1978: First gay Mardi Gras march, Sydney
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FIRST GAY MARDI GRAS
* when did the gay mardi gras start in sydney *
They asked for solidary activi on the Stonewall anniversary to ci wh their march agast the anti-gay Briggs Iniative on the California ballot. Ken and others lled a meetg of lbian and gay groups and dividuals, which beme the Gay Solidary Group.
SYDNEY GAY AND LBIAN MARDI GRAS
On 24 June 1978 a small group of gay and lbian people, lled the Gay Solidary Group, anised a day of events Sydney. They wanted to promote gay and lbian culture and prott agast the discrimatn they experienced their daily liv. Even though the daytime march and night-time street para were peaceful, police rpond wh vlence and arrts. This brought natnal attentn and helped to make the para an annual Sydney event. * when did the gay mardi gras start in sydney *
Chants of “Out of the bars and to the streets” joed the sound of gay liberatn anthems ‘Glad to be Gay’ and ‘O to a Gym Teacher’. The Gay Solidary Group, other groups and dividuals and me together for a massive polil and legal effort – the Drop the Charg mpaign. • 15 July – 2, 000 take part largt ever gay rights march wh 14 arrts.
• 27 Augt – 300 march down Oxford St om the 4th Natnal Homosexual Conference wh 104 arrts.
This was the thori’ attempt to keep the muny le, but Sydney’s gays and lbians would not get back le. The first Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras Sydney started a way that now feels faiar: stum, dancg and a pervasive sense of what began one night June, 1978, wh a large crowd of partygoers and this yellow flatbed tck …... Ken was a gay rights activist Sydney.
News, featur and more om the annual Sydney Gay and Lbian Mardi Gras * when did the gay mardi gras start in sydney *
(Supplied: Ken Davis)The event would mark the nth anniversary of the Stonewall Rts New York, an uprisg that led to vlent clash between protters and police, and marked a signifint turng pot the gay rights movement.
Members of var lbian, gay and progrsive groups, cludg Ken, got together and planned a number of events, cludg a late-night ftival that would kick-off at Taylor Square groups felt galvanised by what was happeng overseas. However, spe Sydney havg the most visible gay and lbian populatn the untry, New South Wal was not at the vanguard of change ntact between men was a crime, punishable by up to 14 years prison. You uld be sacked om your job if you were disvered to be gay, and same-sex attractn was still nsired abnormal by some the medil muny and relig was also the potential for vlence.
Mardi Gras is one of Atralia’s most famo and well-loved events, brgg tens of thoands of visors to Sydney to jo the celebratns. It all began on a chilly wter's night 1978, when the police scend on a street ftival bravely celebratg gay rights when homosexualy w... * when did the gay mardi gras start in sydney *
(Supplied: Sallie Colech)Ron At — a member of CAMP (Campaign Agast Moral Persecutn), a gay and lbian polil group — suggted a night-time dance party.