Fred Nile and Falwell.  Ken also supported the Gaywaves radio program on 2SER FM over many years. He provided a weekly news bulletin – GRINS (Gay Radio Information News Service) – sometimes as a collective effort, but mainly as a one-man band, week in and week out.  This was circulated to other lesbian and gay media across the country. Ken was a key member of the Sydney collective of Gay Community News (1980-82) and the organising body for the Sixth National Conference of Lesbians and Homosexual Men in Sydney (1980). He was also a correspondent to gay newspapers overseas and the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). In October 1982 Ken and GSG supported Roberta Perkins and the Australian Transsexual Association (ATA), in staging the first transgender protest in Australia, in Manly. The protest was held to challenge a judgement against two transwomen, who a Magistrate had ruled were men. In response the NSW Attorney-General said that ‘Attorneys-General of the six states had committed to new legislation to recognise the validity of sex changes’. In 1985 the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence canonised him, in recognition of his extensive gay activism, as St Kendall the Constant. Kendall formed a relationship with Mannie De Saxe, a revolutionary socialist and Jewish anti-Zionist activist from South Africa, after they met in GSG. Both of them remained active in lesbian and gay, and other social justice, causes. They volunteered to help people with AIDS, and founded SPAIDS, which planted a memorial grove of trees in Sydney Park.    After retiring from his job at Choice magazine, Ken moved to Newcastle. Twenty years ago, Ken and Mannie moved to live together in Melbourne and in recent years had practical home support from other activists and friends. Ken and Mannie have been very engaged in the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives. They have made big contributions to the struggle to improve services for older lesbian, transgender and gay people. Ken and Mannie were featured in the “2 of Us” in Good Weekend magazine on 10 March 2007.But they were very angry in 2009 when Social Security, as part of a path to marriage equality, decided they were a couple and cut their pensions, even though they had been independent tax payers. Ken and his long-term support for LGBTIQ and other social change struggles will be sadly missed. Our condolences to Mannie and to Ken’s many friends.   By Diane Minnis and Ken Davis 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chairs Kendall Lovett (L) and Mannie De Saxe (R) holding the Lesbian and Gay Solidarity banner at an 'Out of Iraq' rally for peace, Melbourne, 2005. Photo John Story, ALGA 1 9 7 8 – 2020 – Sydney Arts Students Society's (SASS) diverse sexuality and genders literary magazine 1978 was published on Aug 29, 2020. 1978 includes a Foreword by Diane Minnis and Ken Davis. We were pretty chuffed that SASS were encouraged by our struggles in 1978 to name their literary magazine after the events of that momentous year. Click here to see 1978. Calendar of Events   General Meeting of First Mardi Gras Inc. – 4pm, Saturday 21 November by Zoom Opening of Coming out in the 70s: Early Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia Exhibition at the State Library – Saturday 28 November Salon78 forum: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978, Part 1 – 3pm, Sunday 29 November by Zoom Annual General Meeting of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (including changes to their Constitution) – 11am, Saturday 5 December by Zoom Salon78 forum: Fifty Years of Visibility – Pioneers and Connections before 1978, Part 2 – 3pm, Sunday 6 December by Zoom

Sydney Arts Student's Society's diverse sexuality and genders literary magazine 1978 - 2020.

Sydney Arts Student's Society's diverse sexuality and genders literary magazine 1978 - 2020.

Click here to read the magazine (published on August 20, 2020), including a Foreword by Diane Minnis and Ken Davis.

