‘Barbie’: Ken Has Never Been Barbie’s Boyiend. He’s Her Gay BFF.

Contents:

• GAY MELBOURNE
• 'I WILL NEVER HI MY CHILD': COMMUNY MEMBERS GATHER BREVARD TO MARCH AGAST SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL
• THE U.S. & JAMAI ARE FIGHTG OVER GAY RIGHTS
• ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL
• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
• THE BT GAY BARS MELBOURNE
• THE PROTTS THAT BEGAN MARDI GRASIN SYDNEY, ON THE NIGHT OF 24 JUNE, 1978, POLICE CRACKED DOWN ON A MARCH CELEBRATG GAY AND LBIAN SOLIDARY. IT WAS JT THE START OF WHAT WOULD BEE THE WORLD FAMO SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRASBY ANDREW TROUNSON, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE SELECTN TO:THE SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS IS THE WORLD’S LARGT ANNUAL CELEBRATN OF LGBT+ PEOPLE AND ONE OF ATRALIA’S BIGGT SGLE TOURIST ATTRACTNS. AN TIMATED 300,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR THE 2018 PARA MARCH, HIGHLIGHTG JT HOW MASTREAM LGBT+ CULTURE HAS BEE HERE. AND ONLY FOUR MONTHS EARLIER MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF THE UNTRY VOTED SUPPORT OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LAWS.LANCE DAY AND FELLOW 78ERS DANCE DURG PREPARATNS FOR THE 2018 MARDI GRAS. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGBUT FOR PROFSOR VERY BURGMANN, ONE OF ATRALIA’S LEADG POLIL SCIENTISTS AND AN EXPERT ON PROTT MOVEMENTS, BEG THIS YEAR’S PARA WAS NOTHG LS THAN SURREAL. ON 24 JUNE 1978, SHE HAD BEEN PART OF THE FIRST MARDI GRAS - A NIGHT TIME STREET PROTT-E PARTY SUPPORTG GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS ALONG SYDNEY’S INIC OXFORD STREET. ON THAT NIGHT, STEAD OF CHEERS, BALLOONS AND SEQUS, THE MARCHERS WERE MET BY A VLENT POLICE CRACKDOWN AS PROTTORS WERE GRABBED, BEATEN AND THROWN GAOL, LEAVG MANY TRMATISED FOR YEARS AFTERWARDS.BACK THEN, HOMOSEXUALY WAS ILLEGAL NEW SOUTH WAL AND MONISED AS IMMORAL BY SOME OR NSIRED AN ILLNS BY OTHERS.WHY MORE ATRALIANS ARE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTSREAD MORE“I REMEMBER BEG ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYG,” SAYS PROFSOR BURGMANN, WHO BEME THE FIRST FEMALE PROFSOR OF POLIL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE 2003 AND IS NOW AN HONORARY PROFSORIAL FELLOW THE ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE. “THE CHURCH WAS SAYG WAS A S, THE MEDIL PROFSN WAS SAYG WAS AN ILLNS AND THE STATE WAS SAYG WAS A CRIME. BUT THE OVER-REACTN BY THE POLICE STILL UGHT ALL BY SURPRISE.”PROFSOR BURGMANN WAS JT 25 AT THE TIME AND ACTIVE SOCIALIST POLICS AND PROTT. SHE WAS THERE WH GAY AND LBIAN RAS TO MONSTRATE SOLIDARY WH ANOTHER PROGRSIVE E.