Mardi Gras today launched a new name, logo and community-wide proposition aimed at reinvigorating the 33-year-old event and present it as a city-wide celebration of the power and the beauty of diversity.
In a parallel move, the organisation has changed its name back to Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras after almost 10 years as New Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras chairman Pete Urmson said the move to the old moniker is in recognition that the event and brand remains owned by the city’s gay and lesbian community as it endeavours to broaden its appeal.
“The Sydney Mardi Gras will always have its thumping gay heart that celebrates the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer communities, but Mardi Gras is now inviting those who share our positive message about the power and beauty of diversity to be part of our celebration,” Urmson said.
“We would love to see people who share our values, but who never thought they would be in the Parade, to approach us and share their ideas. There will always be room for a great float which will both entertain and bring people together.
“Our hope with this change is to turn Sydney Mardi Gras into an even bigger civic event – right up there with Rio and the world’s other great carnivals – to be enjoyed by everyone, but always remembered as being a gift to the city from its gay and lesbian community and a demonstration of our pride.”
As well as a return to the old name, the organisation has also launched a new season logo developed in conjunction with partner advertising agency Moon Communications Group.
Moon creative director Greg Logan said the logo speaks to Mardi Gras’ desire to inspire the world to love each other by celebrating the power and beauty of diversity.
“The logo is a universal symbol that connects with everyone in a different way,” he said.
“It symbolises all types of genders coming together and does not discriminate. Its symmetry indicates equality and people coming together to celebrate love.”
OPINION: Where to now for Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras also announced a string of events and performers that will form the core of the 2012 festival, which runs February 12 – March 4, including RuPaul, D.E. Experience, Trevor Ashley and Sneaky Sound System.
This year’s Mardi Gras Festival boasts over 60 special events including iconic event favourites like the Parade, Fair Day and Harbour party.
One of the Mardi Gras Party headliners will be global drag superstar RuPaul, who has been immortalised not only in a wax portrait at Madame Tussaud’s Museum in Times Square, but also in several feature film roles and television shows.
Also appearing at the Party will be top UK performer Jonathan Hellyer, who will take us from the sublime to the ridiculous with his vastly popular cabaret act D.E. Experience.
Aussie dance music ensemble Sneaky Sound System promise a throbbing DJ set, with Miss Connie providing live vocals.
Partygoers can also expect performances from DJ Lady Miss Kier from iconic ’90s dance group Deee-Lite – think Groove Is In The Heart – as well as internationally acclaimed Londoners Horse Meat Disco.
The Australian premiere of Broadway hit The Temperamentals promises an intelligent, sexy and entertaining mix of politics, camp humour and emotional candour. Playwright Jon Marans tells the tale of two men who fell in love while forming America’s first gay rights organisation. This is a fascinating exploration of pre-Stonewall gay activism, in the early ’50s in the US, when ‘temperamental’ was a code for ‘homosexual’.
Fresh from his role as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray The Musical, Trevor Ashley turns his formidable talent to channelling the one and only Dame Shirley Bassey, in the spectacular two-act show Diamonds are for Trevor.
The world’s greatest exponents of cabaret, new burlesque, circus sideshow and vaudeville will transform the Sydney Opera House Studio into a lush salon, as the stars of La Clique dish up pure old-fashioned showmanship in the not-to-bemissed La Soirée.
A sell-out smash at the Adelaide Festival, Britney Spears: The Cabaret pays tribute to the car-crash-slash-pop-princess extraordinaire. Not so much a cabaret as a cry for help, the critically acclaimed show takes a satirical look at the perils of fame, with La Spears’ hits transformed into cabaret, seamlessly telling the tragic/comic tale of her life.
Cheesy serenades and camp camaraderie abound in Bob Downe’s Retro-gras Tea Dance, as Australia’s very own Clown Prince of Polyester is joined onstage by a range of special guests, for a hilarious Sunday afternoon of retro dancing, upstairs at the Beresford Hotel.
Queer Thinking speakers this year will include Professor Sara Ahmed from Goldsmith’s University of London, artist Gary Carsley and queer Muslim lawyer and social justice activist Alyena Mohummadally.