Newsletter - September 2020

View this email in your browser September 2020 In this September edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: The results of the First Mardi Gras Inc. AGM on 19 September A link to our Annual Report 2020 William Brougham’s interviews to mark the 50th anniversary of the CAMP Inc. announcement Gabrielle Antolovich on What the Passing of RBG means to the US LGBTIQ Community My report on the Mardi Gras Consultation on their Constitution Barry Charles on the Mardi Gras Member Consultation Karl Zlotkowski with Part 2 of Poland – the View from Here Robyn Kennedy’s update on Oceania InterPride Details of the Protect Trans Kids, Kill Latham's Bills Rally, Saturday, 10 October 2020, 1pm at Taylor Square. Diane Minnis First Mardi Gras Inc. members participating in the AGM by Zoom We had a great roll up to the First Mardi Gras Inc. Annual General Meeting, held by Zoom on Saturday 19 September. This was the first meeting of members we have held in 2020, though the Committee has been meeting regularly by Zoom. It was particularly good to see so many members based outside of Sydney taking part in the meeting. The following Management Committee members were elected at the AGM: Co-Chairs: Diane Minnis and Ken Davis Secretary: Barry Charles Treasurer: Richard Thode Committee Members: Karl Zlotkowski, Maree Marsh, Robyn Kennedy and Rebbell Barnes. After three years of valuable contributions, Betty Hounslow has stepped down as Co-Chair and from the Committee, due to her responsibilities on other community sector organisation boards. Betty was a great source of advice and support during her time on the Committee and provided generous hospitality when hosting Committee meetings at her home. Robert French also stood down from the Committee to concentrate on his 50 Years of Visibility work. Many thanks to Robert for all his contributions to the Committee and we look forward to seeking advice from and working with Betty and Robert in future. Ken Davis and Diane Minnis 78ers and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chairs The First Mardi Gras Inc. Annual Report is out and the Co-Chairs note how glad we are that the SGLMG Festival and Parade were held before COVID hit. Our well attended Salon78 forum: A Lavender Menace? Australia’s Early Lesbian Movement was also able to go ahead. 78ers attended seven regional Prides this year as well as Melbourne’s Midsumma and London Pride. We continued our broader political activism – rallying against the Religious Exemptions Bill and issuing a Joint Statement with First Nations Rainbow deploring Police violence at Black Lives Matter protests. Diane Minnis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair CAMP Inc. members Ian Black, Robyn Plaister, Peter de Waal and Robyn Kennedy (L-R above) were reunited in Sydney on 10 September 2020. This was the 50th anniversary of an article appearing in The Australian newspaper which reported on the formation of the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP Inc.). John Ware, one of the groups founders, was interviewed for the article. Both Ian and Peter were foundation members of CAMP Inc. and Robyn P and Robyn K served on the Executive. CAMP Inc. played a leading role in the early gay and lesbian rights movement in Australia. In my video, Peter discusses the article in The Australian and Ian and the two Robyns share some of their memories of CAMP. William Brougham First Mardi Gras Inc. Associate Member Remembrance Vigil for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the #BillyDeFrank Center, San Jose, California, USA – with Silicon Valley Pride   On Friday 18 September in San Jose, we were at the first outdoor opening for the gay bars downtown when we heard that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. Young and old queer people were devastated – it is a political disaster! Some drank more, others ordered extra food, and many cried. We knew then we had to organize a Remembrance Vigil for her for the Queer Community and allies. So off I went to the office and started organizing the event with Silicon Valley Pride to have it in the Gayborhood, in the parking lot of the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center. We showed slides of RBG, gave speeches and cried, and socially distanced with masks on. Everyone was so glad we had our own Queer Vigil for RBG. My main reflection was that being a first generation immigrant of the 1950's my parents (like most immigrant parents) wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer. I remember telling my parents that women don't easily become those. We didn't yet have the language that Australia (and America) were sexist/homophobic countries, more so back then, than they are now. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was in Europe in the early sixties and saw how more women were in all kinds of professions and respected more than back in America – and how it inspired her to fight against discrimination against women and LGBTQ+'s. I now understand that my immigrant parents brought their European values to Australia and believed I could be a doctor or lawyer like I could have in Europe. It deepened my understanding why I had these clashes with my parents about career choices, and it helped me truly understand the impact RBG has had on American culture. We cannot let anyone get in the way of her progress. We deserve all that she has achieved. As a result more people are registering to vote and supporting progressive candidates.   Gabrielle Antolovich 78er and Board President, Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Center, San Jose, California, USA San Francisco demonstrations that followed the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, including in the Castro LGBTIQ area Mardi Gras Consultation on their Constitution In late August and early September 2020, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras held a series of consultations with its members on proposed constitutional changes. One of the sessions was specifically for 78er Lifetime members. A Constitution Review Consultation Feedback Report has now been issued, removing some of the proposed amendments but proposing that other amendments be taken to a General Meeting. A positive proposed change is having electronic voting close at the same time as in-person voting at the AGM, so members can view the meeting and vote online. Yet some worrying proposed amendments include: New members having to wait for 6 months before being granted voting rights The number of Board members being increased to 10 (currently 8) with the 2 extra members appointed by the Board through an EOI process. The Board appointment of a Treasurer if these skills are deemed not to exist in elected members, bringing the proposed number of non-elected members to 3. Several of us at the 78ers consultation suggested having a 3 month waiting period before new members can vote. This is a common provision in the rules of unions and political parties like the ALP. However, appointing extra board members rather than electing them really isn’t democratic. This would allow board members who are not re-elected to be appointed, supposedly based on ‘merit and skills’. We also raised the point that if the intent is to encourage a skills-based Board, then the current provision in the Constitution limiting candidate statements to 200 words is counter-productive. Limiting candidate information to one third of a page prevents candidates from fully presenting their credentials and constrains the ability of members to assess candidates. This suggestion was, however, not included in the Feedback Report. One change that we can get behind is including in the constitution the process though which 78er Lifetime members are appointed. That is, candidates for Life Membership need to be nominated by the Board and passed by a special resolution (75% of votes) at a general meeting of members. On 18 September, details of these and other proposed constitutional changes were sent to members who attended consultations. A survey was also sent to allow further input on contentious changes. The final proposed constitutional changes are not yet clear, but they will be circulated to members prior to the planned Extraordinary General Meeting in October 2020. Diane Minnis 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Co-Chair 78ers at the 2020 Mardi Gras Parade. Photo Meagan Lawson   Mardi Gras Member Consultation Albert Kruger, the CEO of SGLMG, has held a number of online member consultations to discuss SGLMG’s response to issues raised in its Survey, conducted following the 2020 Festival.  At the first of these meetings on Wednesday 23 September, First Mardi Gras Inc. was well represented among the 30 or so participants by Co-Chairs Diane Minnis and Ken Davis; Secretary Barry Charles and member Sallie Colechin. The CEO presented the results of the Survey, of which 40,000 were sent out to members of Mardi Gras and to the wider public. Unfortunately, only 2,119 were completed, and it was not clear what percentage of those were from members or from the general public. The major take-outs appeared to be that Mardi Gras should have more of a year-round presence (60%) and should engage and support other Queer community groups in their activities and campaigns. There was a notable number (29%) of responders who cited lack of access to events and information. Particularly those outside the Sydney region. Many said they only found out about the existence of support and activist organisations of interest or benefit to them, during Mardi Gras itself and then only in passing. Discussion groups were formed within the forum to quickly suggest what actions SGLMG could take to support the rest of the community. Suggestions included funding, publicising, statements of support etc.. Issues covered a wide area including Black Lives Matter, youth mental health, unemployment and aged support. Back in the full session, questions were raised about the plans for 2021. Albert said that discussions with the State Government were on-going around exemptions from COVID restrictions that could be applied to both Fair Day and Parade. In response to a question from Diane Minnis about what Parade format SGLMG had proposed to the government, we did not get much information. One area was clear though, this year’s Launch is not going to be an in-person public event but will be an online occasion. Barry Charles 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Secretary Last month we reported on recent events in Poland, including protests and arrests surrounding the re-election of the President (on an anti-gay platform) and the declaration of so called ‘LGBTI-Free Zones’ in some Polish communities. Much of this was drawn from reports published by Belgian activist Remy Bonny. Our friend William Brougham has also published a two part audio interview with Remy, which can be found here: Part One starts at the 13.25 mark Part Two starts at the 11.47 mark. Since then two more reports have highlighted the polarisation in Polish society.  On 16 September the President of the European Commission, Ursula van der Leyen, declared that “LGBTI-Free Zones have no place in the European Union”. Click here for an extract from her speech.   Membership of the EU is vital to the preservation of secular liberties in Poland. After 1989, Poland devoted its efforts to join the EU with an urgency drawing on a national tradition that Poland is a Western nation (as opposed to Russia, which is not). The EU offers opportunity and escape from the old demons of the past, which is why educated younger Poles from the cities support it and traditionalist Poles from the regions distrust it and turn to religion, and nationalism. In late August a conference of Polish Bishops called for ‘clinics’ to be set up to assist LGBTI people to “regain their natural sexual orientation”. Although tempered by opposition to violence or aggression, the statement shows clearly that the traditional church continues to insist on its right to define individual sexual freedoms and if necessary resort to coercion. A Church sponsored view is reported here. 78ers remember clearly the corrosive influence exerted by the traditional Church during the pandemic struggles of the 1980s, under the leadership of a Polish Pope (elected, as it happens, in 1978). At that time the Polish Bishops were also engaged in their own national struggle against Russian influence, a struggle they have led since the 18th century. Traditionalist Poles see their Church as custodian of the nation’s identity, a role their Bishops are not afraid to protect, and manipulate. The intersection of this nationalist view and current anti-secular, anti-LGBTI rhetoric becomes clear in a 2019 statement by the archbishop of Kraków, comparing the LGBTI movement to Soviet Communism. “Our land is no longer affected by the red plague, which does not mean that there is no new one that wants to control our souls, hearts and minds … not Marxist, Bolshevik, but born of the same spirit, neo-Marxist. Not red, but rainbow.” In Poland the struggle over LGBTI rights is not just a matter of faith, morality or ‘family values’. It is a struggle for the soul of the nation. And that struggle continues…   Karl Zlotkowski 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member Oceania InterPride Russell Weston and Robyn Kennedy   In September, InterPride members in the Oceania region elected two representatives to the InterPride Global Advisory Council – First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee member Robyn Kennedy and Russell Weston, Co-Chair of First Nations Rainbow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation. InterPride membership from Prides in the region has expanded to include most states of Australia as well as members from New Zealand, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Participation in monthly meetings of Pride organisations in the region also continues to grow with regular attendance by a wide range of organisations and locations.   Robyn Kennedy 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Committee Member Community Action for Rainbow Rights is making an urgent call to protest Mark Latham's bill which will ban all mention of trans and gender diverse people in NSW schools. Meet at Taylor Square on Saturday, 10 October 2020 at 1pm and march to Hyde Park North. Wear a mask and keep a social distance. Further information is available on Facebook.

Annual Report 2019/2020

The First Mardi Gras Inc. Annual Report for FY 2020 has been released ahead of the upcoming Annual General Meeting. Download and view the report by clicking here.

Queer Stories: Dennis Altman – The Masseur and the Lunch Party

Video: Standing Together - NSW Police in partnership with a small group of 78ers

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On August 28, 2020 (Wear it Purple Day), the NSW Police Force is proud to launch a short film produced by Playhead Productions and made in partnership with a small group of 78ers, the first Mardi Gras participants.

Watch the video below, or click here to watch the 20 minute film on YouTube.