“I DON’T RELL UNPLEASANTNS OM THE PUBLIC WATCHG. WE WERE MARCHG AT THE BACK AND WORD ME DOWN TO THAT THE POLICE HAD GONE BERSERK UP ONT, AND THAT’S WHEN WE REALISED THAT SOMETHG SER WAS HAPPENG. WE LKED ARMS AND STAYED TOGETHER FOR SAFETY. BUT WE GOT OFF LIGHTLY. IT WAS THE GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISTS AT THE ONT WHO GOT HAMMERED.”IN ALL 53 PEOPLE WERE ARRTED, AND THE SYDNEY MORNG HERALD NEWSPAPER WOULD LATER NAME THEN ALL, CLUDG THEIR OCCUPATNS AND THEIR ADDRS, EFFECTIVELY “OUTG” SOME.IN HER 1993 BOOK POWER AND PROTT, PROFSOR BURGMANN WR THAT THE MORE RADIL GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISM OM THE EARLY 1970S, WHICH PROMPTED THE POLICE VLENCE 1978, WAS NOHELS PIVOTAL THE MOVEMENT’S ULTIMATE SUCCS CHANGG IAS AND LEGISLATN. RADILISM, SHE SAYS, IS A CRIL GREDIENT FOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS DATG BACK TO AT LEAST THE SUFAGETT BRA THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.INSTEAD OF CHEERG CROWDS, PROTTORS 1978 WERE MET WH A VLENT POLICE CRACKDOWN. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG“IN THE 1970S PROBABLY THE MAJORY OF PEOPLE WERE HOMOPHOBIC, TO VARYG GRE. BEG HOMSEXUAL WAS SEEN AS WRONG SOME WAY. THAT WAS WHY WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE MOVEMENT TO SHIFT OM NOT JT SAYG THAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS OK AND SHOULD NOT BE ILLEGAL, BUT TO STAND UP AND BE PROUD AND MAND PLETE ACCEPTANCE,” SHE SAYS.“THE GAY PRI MOVEMENT OM 1971 WAS SAYG BEG GAY OR LBIAN IS GOOD, AND THAT SHIFT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE PEOPLE THE MASTREAM START THKG THAT PERHAPS HOMOSEXUALY WASN’T BAD.“POLIL SCIENTISTS LL THE RADIL FLANK EFFECT, WHICH IS THAT YOU N CHANGE MASTREAM ATTUS AND SECURE MORATE REFORMS BY MANDG MUCH MORE, BY TAKG AN EXTREMIST POSN THAT MOST PEOPLE WON’T AGREE WH BUT WHICH NOHELS HELPS TO SHIFT ATTUS BEE THE MORATE REFORM POSN EMERG AS THE SENSIBLE MIDDLE GROUND.”THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHTREAD MORESHE SAYS THE “RADIL FLANK” HAS BEEN CRIL TO MANY MAJOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.“THE OPPOSN TO THE VIETNAM WAR HAD RADILS TYPIFYG THE US AS AN IMPERIALIST AGGRSOR AND SUPPORTG THE VIET CONG, SO THE MAJORY OF PEOPLE AT LAST WERE PERSUAD NSCRIPTN FOR THIS NTENT WAR WAS WRONG, AND THE US CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE BLACK PANTHERS WERE A MORE RADIL UNTER POT TO MART LUTHER KG JR, WHO THEREFORE BEME A SATLY FIGURE STANDG UP AGAST RACIAL TOLERANCE AND JTICE.“A MOVEMENT BENEFS OM HAVG A RADIL FLANK BUT WORKS BT IF THERE IS ALSO A STRONG MIDDLE GROUND OF PEOPLE WHO N BEE FAVOURED BY THOSE POWER ANX TO RCE THE THREAT OM THE RADILS,” SAYS PROFSOR BURGMANN.“WOMEN’S ADVISERS AND OTHER FEMOCRATS ATRALIA ACHIEVED HEAPS, BUT THEY GOT THEIR APPOTMENTS THE RRIDORS OF POWER BEE OF HOW ANGRY THE RADIL WOMEN’S LIBERATN MOVEMENT HAD BEE THE 1970S AND HOW MUCH THE ‘PATRIARCHY’ FELT ALARMED BY THIS RADILISM.“THE GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAD THE GAY PRI PEOPLE WHO ARGUED ‘GAY IS GOOD’ AND WERE PREPARED TO THROW EGGS AT PSYCHIATRISTS WHO ADVOTED ‘AVERSN THERAPY’ OR HECKLE FUNDAMENTALIST NSERVATIVE RELIG TYP LIKE REVEREND FRED NILE. THE PROTT TOOK PLACE ON A NIGHT JUNE, THE MARDI GRAS’ DATE HAS SCE BEEN MOVED TO MARCH. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG“BUT THERE WERE ALSO MORE MORATE LAW REFORM ASSOCIATNS AND UNSELLG SERVIC THAT WERE LOBBYG ERNMENTS TO CRIMALISE AND THEN OUTLAW DISCRIMATN. IT WAS THE GAY PRI RADILS WHO ENABLED THE MORAT TO SUCCEED, BEE THE MORATE LAW REFORMERS ME TO BE SEEN AS THE VOICE OF PROMISE AND REASON.”LOOKG TO THE FUTURE SHE N SEE THE TRANSGENR MOVEMENT GAG TRACTN AS WELL AS THE MOVEMENT TARGETG MALE VLENCE AGAST WOMEN. ONLY THIS MONTH THE RAPE AND MURR OF EURYDICE DIXON MELBOURNE GALVANISED 10,000 PEOPLE TO ATTEND A VIGIL AT THE MURR SE.“AT LAST WHEN SOMETHG HORRIFIC LIKE THIS HAPPENS EVEN THE POLICE, AND CERTALY THE SMART POLICIANS, REALISE THEY N’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BLAMG THE VICTIM AND JT TELLG WOMEN THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELV, BUT ARE NOW TALKG ABOUT HOW SOCIETY HAS TO SIST THAT MEN STOP BEHAVG BADLY.”THE PROBLEM OF A SAME SEX MARRIAGE EXEMPTN FOR CIVIL CELEBRANTSREAD MOREAND GIVEN HOW FAR SOCIETY HAS E ON GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS, SHE SAYS SHE IS OPTIMISTIC THAT PROGRSIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS N NTUE TO MAKE GROUND. ON THAT LD EVENG JUNE, PROFSOR BURGMANN SAYS SHE SIMPLY ULDN’T HAVE IMAGED AN ATRALIA THAT WOULD VOTE FAVOUR OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE.“IT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDARY CHANG ATTUS AND LEGISLATN THAT I HAVE EVER WNSED. IT IS A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.”THAT VLENTLY REPRSED PROTT IS NOW MEMORATED EVERY MARDI GRAS, THOUGH THANKFULLY FOR THOSE THE SKIMPY OUTFS, HAS BEEN MOVED TO WARMER MARCH.PROFSOR BURGMANN WH DR GRAHAM WILLETT LAST YEAR PLETED A PROJECT TO DIGISE OVER 200 HISTORIL DOCUMENTS OM THE GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS GOG BACK TO 1969 AND MA THEM ACCSIBLE ON THE WEBSE REASON REVOLT: SOURCE DOCUMENTS OF ATRALIAN RADILISM, HOSTED BY THE ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE. THE PROJECT WAS FUND BY THE ATRALIAN LBIAN AND GAY ARCHIV AND UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE. BANNER IMAGE: FAIRFAX MEDIAFIRST PUBLISHED ON 22 JUNE 2018 HUMANILGBTIQA+SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRASPROTT MOVEMENTSRADILISMSOCIAL CHANGESTART THE NVERSATN ON FACEBOOKLOADG NVERSATN...SORRY, SOMETHG PREVENTED THE FACEBOOK MENTS FEED OM LOADG. HUMANIFEATUREDPROFSOR VERY BURGMANNHONORARY PROFSORIAL FELLOW; DIRECTOR, REASON REVOLT, ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE: FACEBOOKTWTERLKEDINMEDIA AND REPUBLITNTERMS OF ECLOSEREPUBLISH THIS ARTICLE WE BELIEVE THE EE FLOW OF RMATN. THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTN-NO DERIVATIV 3.0 ATRALIA (CC BY-ND 3.0 AU), SO YOU N REPUBLISH OUR ARTICL FOR EE, ONLE OR PRT.ALL REPUBLISHED ARTICL MT BE ATTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWG WAY AND NTA LKS TO BOTH THE SE AND ORIGAL ARTICLE: “THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSU. READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE.”THE PROTTS THAT BEGAN MARDI GRAS