Hats Off! will return to showcase a star line-up of Australian musical theatre, comedy, dance and cabaret performers, all donating their time and talent to raise funds for HIV-related charities.
The Mardi Gras Festival Bar will return to the Oxford Hotel with a packed program of performers, big name DJs, comedy and some of our favourite community events – including Mega Furry Friday, when the Bears take over all four floors; Mega Buzz; Swagger; Hot Rod; Dog Tag; and Burlesque – plus Underground with Sydney Leather Pride.
The Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival will also return, there will be a visual arts program, the Team Sydney sports festival and a range of events for young people including a Queer Prom to celebrate Twenty10’s 30th birthday.
INFO: To view the full program for the Mardi Gras Festival 2012, go to www.mardigras.org.au/events
As a long time cynic of the current Chair and Management Team, I would just like to say that in my opinion, I think they have finally done something positive.
Going back to the 1988 name name (that’s when Lesbian was rather belatedly added) says very clearly that the organisation is one and the same thing. Good move guys.
To be honest I am not as comfortable with the new logo. The old one is known very broadly in the worldwide GLBTI communities and symbolises both Sydney with the profile of the Sydney Opera House and our communities through the placement of the pink triangle.
I have to say that I found it a little funny (not in a nasty way) that Peter kept calling it Sydney Mardi Gras all through his interview.
It is a common problem and the organisation really has to work hard over the coming while to get EVERYBODY using the correct term and ONLY the correct term.
It is ‘The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras’
From what I can see- the ORGANISER is back to the old name, but the EVENT is now renamed “Sydney Mardi Gras”.
Not quite sure how I feel about the public EVENT (parade/ festival, everything) dropping the words “gay & lesbian”. First gut feel is that it’s a big mistake, but willing to see how it pans out I guess. I just see it as censoring “gay & lesbian” out of the public sphere, by removing those words from the actual public EVENT name. The fact the ORGANISER has “gay & lesbian” in the name now is irrelevant as that’s just the name that appears on the cheques they write etc-ie a back of house legal entity name. Christian Extremist groups will be thrilled about the words being removed from the public EVENT name.
If indeed it has officially been renamed back to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, why is ‘Gay and Lesbian’ not on the logo? Not entirely sure about how honest this renaming is.
Double-checking some details, the article in SMH proudly announces that they ARE dropping “gay and lesbian, or the ‘alphabet soup of LGTBQI” from the name, so during the interview, when Peter is only saying Sydney Mardi Gras, that’s the name they are going with.
Disgusted, that’s the first word I’ll use. I normally volunteer with events, anxiously await the launch, Fair day and parade and party, but it will be a heavy heart IF I attend any of the above.
They’ve effectively just removed the whole point of the festival.
The logo is fine, but dropping “gay and lesbian” from the organisation’s name is just plain wrong.
Put it this way – if society has evolved to the point where an organistaion set up for non-heterosexuals feels it’s time to remove all mention of them from its name, there’s probably no need to have a Mardi Gras anymore.
Might be time for everyone to move on.
All sounds good except that new logo. What is with that? Immortal love as the symbol is called it used everywhere. For valentines day and weddings etc. Shouldn’t it be something that has a unique meaning?
I wonder how many people are going to turn the new Mardi Gras logo into ‘angel wings’ covered in feathers and glitter come Mardi Gras parade time!?!
Not to be confused with @DavidW, I look forward to the new traction the entire LGBTQI community and supporteers will get, through the removal of an event name that limited connection for our wider community to the Parade and Festival. To ensure survival of the events it is time to move forward. However, we must never forget their past.
Shelley Argent of PFLAG understands the intent of the new name clearly:-
“There are many straight parents, who like me, enjoy being a part of the festival and parade. The renewed focus on inclusion will help me encourage more parents to play a part in the parade”.
Congratulations to Peter Urmson and his team for taking a giant leap forward in alienating members and the gay community even more than with the plethora of NMG shenanigans over the last couple of years. Hope you have the time of your life at next year’s “Sydney Mardi Gras” dancing and parading with anyone but your own.