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Newsletter - August 2020

View this email in your browser August 2020 In this August edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: Robert French on next month’s anniversary – Fifty Years of Coming Out! An invitation from the SGLMG 78ers Committee to the 30 August zoom meeting: Support and Connection in a COVID World Robyn Kennedy’s update on Oceania InterPride  Information on how to register for the online 2020 InterPride World Conference Karl Zlotkowski on Poland – the View from Here My report on 78ers and First Nations Rainbow Black Lives Matter meeting with Police Our announcement of the occasional journal Salon78 A link to the Impact of COVID-19 on Older LGBTI Australians booklet. Diane Minnis First Mardi Gras Inc. AGM The Annual General Meeting of First Mardi Gras Inc. will be held on Saturday 19 September at 4pm and will be conducted by Zoom.  The Annual Report and Financial Report will be presented at the meeting and and members of the Management Committee will be elected. Following the AGM, we will have reports and general discussion of current and planned projects. Please make sure that your make sure your membership is up to date, so that you can vote at the meeting. Members will receive further information and a meeting link early next month. CAMP Inc. being honoured in October 2018 with the prestigious ACON President’s Award. Accepting on behalf of CAMP Inc. were 78ers Peter de Waal and Robyn Plaister and Ian Black, who chaired the first public CAMP Inc. meeting in 1970. From video by William Brougham. By Robert French 78er and Committee Member of First Mardi Gras Inc.  Member Pride History Group As we all know, September and October mark important anniversaries for us all. First, the anniversary of the public announcements of the formation of CAMP Inc. Interviews with John Ware on 10 September 1970, and Christabel Poll, John and Michael Cass, his partner, in the Couples article in The Australian on 19 September. This was followed by an interview with John and Michael on ABC-TV’s This Day Tonight two days later. Secondly, with the TDT interview with a lesbian couple – Francesca Curtis and Phyllis Pappas of the Australasian Lesbian Movement shortly afterwards. It is not just that these were brave people for the time but that these events mark the beginnings of LGBTQ visibility in Australia. And with the following 50 years of achievement, they are worthy of commemoration. I have been trying to stir up some media interest in this anniversary but with little success so far. One newspaper might be interested but not, it seems, The Australian. But, then no one is surprised by that! If you have contacts in the media who might be able to assist, please let us know. Note that the State Library exhibition has now had a name change to – Coming Out in the 70’s. It is to be divided into three sections – Being Seen, Being Heard, Being Together. The opening is still planned for late November 2020.     Hello fellow 78ers, This message is from the 78ers Committee of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Many 78ers say they would like to be more connected to our communities, especially in these strange COVID-19 times. We thought we would run a Zoom meeting to share with each other about how we’re all coping in this COVID-19 world. You are invited to join us on Zoom at 2pm on Sunday 30th August 2020. To RSVP, please reply to 78ers@mardigrasarts.org.au and we will send you the Zoom link a few days before the meeting. We look forward to seeing you! Sallie Colechin, Rae Giffin, Helen Gollan, Diane Minnis, Lance Mumby, and Kate Rowe – your elected SGLMG 78ers Committee. Photo below by Sally Colechin Oceania InterPride By Robyn Kennedy 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member InterPride Interim Region 20 representative Co-Chair InterPride Human Rights and Diversity Committee Co-Chair InterPride Strategic Planning Committee robyn.kennedy@interpride.org Pride organisations in the InterPride Oceania region met for the second time as a network on 17 August. There were 24 people in attendance from 17 organisations. It was great to see participation from new members from Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. InterPride members from Oceania include Prides from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Samoa, French Polynesia, Tonga and Tuvalu. We are now going through a formal process to appoint two delegates to the Global Advisory Council to ensure our region has a recognised voice in InterPride. 2020 InterPride AGM and World Conference The InterPride and European Pride Organisers Association  (EPOA) Annual General Meetings and World Conference that was to take place in Oslo on October 1-3, 2020, has now moved online due to COVID-19. There is no charge for registration, but all participants must be from a member Pride organisation. First Mardi Gras Inc. is a member organisation. For security and connection reasons, the deadline to register, for all participants, is 20 September 2020. If you would like attend the online InterPride World Conference from 1-3 October 2020, please email us at info@78ers.org.au. By Karl Zlotkowski 78er and Committee Member of First Mardi Gras Inc.  Most Australians understand very little about Poland, and probably don’t care. It’s a long way away, and when we were travelling very few of us had Warsaw on our bucket list. The language is almost incomprehensible to English speakers, and the locals can appear stolid and resentful.   In the old days we visualised Warsaw in shades of grey, but it isn’t like that now. If you Google Warsaw you see a modern glass city. Right now they’re topping out the tallest shimmering tower in Western Europe. It’s just across the road from the old Palace of Culture – a gift from Stalin that Varsovians love to hate.   Yet modern Poland is showing all the signs of social dislocation as a result of rapid economic change. The push to modernise and liberalise society to qualify for membership of the EU has alienated traditionalists, who associate the Rainbow Flag with the encroachment of western neo-liberalism. And populist politicians have exploited this using tactics of division and scapegoating under the guise of promoting social cohesion and public order.   This is happening elsewhere in countries with similar challenges – Hungary and Turkey come to mind – but in Poland the anti-LGBTI agenda has become especially vitriolic. Much of this has been driven by the Law and Justice Party, to which the President (Andrzej Duda) and the Prime Minister belong (though Duda has resigned his formal membership). Law and Justice have a history of appealing to “family values”, and most recently summoning up the spectre of something called “foreign LGBTI Ideology”.   This slogan surfaced in the June Presidential elections, along with a statement from Duda opposing same sex marriage and adoption. In July, following his (very close) re-election, he drafted an amendment to the Polish Constitution to that very end. At the same time he also apologised, confusingly, “if anyone felt offended by my actions”. Meanwhile, the crackdown on LGBTI activists has continued.   'LGBTI-Free Zones' have been declared by many local authorities, even though LGBTI rights are enshrined in Poland’s constitution. For this reason, at least, the declarations are not legally enforceable (for now). Clashes between LGBTI activists and police continue, and a recent campaign of placing rainbow flags on public monuments has resulted in arrests for “insulting religious feelings and insulting Warsaw monuments.”   Article 196 of the Polish criminal code prescribes up to two years in prison for a public action that “…offends the religious feelings of others…”. This particular article was invoked in 2019 when an activist, Elzbieta Podlesna, was arrested for publishing a poster showing the Virgin of Czestochowa (Poland’s most celebrated religious icon) with a rainbow halo. The poster was a protest against homophobic statements by the Roman Catholic church.   The arrest was ruled to be legal, though unreasonable (which presumably means she was let off with a warning). She had, however, made her point: “Sexual orientation is not a sin or a crime and the Holy Mother would protect such people from the Church”. Though, not surprisingly, the Church would not agree. And while a bad law is on the books, the police can enforce it.   More recently, in July an activist known as 'Margo' was arrested over an incident the previous month, when she had thrown paint over a truck covered with anti-LGBTI slogans that was broadcasting homophobic statements in the streets of Warsaw. The prosecutors requested a pre-trial detention period of three months, subsequently reduced to two months. The charges included “participating in a riot”, which may have some resonance for 78ers.   And yet, up against this campaign of intimidation, members of the Polish parliament staged a dramatic challenge to Duda on the day he was sworn in, wearing rainbow themed dresses (and masks). As one of the MPs put it: “We wanted to remind President Andrzej Duda that … in the constitution there is a guarantee of equality for all”.   The struggle continues...   Below: https://remybonny.com/2020/08/09/poster-polish-stonewall/?fbclid=IwAR20cEGLfXCnFVkcAp7FMcXPtUSqTFMX_6oYJjr3O9gE9If4g0oJtwkP-h4 78ers and First Nations Rainbow meeting with Police By Diane Minnis 78er and Secretary First Mardi Gras Inc. Following our Joint Statement on the Black Lives Matter demo, 78ers working on anti-bullying initiatives with Police and First Nations Rainbow reps met with NSW Police. On 30 July we met with Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot, Corporate Sponsor LGBTI and key staff. First Nations Rainbow’s Russell Weston and Ricky Macourt along with 78ers Sue Fletcher, Diane Minnis and Peter Murphy, conveyed their anger at Police tactics used at the protest. Russell made it very clear that for First Nations people it is the colour of their skin that determines their first level of harassment from Police. While undertakings were made to pass our comments on to operational Police, there were some positive outcomes of the meeting. First Nations Rainbow will be invited to meetings of the Police LGBTIQ Stakeholder Forum and are now working with Police on improving their education on First Nations issues. Photo Star Observer Due to COVID-19, we are taking our Salon78 forums into print – as an occasional journal for 78ers and our friends. Salon78 aims to include articles, essays, reviews, poetry, short fiction, photographs, art works, videos and interviews. We are hoping to have our first issue out for next year's Mardi Gras festival. If you would like to join our Salon78 Working Group or submit a contribution, email us at info@78ers.org.au. KZ  Photo Anne Morphett Impact of COVID-19 on Older LGBTI Australians Teresa Savage says: ‘One of the last things I did when working at the National LGBTI Health Alliance was write this report. It was such a privilege to speak with older LGBTI people about how they have coped with COVID-19. I’m so grateful for their generosity and insight. Please share this around – with the current situation in Victoria we need all the wisdom we can get.’ The booklet was published in July 23, 2020 and is available at: https://www.lgbtihealth.org.au/impact_of_covid_19_on_older_lgbti_australians?fbclid=IwAR0DggpbTiO-TRDI4Hsn-t6sqLRZGGEUxr1LXg6HGafutZ3lxY4uEN65cz0