GAY MELBOURNE

Lucda Horrocks shar oral histori of the Gay Liberatn Movement  1970s Melbourne the Culture Victoria exhibn, Out of the Closets, Into the Streets.

'I WILL NEVER HI MY CHILD': COMMUNY MEMBERS GATHER BREVARD TO MARCH AGAST SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL

In 1970s’ Melbourne a group of stunts ma a stand for gay pri at a time when homosexualy was crimalised and discrimatn and abe was wispread. For the past year I have been rearchg this fascatg and urageo group of people for a documentary film and digal exhibn lled Out of the Closets, Into the Streets, which explor the Melbourne Gay Liberatn Movement. Julian Daily and Peter McEwan durg a Gay Liberatn weekend at Blackwood, 1973.

© AUSTRALIAN LESBIAN AND GAY ARCHIVES. IMAGE VIA AUSTRALIAN LESBIAN AND GAY ARCHIVES. So to unrstand what was at stake for lbians and gays to take to the streets, we need to st ourselv back to an earlier mdset.

THE U.S. & JAMAI ARE FIGHTG OVER GAY RIGHTS

If you were queer, Melbourne before Gay Lib was an tolerant world.

‘If we found ourselv tapulted back to the 1950s would be kd of a nightmare, ’ says Dr Graham Willett, historian and thor of Livg Out Loud – a history of gay and lbian activism Atralia. As Graham explaed when we terviewed him for our project, while a mp scene (the term ‘gay’ was not ed before the 1970s) had flourished Melbourne sce at least the 1920s, was hidn, d and discreet.

ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL

‘Mostly what [gay and lbian] people had to put up wh was the discrimatn, the sense that they were disgtg the ey of lots of people or somehow flawed’ says Graham. Abandong her parents’ Salvatn Army relign which nmned her homosexualy, the 18-year-old began searchg for a group which would accept her.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

In 1972, she beme a foundg member of Melbourne Gay Liberatn. ‘When I grew up I never heard the word lbian, ’ says Barb Creed, 1972 Gay Liberatn Front member.

THE BT GAY BARS MELBOURNE

” I’d read this dreadful book by Angele Stoll on homosexualy who said that lbians were men trapped women’s bodi. For gay men the 1970s the stak were different: men uld be arrted for havg sex wh or proposng another man.

Peter McEwan, a 1972 Melbourne Gay Liberatn Front member, rells beg arrted by police on the beach when he was seventeen, dragged through two urt s, sent to a psychiatrist, and taken to Parkville Psychiatric Clic. Some nascent groups were agatg for homosexual law reform and attudal change Melbourne by 1970.

Gay Liberatn arrived Atralia 1971 when the young wrer and amic Dennis Altman, who had been the Uned Stat rearchg the emergent gay movement, returned to publish Homosexual: Opprsn and Liberatn. Unhappy wh the trajectory of other reform groups Sydney, he created a splter group there lled Gay Liberatn.