After all the lip service about community consultation over the last couple of years at least you’ve now come out of your closet and all but admitted you’re hypocrites who don’t listen and don’t care.
We’ll all wait with baited breath to hear the next great announcement, that no doubt being about a great big lump of Liberal State Government funding for the festival. How about you now admit you’ve sold out, that the removal of Gay and Lesbian from the Mardi Gras Festival is in return for Liberal dollars.
@ A Member…Don’t be so negative – GET OVER IT!
The current chair and board have done more to re-invent and improve our festival and consult our community in the process than anyone ever has. All this whilst facing challenging financial conditions and cynical people like yourselves who moan and bitch about what they ‘should/should not’ do. If you want to make a difference, then support our organisation and provide feedback at the forums they have opened up to us all. Don’t sit in your chair and chastize it!
While I understand why some would be upset that people don’t say the “Gay and Lesbian” part of the name; as a bisexual, I feel its a step towards greater diversity. Even if we all know the event is LGBTQI/Queer inclusive, the fact that 2 were in the official name always made me feel excluded. Just an alternative view on what others have commented about.
What, and now MG is officially a lame ‘brand’? How sad. I think the tipping point has finally come – our ‘community’ (god what a misnomer that is) is lame, trite, ineffective and already fading into obscurity. We have little political power. Little influence. No fight left in our bellies. We are now at the sad point where an invented ‘Brand’ (and it was invented, mark my words) and the whole spirit of MG is nothing more than a fancy dress parade and ‘another’ party where people can get wasted. Oh joy. (I also love the way the ‘ownership’ of the ‘bigger civil event’ has passed to the broader city now – and note how he uses the past tense!) Like we need another civil event?! For what? So straight people can use it as another excuse to get pissed and have a ‘token’ L&G experience once a year? Oh wait, it’s not L&G anymore, silly me. And at the same time you really expect these new ‘citizens’ to be supporting us by writing to their MPs in support of Gay Marriage? Laughable. Most straights I know do not give a shit! All of this begs the question…What do we have left guys n gals? Ask yourself. What do we have left? Because MG has just sold the whole fucking ‘community’ down the river…good luck to everyone who attends – enjoy the drugs, the music and the glitter, and all the colour – but MG will be forever beige from this day on. Well, this is not my community anymore. I’m leaving quietly. With no fuss. But know I’m genuinely glad to be out of it.
The Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a Gay and Lesbian community event. That’s the whole point! To remove the Gay and Lesbian Part from the name/logo is to remove the whole point!
Non gays and lesbians who are truly supportive of our community have always rallied to SGLMG. If there are non Gays and lesbians who feel uncomfortable supporting an event that is explicitly labeled “Gay & Lesbian”, then maybe they should take a good look at themselves, question their motives, and perhaps move on to support some other community organisation instead.
When I go to something like the Chinese New Year festivals, I go to enjoy Chinese culture, and to support and celebrate the local Chinese community (even though I’m not Chinese). If the Chinese community changed the event name to something more inclusive like, “The Sydney Lunar New Year Festival”, I’d think it a totally lame idea, and wouldn’t go. The point would be lost.
This change of direction is just an appalling watering-down of a once fantastic and powerful community event. I think the board has lost its way.
P.S. I say this as someone who has worked with and for Mardi Gras, in many different capacities (from staff to committee, to volunteer, to performer, to participant), in all it’s various forms, for the better part of 2 decades.
The logo looks like a top down view of frottage.
I totally agree with Verushka’s comments above.
At least Peter Urmson has got one thing right. The dropping of words “gay and lesbian” from the name of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will certainly alienate traditional supporters.
What is even more alienating is that this change is a fait accompli without any preceding community discussion,any attempt to publicly explain or justify the change, or any respect shown to the many many many thousands of self-identifying proud lesbians and gay men who created and built Mardi Gras. But then, what can one expect from a n organisation largely run by a bunch of parvenus and arrivistes who have been involved with Mardi Gras for less than five minutes. There are some exceptions – people who will claim a long standing association with Mardi Gras – and these people should have known better and should now be hanging their heads in shame. You know who I mean DH.
