This is one pilgrimage every queer should make
Mar 2nd, 2008 by Rebecca
Last night, I went to the thirtieth anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It was one of the most powerful and affirming experiences I’ve had as a queer woman, and a damned fun night to boot. If you haven’t been and get a chance to go, I’d heartily recommend it.
Some of us from Canberra had been talking about going for a couple of years, and we finally managed to get organised to make the trip to Sydney this year. We’d originally been just going to watch, but I managed to get us onto the university student float, “Children of the Revolution” a few days ago. So we’re walking around Oxford Street beforehand, and dear god - I’ve never seen so many queers in my life. We made our way down to Hyde Park, and though it took forever to actually get to march, it did give us a chance to meet a bunch of interesting queer students from around the country - particularly a group from QUT in Brisbane (who hadn’t really accounted for Sydney weather, poor things), and another group from Wollongong. And then - the march.
Marching down Oxford Street to our float’s theme, T-Rex’s “Children of the Revolution”, in front of more than a hundred thousand cheering people, hugging, kissing and slapping hands with random people, and taking in that atmosphere was one of the most fucking liberating experiences I’ve ever had. For all of the times we take crap for being queer, for all the times when it seems we’ll never win our rights - a display of acceptance of that magnitude just blows it all away. We’re all going back next year, and I’m sure for years after that - it was such a brilliant night. If you ever get a chance to make it to Sydney for the Mardi Gras - and especially to march - do it.