THE PROTTS THAT BEGAN MARDI GRASIN SYDNEY, ON THE NIGHT OF 24 JUNE, 1978, POLICE CRACKED DOWN ON A MARCH CELEBRATG GAY AND LBIAN SOLIDARY. IT WAS JT THE START OF WHAT WOULD BEE THE WORLD FAMO SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRASBY ANDREW TROUNSON, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE SELECTN TO:THE SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS IS THE WORLD’S LARGT ANNUAL CELEBRATN OF LGBT+ PEOPLE AND ONE OF ATRALIA’S BIGGT SGLE TOURIST ATTRACTNS. AN TIMATED 300,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR THE 2018 PARA MARCH, HIGHLIGHTG JT HOW MASTREAM LGBT+ CULTURE HAS BEE HERE. AND ONLY FOUR MONTHS EARLIER MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF THE UNTRY VOTED SUPPORT OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LAWS.LANCE DAY AND FELLOW 78ERS DANCE DURG PREPARATNS FOR THE 2018 MARDI GRAS. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGBUT FOR PROFSOR VERY BURGMANN, ONE OF ATRALIA’S LEADG POLIL SCIENTISTS AND AN EXPERT ON PROTT MOVEMENTS, BEG THIS YEAR’S PARA WAS NOTHG LS THAN SURREAL. ON 24 JUNE 1978, SHE HAD BEEN PART OF THE FIRST MARDI GRAS - A NIGHT TIME STREET PROTT-E PARTY SUPPORTG GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS ALONG SYDNEY’S INIC OXFORD STREET. ON THAT NIGHT, STEAD OF CHEERS, BALLOONS AND SEQUS, THE MARCHERS WERE MET BY A VLENT POLICE CRACKDOWN AS PROTTORS WERE GRABBED, BEATEN AND THROWN GAOL, LEAVG MANY TRMATISED FOR YEARS AFTERWARDS.BACK THEN, HOMOSEXUALY WAS ILLEGAL NEW SOUTH WAL AND MONISED AS IMMORAL BY SOME OR NSIRED AN ILLNS BY OTHERS.WHY MORE ATRALIANS ARE SUPPORTG GAY RIGHTSREAD MORE“I REMEMBER BEG ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYG,” SAYS PROFSOR BURGMANN, WHO BEME THE FIRST FEMALE PROFSOR OF POLIL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE 2003 AND IS NOW AN HONORARY PROFSORIAL FELLOW THE ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE. “THE CHURCH WAS SAYG WAS A S, THE MEDIL PROFSN WAS SAYG WAS AN ILLNS AND THE STATE WAS SAYG WAS A CRIME. BUT THE OVER-REACTN BY THE POLICE STILL UGHT ALL BY SURPRISE.”PROFSOR BURGMANN WAS JT 25 AT THE TIME AND ACTIVE SOCIALIST POLICS AND PROTT. SHE WAS THERE WH GAY AND LBIAN RAS TO MONSTRATE SOLIDARY WH ANOTHER PROGRSIVE E.“I DON’T RELL UNPLEASANTNS OM THE PUBLIC WATCHG. WE WERE MARCHG AT THE BACK AND WORD ME DOWN TO THAT THE POLICE HAD GONE BERSERK UP ONT, AND THAT’S WHEN WE REALISED THAT SOMETHG SER WAS HAPPENG. WE LKED ARMS AND STAYED TOGETHER FOR SAFETY. BUT WE GOT OFF LIGHTLY. IT WAS THE GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISTS AT THE ONT WHO GOT HAMMERED.”IN ALL 53 PEOPLE WERE ARRTED, AND THE SYDNEY MORNG HERALD NEWSPAPER WOULD LATER NAME THEN ALL, CLUDG THEIR OCCUPATNS AND THEIR ADDRS, EFFECTIVELY “OUTG” SOME.IN HER 1993 BOOK POWER AND PROTT, PROFSOR BURGMANN WR THAT THE MORE RADIL GAY AND LBIAN ACTIVISM OM THE EARLY 1970S, WHICH PROMPTED THE POLICE VLENCE 1978, WAS NOHELS PIVOTAL THE MOVEMENT’S ULTIMATE SUCCS CHANGG IAS AND LEGISLATN. RADILISM, SHE SAYS, IS A CRIL GREDIENT FOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS DATG BACK TO AT LEAST THE SUFAGETT BRA THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.INSTEAD OF CHEERG CROWDS, PROTTORS 1978 WERE MET WH A VLENT POLICE CRACKDOWN. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG“IN THE 1970S PROBABLY THE MAJORY OF PEOPLE WERE HOMOPHOBIC, TO VARYG GRE. BEG HOMSEXUAL WAS SEEN AS WRONG SOME WAY. THAT WAS WHY WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE MOVEMENT TO SHIFT OM NOT JT SAYG THAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS OK AND SHOULD NOT BE ILLEGAL, BUT TO STAND UP AND BE PROUD AND MAND PLETE ACCEPTANCE,” SHE SAYS.“THE GAY PRI MOVEMENT OM 1971 WAS SAYG BEG GAY OR LBIAN IS GOOD, AND THAT SHIFT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE PEOPLE THE MASTREAM START THKG THAT PERHAPS HOMOSEXUALY WASN’T BAD.“POLIL SCIENTISTS LL THE RADIL FLANK EFFECT, WHICH IS THAT YOU N CHANGE MASTREAM ATTUS AND SECURE MORATE REFORMS BY MANDG MUCH MORE, BY TAKG AN EXTREMIST POSN THAT MOST PEOPLE WON’T AGREE WH BUT WHICH NOHELS HELPS TO SHIFT ATTUS BEE THE MORATE REFORM POSN EMERG AS THE SENSIBLE MIDDLE GROUND.”THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHTREAD MORESHE SAYS THE “RADIL FLANK” HAS BEEN CRIL TO MANY MAJOR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.“THE OPPOSN TO THE VIETNAM WAR HAD RADILS TYPIFYG THE US AS AN IMPERIALIST AGGRSOR AND SUPPORTG THE VIET CONG, SO THE MAJORY OF PEOPLE AT LAST WERE PERSUAD NSCRIPTN FOR THIS NTENT WAR WAS WRONG, AND THE US CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THE BLACK PANTHERS WERE A MORE RADIL UNTER POT TO MART LUTHER KG JR, WHO THEREFORE BEME A SATLY FIGURE STANDG UP AGAST RACIAL TOLERANCE AND JTICE.“A MOVEMENT BENEFS OM HAVG A RADIL FLANK BUT WORKS BT IF THERE IS ALSO A STRONG MIDDLE GROUND OF PEOPLE WHO N BEE FAVOURED BY THOSE POWER ANX TO RCE THE THREAT OM THE RADILS,” SAYS PROFSOR BURGMANN.“WOMEN’S ADVISERS AND OTHER FEMOCRATS ATRALIA ACHIEVED HEAPS, BUT THEY GOT THEIR APPOTMENTS THE RRIDORS OF POWER BEE OF HOW ANGRY THE RADIL WOMEN’S LIBERATN MOVEMENT HAD BEE THE 1970S AND HOW MUCH THE ‘PATRIARCHY’ FELT ALARMED BY THIS RADILISM.“THE GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAD THE GAY PRI PEOPLE WHO ARGUED ‘GAY IS GOOD’ AND WERE PREPARED TO THROW EGGS AT PSYCHIATRISTS WHO ADVOTED ‘AVERSN THERAPY’ OR HECKLE FUNDAMENTALIST NSERVATIVE RELIG TYP LIKE REVEREND FRED NILE. THE PROTT TOOK PLACE ON A NIGHT JUNE, THE MARDI GRAS’ DATE HAS SCE BEEN MOVED TO MARCH. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG“BUT THERE WERE ALSO MORE MORATE LAW REFORM ASSOCIATNS AND UNSELLG SERVIC THAT WERE LOBBYG ERNMENTS TO CRIMALISE AND THEN OUTLAW DISCRIMATN. IT WAS THE GAY PRI RADILS WHO ENABLED THE MORAT TO SUCCEED, BEE THE MORATE LAW REFORMERS ME TO BE SEEN AS THE VOICE OF PROMISE AND REASON.”LOOKG TO THE FUTURE SHE N SEE THE TRANSGENR MOVEMENT GAG TRACTN AS WELL AS THE MOVEMENT TARGETG MALE VLENCE AGAST WOMEN. ONLY THIS MONTH THE RAPE AND MURR OF EURYDICE DIXON MELBOURNE GALVANISED 10,000 PEOPLE TO ATTEND A VIGIL AT THE MURR SE.