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Published: March 21st 2006
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Not the only Gay
Dyna ni Daffydd - you're not the only one Russell - As you are probably all still full up on pancakes you will know that it was recently Shrove Tuesday or at least it was when I started writing this. That means it is Mardi Gras time and Sydney has one of the most flamboyant Mardi Gras parades in the world. Our first contact with it was when we received a nice letter from the Sydney LGBTQC Mardi Gras Parade Committee letting us know the arrangements for it as they would be setting up outside our apartment. For those still trying to work out the initials they stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-sexual and Queer Culture. Just about covers everyone then.
The parade started setting up in the morning as roads, including ours, were closed for the day. By six o’clock the road outside was full of parked floats and people of all shapes and sizes limbering up for the march down Oxford Street. We decided to head up Oxford Street to get a good pitch - unfortunately we left it much too late. An hour before the parade the streets were full of people, and getting within five people of the parade line was going to be a
From our balcony
I see gay people! challenge. People were selling stools for $10 a throw, so even the tallest of people were struggling. Eventually we found a spot and as we were up on the curb we had enough height to see the road. After waiting a few minutes some of the parade officials came and told the front row that barrier needed moving and that on three they should lift it up and push it forward. No, they can’t seriously be asking members of the public to move the barriers, what if one of them hurt themselves and sued - do they not understand what a litigious age we live in? Apparently not as moments later the barrier was moving forward and the gap created in front of us was immediately filled with a surge of people. Instead of being a couple of people back with a pretty good view we were 8 or 10 back with no view at all. We decided to move a bit further up, ahead of the barrier moving and make sure we were part of the surge this time. Ten minutes later the same thing happened and we surged forward quite successfully keeping our place this time but with
The Gay Games
Not sure what events are included me still mumbling about lack of cover on their public liability insurance, until Lindsay threatened me with violent intent if I didn’t shut up.
Eventually the parade started with flurry of women on bikes. In order to keep congestion down the parade organisers kept the stopping them so they stood and revved their 1000cc engines, all except one girl who had come on her moped but gave it a quick rev anyway to the delight of the crowd. The floats were an eclectic mix as you would expect with all sorts of ideas and views being expressed. A large number of them were urging equal rights in such areas as marriage and in the work place. Every political party had their own float except the federal ruling party. I’m sure there is a statement there.
Brokeback Mountain was the theme of a number of the floats and not for the obvious reasons either. Apparently some misguided politician, clearly in denial, had made a statement that Brokeback Mountain could never have happened in Australia as there were no gays outside of the cities - Australia’s jackaroos were all ‘proper men’. Of course that brought out every outback gay in
Lesbian in Leathers
Is that a cow bike? the country carrying banners telling us to “Shush, no one has noticed us provincial gays” and “This queer can shear” (which is handy given the shortage of sheep shearers in the country) and the more cryptic “I love to plough”. Never ones to miss a marketing niche IKEA had a float proclaiming their commitment to offer everyone a designer life. This was a bit random, as it had two blokes having a pillow fight in a huge inflated bubble.
As the parade continued, the fireworks blasted off and confetti fell, an elderly couple at the front decided they had seen enough and asked to be excused through the crowd. The seas dutifully parted and just as I was about to move forward to fill the space they had occupied an arm pushed in front of me followed rapidly by a rather tall man who stood directly in front of me. I was completely shocked that someone could be so rude and I let down my normally polite demeanour “No need to be @#$%-ing polite mate, why don’t you just push in?” I said, two cm from his ear. Apparently he didn’t speak English or was deaf as he just
Egypians
Walk like an Eqypian looked straight ahead. I looked at Lins in disbelief and noticed a short man standing beside her looking equally disbelieving. “I can’t believe he just did that” he said. I shrugged not being one for confrontation. “Excuse me” the guy said moving into position directly behind the rude man. He then spent the next ten minutes bitching in a loud voice in a way only a gay man can. Eventually the guy turned around and offered a space to the guy, who turned around and grabbed Lindsay, who grabbed me and we managed to push him all the way to the back. “Just keep tight together and make sure he can’t move back” we were advised and enjoyed the rest of the parade in our rightful place.
The parade eventually finished with people with the crowd just joining in and following the floats. We decided it was definitely time for tea as it was past 10pm. As we wandered back down the parade route the people had all but disappeared leaving behind them one huge mess! Bottles were strewn everywhere all of which would be gone by the morning. We know because we heard the clean up crews sweeping
Brokeback Mountain
This queer can shear! them up all night long!
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