Download the August 2020 newsletter as a PDF.

How did the first Mardi Gras happen and why is it still important to fight for LGBTIQ rights?

Written by Diane Minnis and Ken Davis on behalf of First Mardi Gras Inc, a community association for 78ers.

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In early 1978, San Francisco activists wrote to Ken Davis and Annie Talve seeking solidarity activities in June 1978. This was to support their campaign against the Briggs Initiative – a referendum to remove all supporters of gay rights from all jobs in the school system in California.

In the early 70s, we adopted lesbian gay as inclusive, politically constructed identities – not meaning exclusively homosexual and including intersex, radical drag, drag/kings and queens, transsexuals and transvestites.

The date was to coincide with the anniversary of the Stonewall riots which started on June 28, 1969 in New York. Following a police raid, patrons of the Stonewall Inn, other lesbian and gay bars and neighbourhood street people fought back when the police became violent. This catalysed a new militant era of gay liberation, during a decade of global youth rebellion and revolutionary change which started in 1968.

To prepare for international solidarity actions, Ken and others called a meeting with a coalition of lesbian and gay groups: Gay Lib and Ad Hoc at Sydney University; Acceptance and the Metropolitan Community Church; the Political Action Group of CAMP Inc; Young Labor, socialist groups and young activists. The late Marg McMann, former Co-President of CAMP Inc., moved that we take the name ‘Gay Solidarity Group’.

We planned a morning march from Town Hall to Martin Place and a forum at Paddington Town Hall on the international gay and lesbian movement. Two weeks before 24 June, people from CAMP Inc. suggested we add a night-time, fun event for our community.

People swung into action, securing a police permit, hiring a truck and sound system and painting an International Gay Solidarity banner which was also used in the morning march. Leaflets were handed out on Oxford Street and a lesbian poster squad spread the word. On the poster, our night-time street party was called a Festival, starting at 10pm in Taylor Square. But Marg McMann dubbed it a Mardi Gras and that is the name that immediately stuck.

That first Mardi Gras attracted a more diverse group of women and men than the day-time marches. It was a fun event, less serious, but no less political. We had friends from our households, inner city lefties, heterosexual as well as LGBTIQ people and those who were starting to mobilise for homosexual law reform.

But events that night did not go as planned. We were hurried down Oxford Street by police and they grabbed the keys of the sound truck at College St. Police tried to arrest the driver, Lance Gowland, but a group of lesbians pulled him back into the crowd. Someone shouted ‘To the Cross!’. The atmosphere was electric and we marched up William Street with arms linked and chanting ‘Stop Police Attacks on Gays, Women and Blacks’.

As we reached the El Alamein Fountain in Kings Cross, we started to disperse. But by then, hundreds of police had surrounded us, blocking off every exit and side street. Now numbering 2,000 people, marchers and Kings Cross locals fought back against the vicious police attack. Some protesters were seriously bashed, many were thrown bodily into police wagons and 53 were arrested and taken to Darlinghurst Police Station.

At the station, Peter Murphy was singled out and viciously bashed in a separate cell. The rest of the marchers gathered outside and started organising bail money and medical assistance. We sang the US Civil Rights anthem ‘We Shall Overcome’ and arrestees in the cells could hear us.

While police had previously arrested marchers at LGBTIQ demos since the early 1970s, the scale and violence of their actions that night was a watershed for our community.

Many groups and individuals and the Gay Solidarity Group coalition came together for a massive political and legal effort – the Drop the Charges campaign. With pro bono legal assistance from the Redfern Legal Centre and the Council for Civil Liberties, we fought the charges in court. With growing support from the Women’s movement, ALP branches, unions and students; we continued to demonstrate for the charges to be dropped. But the police continued to arrest us:

• 26 June – 300 protested outside the closed court in Liverpool St with 7 arrested

• 15 July – 2,000 take part in largest ever gay rights march with 14 arrests

• 27 August – 300 march down Oxford St from the 4th National Homosexual Conference with 104 arrests

• The total arrested in the June, July and August period was 178.

Most of the charges against those arrested were dropped. The NSW Summary Offences Act was repealed on 11 May 1979. It had given police very wide powers to arrest people and control public spaces.

The first Mardi Gras led to an upsurge of activism. Gay rights became a broader political issue. We were campaigning for our democratic right to protest. And we were campaigning against police powers – a big issue in NSW.

We were determined to continue this momentum and have a second Mardi Gras. It was opposed by some in the LGBTIQ community, including the newly established Sydney Star newspaper. Five thousand people took part in the second Gay Mardi Gras on a bitterly cold Saturday night of 30th June 1979 – and there were no arrests. Without the police attack on the first Mardi Gras, there may not have been a second one. The second Mardi Gras in 1979 was accompanied by a fair, film festival and street march.  

In these early Mardi Gras, we were publicly asserting our human rights and our democratic rights. From the start we were doing this with satire, with costumes and fabulousness, with camp humour and comment on social and political issues. All which have become hallmarks of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, particularly the Parade, is a public signal of solidarity with LGBTIQ people feeling the impact of homophobia, heterosexism and transphobia in their families, in their communities, schools, and workplaces. It is a beacon to LGBTIQ people everywhere:

• in rural and regional areas

• in areas of Western Sydney which voted against marriage equality

• and overseas where homosexuality is still criminalised, with the death penalty still on some statute books.

With topical, creative, satirical, and edgy visibilities in the Sydney Mardi Gras we continue to fight for the rights of all LGBTIQ people and people of diverse sexualities and genders.

At a time of world-wide climate, economic and health crisis, we are ruled by monsters – Trump, Xi Jinping, Modi, Putin, Duda, Bin Zayed, Netanyahu, Bolsonaro, Bin Salman, Duterte, Orban, Rouhani, Sisi, Buhari, BoJo and ScoMo. They are united around sexism, jingoism, racism, ecocide, profits, and eliminating democratic rights.