But what can one expect from an organisation responsible for one of the silliest incidents of gay and lesbian activism – the ill thought out Tasmanian boycott,which actually damaged businesses who morally and financially supported homosexual law reform.
Guess we just sit back to see whether there is any fire left in the community to rise up and reject this change.
Correction – the penultimate paragraph should have read “But what can one expect from an organisation lead by a person responsible for one of the silliest incidents of gay and lesbian activism
So, it appears that according to Mardi Gras, in our brave, new all-inclusive world, the only way to include ‘everybody’ (which must mean heterosexuals) is to remove the references to gays and lesbians. Presumably, in our all-inclusive world, heterosexuals can’t possibly be expected to celebrate the achievements of the gay and lesbian communities and so gays and lesbians need to just hand over the symbols of gay and lesbian pride in favour of some notion of ‘universal love’. And, let’s just ignore all of our history in the process.
If some heterosexual people are uncomfortable in celebrating something that is specifically about gay and lesbian pride, then there’s still a reason for us to make sure we publicly and loudly celebrate it. And if they are comfortable with celebrating it, then why do we need to hide it – can’t they just participate in our celebration?
@ghostormardigraspast – what a gutless, spiteful individual you sound like, sitting there posting misinformed and incorrect comments under a veil of annonimity … you must feel very proud of yourself.
A little correction for you – Mardi Gras held a series of community consultations over almost a year, all of which were published on this site and in this esteemed publication. Each was an open invitation to members, non-members and people with ideas, thoughts and opinions to come along and share them freely.
I went to all of them and was disappointed to find the same people there time and time again.
Then, when those ideas and opinions are brought together into a public package, all of a sudden everyone wants to voice their opinion.
Well, news flash, like the changes or not, you had plenty of opportunity to get involved and have a say in the direction and future of the organisation. Clearly you chose not to do that, so why don’t you go shove your whinging back up your arse where it came from?
People like you never cease to amaze me – you are quite happy to whinge and whine about something you don’t like, but too fucking lazy to get off your arse and contribute in a positive and effective way.
It’s apathetic people like you who are actively contributing to the ongoing decay of our community – not those who bravely stand up and contribute their time, money and skill without compesation or due credit.
I have just written a letter to the SMH editor as a ‘traditional’ supporter of SGLMG. I read here that the company name will revert to include the gay and lesbian identity but the public will see the brand ‘Sydney Mardi Gras’. Sorry, but that doesn’t do it for me. This is about hiding our difference rather than embracing our diversity. And all, cynical though this sounds, I suspect it is about attracting sponsorship.
The good folk at New Mardi Gras Ltd are being economical with the truth.
A simple on line ASIC search shows that they have NOT changed the company name to include the words Gay and Lesbian. It in fact remains the same. The have however registered a separate business name containing these words.
Evidently the trading company name and the “brand” both do NOT contain the words Gay and Lesbian.
Please explain. Or perhaps don’t bother, it would only be yet another lie. Good bye Sydney Straight Festival and good bye Peter Urmson.
Come on Mardi Gras organizers, wear the words GLBTI with pride!
LOL There is nothing sweeter than the sound of drama queens hissing.
Mardi Gras was old, tired, and in need of a new frock – like a lot of old, tired queens. Yes, it may have become your one time of the year preferred opportunity to strut your tired and sagging stuff, but darlinks, it was not a pretty site. A whole lot of third rate, all inclusive, tawdry processions, dying s slow, slow death.
What is needed is a better class of peeps with maybe just a little more money and a lot more time and effort spent on costumes, floats, signage, and quality beads ( I just love a good bead, don’t you precious? …) Perhaps some nice corporate sponsors ( calling VISA – calling Jagermeister, where are you?) and some professional input would do us proud. Cuz it has not been a pretty past couple of years.