“AT LAST WHEN SOMETHG HORRIFIC LIKE THIS HAPPENS EVEN THE POLICE, AND CERTALY THE SMART POLICIANS, REALISE THEY N’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BLAMG THE VICTIM AND JT TELLG WOMEN THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELV, BUT ARE NOW TALKG ABOUT HOW SOCIETY HAS TO SIST THAT MEN STOP BEHAVG BADLY.”THE PROBLEM OF A SAME SEX MARRIAGE EXEMPTN FOR CIVIL CELEBRANTSREAD MOREAND GIVEN HOW FAR SOCIETY HAS E ON GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS, SHE SAYS SHE IS OPTIMISTIC THAT PROGRSIVE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS N NTUE TO MAKE GROUND. ON THAT LD EVENG JUNE, PROFSOR BURGMANN SAYS SHE SIMPLY ULDN’T HAVE IMAGED AN ATRALIA THAT WOULD VOTE FAVOUR OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE.“IT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDARY CHANG ATTUS AND LEGISLATN THAT I HAVE EVER WNSED. IT IS A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.”THAT VLENTLY REPRSED PROTT IS NOW MEMORATED EVERY MARDI GRAS, THOUGH THANKFULLY FOR THOSE THE SKIMPY OUTFS, HAS BEEN MOVED TO WARMER MARCH.PROFSOR BURGMANN WH DR GRAHAM WILLETT LAST YEAR PLETED A PROJECT TO DIGISE OVER 200 HISTORIL DOCUMENTS OM THE GAY AND LBIAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS GOG BACK TO 1969 AND MA THEM ACCSIBLE ON THE WEBSE REASON REVOLT: SOURCE DOCUMENTS OF ATRALIAN RADILISM, HOSTED BY THE ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE AT THE UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE. THE PROJECT WAS FUND BY THE ATRALIAN LBIAN AND GAY ARCHIV AND UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE. BANNER IMAGE: FAIRFAX MEDIAFIRST PUBLISHED ON 22 JUNE 2018 HUMANILGBTIQA+SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRASPROTT MOVEMENTSRADILISMSOCIAL CHANGESTART THE NVERSATN ON FACEBOOKLOADG NVERSATN...SORRY, SOMETHG PREVENTED THE FACEBOOK MENTS FEED OM LOADG. HUMANIFEATUREDPROFSOR VERY BURGMANNHONORARY PROFSORIAL FELLOW; DIRECTOR, REASON REVOLT, ESCHOLARSHIP REARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE: FACEBOOKTWTERLKEDINMEDIA AND REPUBLITNTERMS OF ECLOSEREPUBLISH THIS ARTICLE WE BELIEVE THE EE FLOW OF RMATN. THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTN-NO DERIVATIV 3.0 ATRALIA (CC BY-ND 3.0 AU), SO YOU N REPUBLISH OUR ARTICL FOR EE, ONLE OR PRT.ALL REPUBLISHED ARTICL MT BE ATTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWG WAY AND NTA LKS TO BOTH THE SE AND ORIGAL ARTICLE: “THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSU. READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE.”THE PROTTS THAT BEGAN MARDI GRAS

The gay rights groups were fluenced by the Vietnam anti-war movement, the Indigeno rights movement, and, particular, Women’s Liberatn. ‘It’s impossible to thk of Gay Liberatn whout also talkg about Women’s Liberatn and the enormo impact that had, ’ he says, distctly rememberg the moment he first read Kate Millett’s Sexual Polics while flyg to the US 1970. ‘Gay Liberatn always saw self as part of a bigger radil social movement and felt a lot of empathy and nnectn wh other radil social movements.