In the world of 2020, just as in 1978, our fate as queers depends on our ability to fight alongside others – in Sydney, in Australia, globally – for health, peace, freedom and equality.

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Written by Diane Minnis and Ken Davis on behalf of First Mardi Gras Inc, a community association for 78ers. www.78ers.org.au

Newsletter - July 2020

View this email in your browser July 2020 In this July edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: Robert French updating us on Fifty Years of Visibility Info on the 10th annual Wear it Purple Day on Friday 28 August 2020 Robyn Kennedy’s report on the Oceania InterPride meeting Garrett Prestage on his Survey: Gay and Bisexual Men's behaviour during COVID My report on 78ers working with NSW Police. Diane Minnis The Annual General Meeting of First Mardi Gras Inc. will be held on Saturday 19 September and will be conducted by Zoom. Members will receive further information and a link to the the meeting next month. By Robert French 78er and Committee Member of First Mardi Gras Inc.  Member Pride History Group On Saturday 19 September, an important milestone in Australian social history will be reached. Fifty years ago, on the 19 September 1970, an article, Couples, appeared in the magazine section of The Australian. In the article, Janet Hawley interviewed John Ware, his partner Michael Cass and Christabel Poll. They talked about the formation of Sydney’s Campaign Against Moral Persecution, or CAMP Inc., the first openly homosexual support and activist organisation in Australia. Australia's first "coming out" in the media was Francesca Curtis's television appearance on Channel 9's Melbourne-based current affairs program, The Bailey File, in May 1970. However, it was John and Christabel's appearance in Couples that led to the establishment of a series of CAMP groups across Australia and the impetus for a broader homosexual rights movement. Rather than being just the anniversary of one organisation, however, the article is now viewed as the symbolic start of the gay and lesbian movement, and the beginning of 50 years of LGBTQ visibility and achievement across Australia. The Daughters of Bilitis, now known as the Australasian Lesbian Movement (ALM), was formed in Melbourne in 1969. At first ALM was a closed lesbian support and political rights group. On 6 October 1970, ALM’s Phyllis Papps and Francesca Curtis were interviewed on ABC-TV This Day Tonight. This interview, and Francesca’s earlier appearance on The Bailey File, was based on how the women came to terms with being a lesbian and the public image of lesbians. Before this, there were really no publicly self-declared homosexuals or homosexual organisations, though there were, necessarily closeted, social groups. Within twelve months, there were CAMP groups in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, and eventually in Canberra (all in a loose federation). Campus groups, independent of CAMP, were established at Sydney University and the University of NSW; and a gay liberation sub-group that had formed within CAMP broke away in January 1972 to form Sydney Gay Liberation. And again, similar liberation groups then formed in other capitals. We helped change perceptions within the community at large about what it means to be homosexual, and more specifically within the medical profession. We demanded equality, got anti-discrimination legislation passed and eventually we achieved homosexual law reform. We fought and overcame the scourge of HIV/AIDS and – many decades later – we gained marriage equality. Thus, these are Fifty Years of Visibility, of gains that are worth celebrating, as are the pioneers who first helped achieve them. Here is an update on events planned so far to mark Fifty Years of Visibility.   1. The State Library Exhibition, now called Being Seen, Being Heard: early gay and lesbian activism: is progressing very well. The library recently gave the Advisory Committee a glimpse of some of the proposed graphics and I think they look splendid. The exhibition will run from late November 2020 until 25 April 2021. Instead of doing a SPARK (ACON Youth Group) History Walk next year, I will book a time at the exhibition where I can talk beforehand then lead a walk around the exhibits doing background interpretation. There will be a restriction of 20 people at a time in the exhibition.   2. HomoHist 2020Conference: It is looking increasingly unlikely that this can go ahead even in February 2021. Maybe this can be held by April and before the State Library Exhibition closes.   3. Fifty Years of Visibility: I’ve been trying to drum up interest in the 19 September anniversary of the Couples article in the Australian announcing the formation of CAMP Inc. Letters/Press Releases have gone to: The Australian Magazine, The Good Weekend Magazine, David Marr at The Guardian Australia, Patrick Abboud at SBS and to the SSO. Either CAMP goes GOLD or the Pride History Group may be planning an event for the day, dependent on the COVID-19 situation. Otherwise the anniversary could be marked in another way. Maybe we could claim it as Gay and Lesbian 50 Pride Day!   4. Fifty Years of Visibility theme for Mardi Gras: I have written to the Mardi Gras CEO proposing that the theme for the Parade and Festival next year is Fifty Years of Visibility.   5. Why Did She Have To Tell The World?: This documentary tells the story of the Australasian Lesbian Movement’s Phyllis Papps and Francesca Curtis, the first lesbian couple to come out on Australian television almost fifty years ago. ABC TV is planning to screen this film in February 2021. The Executive Producer is Sue Maslin and Abbie Pobjoy is the Director. The film has support from the ABC, The Post Lounge, Film Art Media and The Weir Anderson Foundation. But they need some help to raise an additional $6,000 to enable them to finish this film in a strong way. Film teaser: https://vimeo.com/394095815 Fundraising Campaign: https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/why-did-she-have-to-tell-the-world/. Wear it Purple Day – Friday 28 August 2020   Wear it Purple was founded in 2010 after several rainbow young people took their own lives following bullying, harassment and lack of acceptance of their sexuality or gender identity. Since 2010, Wear it Purple has developed into an international movement. New generations of rainbow young people continue to be dedicated to promoting this annual expression of support and acceptance. Everybody has the right to be proud of who we are. So join us this year, on August 30th to celebrate Wear it Purple Day. Be part of a movement that has the potential to save thousands of lives. Be part of this change. https://www.wearitpurple.org/ By Robyn Kennedy 78er and First Mardi Gras Inc. Member InterPride Interim Region 20 representative Co-Chair InterPride Human Rights and Diversity Committee Co-Chair InterPride Strategic Planning Committee robyn.kennedy@interpride.org Thank you to the Pride organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific that joined InterPride last year to support Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ bid to host WorldPride 2023. Your support was invaluable in bringing WorldPride to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. InterPride is the world’s largest association of Pride organisations with 550 members from 86 countries. InterPride, in association with the European Pride Organisers Association, was responsible for producing Global Pride 2020, held on 27th June 2020. Global Pride attracted over 1500 content submissions from Pride organisations around the world and was viewed by over 57 million people from 86 countries. To build on the momentum created by Global Pride, I organised an interactive webinar on 22 July to bring together InterPride member organisations from Oceania – InterPride Region 20. The meeting was attended by 22 participants from 18 Pride organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Current InterPride members from Oceania include Prides from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga and Tuvalu. Our region currently has one acting representative (myself) but a formal appointment process will be undertaken to ensure our region has a recognised voice in InterPride. All regions are entitled to two representatives (or three if the number of regional members exceeds 50). Oceania is currently entitled to two representatives. We are also reaching out to Pacific Island Prides to encourage them to be active in Oceania InterPride and to ensure that we effectively represent all Prides in our Region. Global Pride grants Applications for grants utilising donations to Global Pride are now open. Grants are available to: Pride organisations that are in financial distress due to COVID-19 - grants up to $US1,000 Organisations/groups/Pride organisations to support projects that empower LGBTQI+ communities or Pride events in underserved communities or regions - grants up to $US1,000 Pride organisations with specific work that promotes change to end generations of inequities, racism, injustice, and systemic oppression - grants up to $US10,000. There are three rolling application deadlines: August 15th 2020, September 15th 2020, and October 15th 2020. More information is available at: https://www.globalpride2020.org/apply/ Survey: Gay and Bisexual Men's behaviour during COVID   By Garrett Prestage 78er and Associate Professor HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program | Kirby Institute | Faculty of Medicine | UNSW e: grprestage@kirby.unsw.edu.au | w: kirby.unsw.edu.au NSW Health has provided the Kirby Institute with funds to support the reorientation of the Flux study in response to an urgent need to closely monitor changes in Australian gay and bisexual men’s behaviours during the pandemic and how it might affect our capacity to understand trends in HIV and other STIs over coming months and years. The COVID-19 Diary has been filled in each week by the men in Flux for a few weeks now, and is now open for new participants. The COVID-19 Diary is a weekly 5-minute diary monitoring changes in gay men’s behaviours during the pandemic. The study will: Measure the extent of and identify factors for the impact of COVID-19 on sexual, drug using, and health-seeking behaviours and social connectedness among gay and bisexual men. Assess the impact of COVID-19 on trends in HIV and other STIs among gay and bisexual men. Address issues such as isolation, support, mental health and resilience, income loss, and access to health services. For every weekly diary completed, participants will go into a raffle for that week's prizes. We need your help to promote and recruit for the study, across all jurisdictions (not just NSW). Could you assist to ensure that eligible gay and bisexual men in Australia are informed about the study. Link to website: https://www.hepp.org.au Link to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HEPPResearch Link to join directly: https://redcap.med.unsw.edu.au/surveys/?s=XXM34TPLDP You can help us by promoting the COVID-19 Diary through social media. To assist with recruitment, below are some text suggestions to accompany social media posts: Can successes in HIV survive after COVID-19? Are gay and bi men at risk again? Join now to help our community response to COVID-19 and HIV. Help our community response to COVID-19 and HIV. We need gay and bisexual men to tell us how COVID-19 has impacted their lives. Join now and help our response to COVID-19. Kirby Institute UNSW needs your help! We need gay and bisexual men to tell us how COVID-19 has impacted their lives. Join now and help our response to COVID-19. For further information about the COVID-19 Diary, please feel free to contact us at heppadmin@kirby.unsw.edu.au or mhammoud@kirby.unsw.edu.au. Your assistance will be much appreciated. 78ers working with NSW Police By Diane Minnis 78er and Secretary of First Mardi Gras Inc.  At the Police apology to 78ers in August 2018, Sue Fletcher suggested that the police and our community could work together to implement a safe schools type program. Commissioner Fuller took up Sue’s challenge to improve LGBTIQ education in schools. A small group of 78ers – Sue Fletcher, Peter Murphy, Wanda Kluke and myself – have worked with Police for 18 months or so. We have had some input to Anti-Bullying sessions delivered in schools by Police Youth Officers and helped develop a short film. Now entitled Standing Together, the film includes interviews with 78ers about Police actions in 1978. Police officers are interviewed about the apology and tackling homophobia in NSWPF and LGBTIQ youth support organisations, including 2010 and Wear it Purple, speak about their work with young people. Standing Together will be used in school sessions delivered by Police Youth Officers, in the training of Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers and shown to all new Police recruits. NSW Police aim to launch Standing Together on Wear it Purple day, Friday 28 August 2020, in a selection of schools. The Police HR Command is organising an internal event to launch the film and stream it across NSWPF. The City of Sydney and Police are planning a community focussed event to screen Standing Together and host a Q&A Panel afterwards, COVID rules permitting. Above left: Sue Fletcher and right: Ken Davis with interviewer Izzy Calero in ‘Standing Together’ Police LGBTIQ Stakeholder Forum Last August long-standing Corporate Sponsor LGBTI, Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell, moved to another role and Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot took over as Corporate Sponsor LGBTI. 78ers working on the schools programs have now been included in meetings of the Central Metropolitan Region LGBTIQ Stakeholder Forum. At the July meeting, issues of Police actions towards trans people were raised. Following our Joint Statement on the Black Lives Matter demo, we along with First Nations Rainbow reps, requested a meeting with Assistant Commissioner Talbot to raise issue regarding Police actions at the protest. DM Positive ageing   With age, the risk factor for many diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, osteoporosis and some cancers increase. It is possible to take active steps now to ensure, as much as possible, that you can maintain your physical and emotional health and wellbeing. You can request a copy of the Garvan Institute’s Positive ageing guide at: https://www.garvan.org.au/research/guides/positive-ageing