Oh yes, bring on the straights – bring on straight dollar corporate sponsorship, bring on politically correctness, too! ( I love the sound of a diggerydoo )
It was nice of them to keep a few token remnants of days gone past with the inclusion of RuPaul (God only knows we need to import an American drag queen) and an English Dame Edna show…woo hoo
Maybe we can afford to bring in a whole crew of straight people to run it after this next year ?
Verushka and Garrett, well said!
Once upon a time, I used to think that this might be a good idea. But now I wonder, with a little unease, what was wrong with “Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras”? Or after 33 years, is that no longer “fashionable”?
Is Mardi Gras crawling up its own politically correct arse, or heading back into a closet of its own making, where it is not “cool” or “trendy” for “gay” and “lesbian” to be given such prominence because the marketeers of the metrosexual and “straight acting” mindset have spoken against it? Or is this a healthy evolution? Time will tell. But in a world where there is STILL so much discrimination and persecution against our community, anything that might sacrifice our symbols or diminish the visibility of our community and shared personhood should be soundly questioned.
This will leave many of Mardi Gras’ core constituency feeling more disenfranchised than ever, and that is a damnable shame. I identify strongly with the idea that Mardi Gras is gay Australia’s gift *to* Australia – but that gift is one of conscience, awareness, courage, and pride. If we strip the thing of its meaning and true identity, it is no gift but a soulless spectacle.
Having thought about this overnight, I think it is definately a huge mistake to remove the words “gay & lesbian” from the EVENT. (lets not even bother talking about the red-herring that that ORGANISER entity name has added the words back in to their title). The logo, and the public name of the event & parade & party & festival need to be changed back asap to include the words gay & lesbian. If too late for this year, then a committment right now to do it 2013 festival.
So many Christian Extremists forces are circling us at the moment- remember the Nile candidate earlier THIS YEAR who wanted the Parade moved to Homebush Arena, so no-one under 18 could see it, & he had a giant bus with anti-gay messages about BANNING the Parade!!!! – in 2011 it’s crystal clear that MORE THAN EVER we need the words Gay & Lesbian out in the public sphere & not censored. The Christian groups will seize on this & claim a victory that they helped censor the word gay out of the name of the entire event & festival. It’s like renaming ChinaTown to just “Town”! Don’t rip out our identity… please!! Pls change back in 2013!!! (if too late for this year- and btw: just changing the facebook display name today is not enough, again just a red-herring. Where it really counts is not what is told to us within the community, but what has been announced to the straight press ie smh article.)
I have no idea why people think dropping “gay and lesbian” from the title of the event is about heterofying or sanitising Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras has been running for three decades in Sydney – everyone knows its a gay event.
Lots of other gay events around the country don’t have “gay” in the name- Adelaide Feast, Darwin Pride.
Dropping “gay and lesbian” from it is obviously about including the members of our community who identify as things other than gay or lesbian – or don’t we want to include those people?
in 1978 it was a street protest to legalise homosexuality in NSW. Fast forward to 2012, the half a million spectators are mostly made up of drunken yobbo boys from the western suburbs as an excuse for a piss up in the city and see the freak show. Clearly its the most dangerous night of the year to be out on the town. Theres more to being Gay than this. I especially hate it that time of year when people wish me happy mardi Gras when It holds no relevance to me. This whole party hard mentality has truly lost its glorification and its something of a spoilt brat society.
“Adelaide Feast, Darwin Pride, Melb Festival” – no comparison… the Sydney one is the “go to” event partly because it HAS (had) the words Gay & Lesbian in the name of the event. It has been a beacon for the whole country, and internationally (esp in repressed countries it shines as a statement of “Out-ness” & freedom).
It’s our IDENTITY- again, imagine “ChinaTown” renamed “Town” !!
This is the saddest day ever. The whole spirit of the Gay & Lesbian movement has been hijacked. Those who marched in 1978 must be horrified. This event has nothing to do with the Gay & Lesbian community anymore. Until we have equal rights, no discrimination and not viewed as a minority group, the mission is not complete.
Shame on you Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras committee. This is exactly what we fought for years to not take place. Perhaps the time has arrived to sell out, however a new movement should be formed. Goodbye to our 33 year fight in the name of greed, misguided vision and clearly no longer an asset to the community.