Download the July 2020 newsletter in PDF, or read below.

Pride in Protest: A History of Queer Liberation and the Left featuring Ken Davis

Out in Perth: Q&A: 78er asks Julia Gillard why she didn’t support marriage equality

Watch the entire episode of ABC’s Q&A with Julia Gillard by clicking here

Statement on Black Lives Matter protests

First Nations people and 78ers looked on with disgust at the police behaviour following the first Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney, earlier this month.
After a legal, approved rally proceeded without incident, police forced a crowd at Central Station into the narrow suburban concourse on Eddy Avenue and surrounded them. The crowd was not allowed (or even ordered) to disperse.
Instead these people were forced in upon themselves with no regard for the social distancing that the police claimed to be upholding. The result was panic and outraged resistance – exactly the response that the police had intended to provoke.
Police then used violence and pepper spray on innocent people and some officers even laughed.
This long standing NSW police tactic is one 78ers remember well – when protesters were trapped, bashed and arrested in Kings Cross by police on 24 June 1978. It wasn’t right then, and it isn’t right now.
78ers have now received an apology from the Police Commissioner for the behaviour of NSW Police in 1978. But the NSW Police have demonstrated that they have not changed.
First Nations people were there rallying in protest, as we have many times before, calling for justice, calling for freedom, demanding that the police and justice systems stop killing us.
First Nations people experience individual and systemic racism, discrimination and injustice throughout our lands. We endure over-policing of our communities and suffer from the disproportionate incarceration rates of our people. We witness the ongoing destruction of our sacred and cultural sites. We grieve the more than 400 deaths in custody since the Royal Commission. We have not seen justice for these crimes against our people.
Despite so many of our people at the rally being personally impacted by these injustices, the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney proceeded without incident. People committed to social distancing and other infection control measures.
Our communities were passionate but peaceful. The police were not.
The NSW Police Force’s actions added trauma and further injustice to a day where our communities were exercising their human right to protest against the lethal racism we face.
As LGBTQI First Nations people, we know the compounding of discrimination puts us at further risk from police. The fear for our communities, our loved ones and us in relation to the police and justice system’s discrimination and violence is real, ongoing and current.
Those protesters at Central Station deserve an apology. First Nations people deserve apologies and need urgent systemic change to stop the targeting of their communities by police and the justice system and to stop deaths in custody.
First Nations Rainbow and First Mardi Gras Inc. stand together to say that Black Lives Matter!
The slogan of the 78ers – STOP POLICE ATTACKS! ON GAYS, WOMEN AND BLACKS! – is still relevant today and just as urgent.

First Nations Rainbow & First Mardi Gras Inc.

Joy 94.9: Global Pride 2020

Around the world about 500 pride parades and LGBTI festivals have already been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tonight we hear about how our communities around the world are coming together to create a 24hr global event online which will feature celebrities, politicians, Australian royalty and many grassroots stories from local pride communities.

Robyn Kennedy, knows Pride. She was part of the first Sydney Mardi Gras – a party and protest in 1978. She is coordinating the Asia-Pacific component of Global Pride. Listen to Robyn’s segment on the Joy Media website by clicking here.

SGLMG chats with 78ers on 42nd anniversary of first Mardi Gras parade

78ers Diane Minnis and Lance Mumby had a (physically distanced) chat with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger on the 42nd anniversary of the first Mardi Gras parade.

Watch their discussion below or by clicking here to go to the SGLMG YouTube page.

Newsletter - June 2020

View this email in your browser June 2020 As we approach the 24 June anniversary of the first Mardi Gras in 1978, we are in unprecedented times. We are constrained from all but small gatherings, disgusted by police brutality both here and overseas and see an extraordinary upsurge in Black Lives Matter protests around the world. With hundreds of Pride marches and events cancelled, the 24-hour, online Global Pride 2020 on 27 June will be the world's biggest Pride celebration. In this edition of the First Mardi Gras Inc. Newsletter, we have: our joint statement with First Nations Rainbow Ken Davis on The new pandemic Robyn Kennedy on Global Pride 2020 and its Black Lives Matter focus Robert French with updates to Fifty fabulous years of LGBTIQ visibility and achievement events notice of a Regional and Rural Outreach meeting from SGLMG 78ers Committee members Helen Golan and Sallie Colechin sad news of the death of leading Egyptian activist Sarah Hegazi. Diane Minnis Joint Statement on Black Lives Matter protests   First Nations people and 78ers looked on with disgust at the police behaviour following the first Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney, earlier this month. After a legal, approved rally proceeded without incident, police forced a crowd at Central Station into the narrow suburban concourse on Eddy Avenue and surrounded them. The crowd was not allowed (or even ordered) to disperse.  Instead these people were forced in upon themselves with no regard for the social distancing that the police claimed to be upholding. The result was panic and outraged resistance – exactly the response that the police had intended to provoke.  Police then used violence and pepper spray on innocent people and some officers even laughed. This long standing NSW police tactic is one 78ers remember well – when protesters were trapped, bashed and arrested in Kings Cross by police on 24 June 1978. It wasn’t right then, and it isn’t right now. 78ers have now received an apology from the Police Commissioner for the behaviour of NSW Police in 1978. But the NSW Police have demonstrated that they have not changed. First Nations people were there rallying in protest, as we have many times before, calling for justice, calling for freedom, demanding that the police and justice systems stop killing us.  First Nations people experience individual and systemic racism, discrimination and injustice throughout our lands. We endure over-policing of our communities and suffer from the disproportionate incarceration rates of our people. We witness the ongoing destruction of our sacred and cultural sites. We grieve the more than 400 deaths in custody since the Royal Commission. We have not seen justice for these crimes against our people. Despite so many of our people at the rally being personally impacted by these injustices, the Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney proceeded without incident. People committed to social distancing and other infection control measures. Our communities were passionate but peaceful. The police were not. The NSW Police Force’s actions added trauma and further injustice to a day where our communities were exercising their human right to protest against the lethal racism we face. As LGBTQI First Nations people, we know the compounding of discrimination puts us at further risk from police. The fear for our communities, our loved ones and us in relation to the police and justice system’s discrimination and violence is real, ongoing and current. Those protesters at Central Station deserve an apology. First Nations people deserve apologies and need urgent systemic change to stop the targeting of their communities by police and the justice system and to stop deaths in custody. First Nations Rainbow and First Mardi Gras Inc. stand together to say that Black Lives Matter! The slogan of the 78ers – STOP POLICE ATTACKS! ON GAYS, WOMEN AND BLACKS! – is still relevant today and just as urgent.   First Nations Rainbow                                First Mardi Gras Inc. admin@firstnationsrainbow.org.au               info@78ers.org.au Membership renewals Thank you to all those who have responded to our renewal drive for First Mardi Gras Inc. membership and to those who have updated their contact details. Many have moved to distant locations. Our ‘diaspora’ is spreading far across the country and overseas. We would like to maintain strong contact with all 78ers so that we can properly represent your interests when working with Mardi Gras and other organisations. One of our members, Ross Smith, was recently in hospital for more than 2 months. Anyone who knows Ross might like to contact him, though he has no email address at present. The Committee send their best wishes to Ross for his full and speedy recovery. Barry Charles - Membership Coordinator Congratulations to Frank Howarth AM Congratulations to FMG Inc. member Frank Howarth who was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Frank told us: I've always been someone who thrives on change and doing my little bit to make the world a better place. This was what motivated my participation in the 78 Mardi Gras, and drives my work in the arts, museums and galleries sector. I'm extremely chuffed to have received the AM in recognition of that work. Creativity is at the heart of the cultural sector, and interestingly, the most creative people I know are in the LGBTI community. And I could not have done this without the support of my partner Peter McCarthy! Frank Howarth (left), Peter McCarthy (right)   The new pandemic Jakub and David (@jakubidawid) wandered the tri-city towns of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot on a mission to remove the stigma of homosexuality after 30 LGBTQ-free zones were declared around Poland in August 2019. Photo courtesy of Sydney Star Observer. The day after our 43rd Mardi Gras parade, Australia saw its first COVID-19 fatality. Within a brief period, travel and work and schools and social life closed down. COVID-19 is a global emergency riding the top of the waves of the climate crisis, and the existing economic and geo-political crisis. Most 78ers are particularly vulnerable because of age and health status, so the imposed and self-directed isolation has been intense. For those of us living with HIV, COVID-19 poses particular issues; see 78er, Ross Duffin’s article: https://napwha.org.au/positive/covid-19-vaccines-treatments-and-people-with-hiv. For most of us the sudden change has been very profound: not going to work, not seeing friends or family, not being able to access face-to-face services, not going to restaurants, films, concerts, sports, funerals or demonstrations. Our meetings have gone online. For those of us cohabiting, lockdown might have caused increased interpersonal tensions, for those living alone, unprecedented social isolation may be a bleak experience. Mainstream guidance on social distancing was silent about personal intimacies with people who are not your cohabitants or monogamous partners. Initially LGBTIQ and HIV community organisations were reticent to talk explicitly about casual sex and drugs in this pandemic. Gay businesses, sex on premises venues and sex work closed and even the apps wound down. The economic impacts on our 78ers’ generation/s are as yet uncalculated: loss of working incomes, superannuation, assets, entitlements, services or security. Some sectors, such as hospitality and the arts are devastated. On the other hand, the wealth of the super-rich has massively increased in 2020. With migration, labour and student migration, partner and refugee applications frozen, the situation of LGBTIQ non-residents is critical, either in Australia or overseas. COVID-19 reawakens our collective trauma and grief of the four decade long AIDS pandemic, which kills 800,000 globally each year, despite treatments. Comparisons with HIV require caution. HIV is transmissible but not contagious (and therefore more easily prevented through behaviour change), has a potentially very long period of infectivity, has higher fatality rates over much longer timescale, but is now treatable. Unfortunately our friend Trump “mis-spoke” about having an HIV vaccine already. Fortunately for us, apart from some fringe Christian extremists, this is an epidemic not being blamed on sexuality and gender identity minorities. But there are lessons for this pandemic from AIDS about community and mass mobilisation. There is a need to build on the victories about keeping the intellectual property of the virus, testing, treatments and vaccines freely available internationally in public ownership, so that Big Pharma cannot profiteer and restrict access to those who can pay. COVID-19 highlights health access inequalities and reinforces the need for public health to be in public control. The Coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated racism and xenophobia in Australia and globally, eliciting strong fightbacks. On a deeper global level, the pandemic comes at a time of receding democratic space, a world controlled by science-denying, religious, ultra-nationalist, demagogic monsters – Trump, BoJo, Bolsonaro, Modi, Xi Jinping, Erdogan, Duterte, Sisi, Netanyahu, Orban, Bin Zayed, Duda, Bin Salman…. and our own Pentecostal Scomo. This reactionary and authoritarian climate poses existential threats to the freedom of LGBTIQ people and communities in many countries. Think of what is happening in the legislative agenda right now in USA, Poland, Indonesia and Hungary. We must gear up our international solidarity activism, much like we did at the time of the first Mardi Gras in 1978. In the northern hemisphere, the annual LGBTIQ freedom/pride season around the Stonewall anniversary in late June or early July has gone virtual. Global Pride 2020 is online, and focussing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. See the following article for our engagement with Global Pride. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, and spurred by anti-police and anti-racism mobilisations, several alternative Queer Pride demonstrations are planned, or have been held, for example in Hollywood, Denver and Brooklyn. This is addition to visible queer participation in Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Australia, Europe and the Americas. Ken Davis Global Pride 2020 – Black Lives Matter The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Pride organisations worldwide with hundreds of marches and events cancelled or postponed. On Saturday 27 June, Pride organisations from across the world will celebrate Global Pride 2020. #BlackLivesMatter will be the central focus of Global Pride. Global Pride leaders have said they will amplify black voices, acknowledging the international response to the death of George Floyd and the unprecedented demand for racial justice by working with founders of the Black Lives Matter movement.  Co-Chair of the Global Pride organising committee, Natalie Thompson, said: “As a Black woman in the LGBTQIA+ community, I feel we must confront the systemic racism and violence facing my Black brothers, sisters and non-binary siblings, in the larger culture and within the LGBQIA+ community. I could not think of a larger platform than Global Pride to do this. “I am proud to work beside so many diverse colleagues from around the world. Our community knows well that we must confront hate and prejudice head-on. We have been watching an epidemic of violence against trans people of colour – mostly women – in the past decade and this larger discussion must be inclusive and all encompassing. All Black Lives Matter.” Global Pride is a 24-hour stream of music, performances, speeches and messages of support, hosted by Todrick Hall on his YouTube channel on 27 June, as well as on iHeartRadio’s YouTube channel and on the Global Pride website. Key speakers include former US Vice President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Icelandic President Guðni Jóhannesson, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, UN Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Victor Madrigal Borloz, and European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli. Artists including Adam Lambert, Kesha, Rita Ora, The Village People, Mel C, Leann Rimes, Pussy Riot, Calum Scott, Natasha Bedingfield, Bebe Rexha, Stephen Fry, Leslie Jorden, Russell Tovey and Mary Lambert have joined the already-impressive line-up. More than 500 Pride organisations submitted more than 1,000 pieces of content for Global Pride, and the volunteer production team are now editing the content to pull the 24 hour stream together. Global Pride is supported by partners YouTube and We Are Social, and media partners DIVA, Q.Media and Time Out. Executive Producer for Global Pride, Michelle Meow, said: "Fifty years ago, grassroots organizations came together to plan the first Gay Liberation Day that changed the world, incuding the Daughters of Bilitis, Gay Liberation Front, Mattachine Society and Lavender Menace. The production of Global Pride has been planned in the same grassroots manner, but with a 21st century technological twist. LGBTQIA+ people from around the world will come together virtually during this crisis of racial injustice and a pandemic.” I am the Global Pride Producer for three times zones – covering East Asia, South East Asia and Western Australia. We are bringing previously unheard Pride voices from Asia, including Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, onto the global stage. We have content from every continent – even from Antarctica! For an Australian perspective on Black Lives Matter, we have First Nations contributors including First Nations Rainbow and Aboriginal deaf gay artist Daniel McDonald. We hope you're as excited as us for what is shaping up to be the world's biggest Pride celebration! Robyn Kennedy Fifty fabulous years of LGBTIQ visibility and achievement Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the postponement of several events planned to celebrate our 50th Years of LGBTIQ Visibility and Achievement. The HomoHist Conference due for November now can’t go ahead, though it may be reprogrammed for February. The Friendship as a Way of Life exhibition at the UNSW Galleries in Paddington, running from 8 May to 21 November, is currently a virtual exhibition only. However, it is hoped to have the Gallery opened for visitors shortly, and the proposed history walk(s) of the Taylor Square area will still go ahead. Meanwhile checkout Mother Inferior’s exorcism. The good news is that the Being Seen and Heard: early gay and lesbian activism exhibition will open in late November and go through to 25 April 2021. The State Library will mount the exhibition in a larger gallery than was first planned. And, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is being approached with the proposal that the theme of next year’s parade, even if only virtual, reflect the beginnings of Visibility and Achievement. To pay homage to the early pioneers who founded CAMP Inc., the Daughters of Bilitis, the two early and independent, University Campus groups, and Sydney Gay Liberation. Robert French unswgalleries Exorcism for Healing the World by Mother Inferior of The Sisters of The Order of Perpetual Indulgence Sydney. Instagram video by @unswgalleries: https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_6LxeOA0hJ/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet Regional and Rural Outreach by SGLMG 78ers Committee Dear 78ers This is Helen Golan and Sallie Colechin from the 78ers Committee of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Many older 78ers say they would like to be more connected to our communities, so we thought we would run a Zoom meeting to talk specifically about what support might be available especially in rural/regional areas. If you are a 78er over 60 and live in a rural or regional area, join us on Zoom at 2pm on Saturday 11 July 2020. We will hear from Russ Gluyas from ACON's LOVE Project - Living Older Visibly and Engaged - and social work academic, Virginia Mansel Lees. And there will be plenty of time for discussion. Email us on helengollan@yahoo.com.au OR salliecolechin@icloud.com. If you are interested in participating and we will send you a link to join the meeting. Cheers Helen and Sallie on behalf of the elected SGLMG 78ers Committee Photo Manning River, Wingham. Copyright Sallie Colechin Mourning a leading Egyptian activist – Vale Sarah Hegazi Sarah Hegazy’s death is a terrible blow to Arab and Muslim lesbian and gay activists in Australia, particularly for those who knew her personally, and for networks of queer activists across Africa and West Asia. It is a globally significant loss for the LGBTIQ freedom movement. Sarah was found dead in her home in Toronto on 13 June. Sarah took her own life at age 30, leaving a letter that reads: “To my sisters and brothers – I tried to find redemption and failed, forgive me. To my friends – the experience was harsh and I am too weak to resist it, forgive me. To the world – you were cruel to a great extent, but I forgive.” Sarah was a revolutionary socialist, feminist and queer activist. Sarah was transformed during the 2011 people’s revolution that overthrew Mubarak: “I never felt so alive as during the revolution”. She was dismissed from her job because of her opposition to the Western supported dictator, Sisi, who she described in an article in January as “the most oppressive and violent dictator in our modern history”. She exuberantly carried a rainbow flag at a concert in Cairo in September 2017 by Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leyla, whose lead singer, Hamed Sinno, is gay. After the concert Sarah and 74 men were arrested for promoting sexual deviancy in a major crackdown against lesbian and gay rights. She was imprisoned and tortured for three months. She was trying to survive PTSD after she went into exile in Canada in 2018. Hamed Sinno tweeted: irwahik alhuriat, “your soul is free”, but Sarah’s friends are distressed at the wave of denunciations in Arabic on social media, blaming her death on her politics, lack of religion, and lesbianism. Sarah’s death underlines the urgency of solidarity with activists in countries facing deepening repression, and the specific needs of queer asylum seekers. Our condolences to her friends and comrades. Thowra mustamira Sarah rafeqa, the revolution will continue. Ken Davis Graffiti in Amman, Jordan - now removed. OutStanding Short Story Competition The OutStanding LGBTQIA+ short story competition 2020 has officially begun. The theme for this year is ‘Reconnection’. For Competition Rules and Entry Form, go to: https://outstandingstories.net/entry-details/ Entries close at 11.59pm Tuesday 1 September and winners will be announced on Sunday 27 September.

Queer Stories: David Abello – Demented in the Palace of Dreams