This is the saddest day ever. The whole spirit of the Gay & Lesbian movement has been hijacked. Those who marched in 1978 must be horrified. This event has nothing to do with the Gay & Lesbian community anymore. Until we have equal rights, no discrimination and not viewed as a minority group, the mission is not complete.
Shame on you Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras committee. This is exactly what we fought for years to not take place. Perhaps the time has arrived to sell out, however a new movement should be formed. Goodbye to our 33 year fight in the name of greed, misguided vision and clearly no longer an asset to the community.
Can we please make this issue a poll question. I’d be quite eager to see the results of what people think.
Why not just call it Sydney’s Pride Parade? Those in the community know what that means and others will soon learn.
A lot of overseas people currently think it’s just like New Orlean’s “Mardi Gras” and don’t get the “Pride” connection anyway.
Yeah, right they’ve registered the term “Mardi Gras” so what?
I dont like seeing the negativity from the community about the changes to Sydney Mardi Gras. So here is my opinion. There are people out there who just dont identify as either Gay or Lesbian, and fall somewhere in between the BTIQ community…. They may not know what they are, but they know they are different, and we should not be excluding anyone from our supportive community. We should be offering to help these people by giving them a chance to find acceptance and love. There are new challenges ahead, and we will never forget the efforts from the past. This is not about forgetting, or ignoring – its about uniting, growing and including. Equality means we treat all people the same – isnt that what we have been fighting for? Alienating ourselves, undoes all the wonderful work we have done to make this country as accepting as it is today – but we need a united front to keep challenging the future. I applaud the changes, and I welcome the new message of infinite love. One last thing: Mardi Gras isnt the Gay government. They are a brand and a business that doesnt run on rainbows ans sequins. They cover the needs of many many different groups that make up the GLBTQI community – this new branding acknowledges that. Or would you prefer the Sydney Gay and Lesbian and Bisexual and Transgendered and Queer and Intersex Mardi Gras?
Not being a Sydney person, it is very interesting to read all of the comments and the passion that people have about this subject!
It is a bit like some of the organizers of Mardi Gras were dancing along the Yellow Brick Road, and stopped at the Wicked Witches House, eating some strange magic cookies.
I can live with the logo (normally seen on Target girls wear for the 1-6 age group, I used this sort of design lots of times in my textile designs days), but at least the logo should include what makes this Mardi Gras special, out of the hundreds of Mardi-Gras across Australia. It is not Moomba, or a Christmas Parade, it is not the Heyfield Mardi Gras or other country town Mardi Gras, it is an amazing event for the GLBTI community, and it should wear the history of the parade with pride.
What next? The Vodaphone Mardi Gras? I would presume we have been dropped from the title to make way for corporate sponsors. I would like to see a bit more of a return to the political roots of Mardi Gras.
“Don’t be so negative – GET OVER IT!”
Get over what:
• The trashing of the organisation by the people who are running it for the sake of their egos and personal aggrandisement?
• The complete farce of a ‘community consultation process’?
Every single decision that ‘arose’ from those consultations was already decided beforehand. I sat in meetings where I and others were told what those decisions would be days before the ‘consultations’.
• The disenfranchisement of almost every long-serving volunteer and the shunting aside of those who won’t leave or ’play nice’?
The defection of all of the Volunteers from Area 2 in the Parade this year and the promotion of people with almost no skills or experience to significant positions within Parade while overlooking or ignoring people who had demonstrated both commitment to the goals of the organisation and more importantly the skills required.
• The continual misinformation put out by the organisation for the last 4 years about the finances and other organisational errors?
Some of these include the laughable ‘booking oversight’, ‘a strategic decision to separate Parade and Party’, ‘a small loss/possibly even a small profit ($400K isn’t small).
• The elimination of the words Gay & Lesbian from the events of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival?
“The current chair and board have done more to re-invent and improve our festival and consult our community in the process than anyone ever has.“
• The Current Chair and Board are yet to deliver anything but losses (the last profit the organisation made was under the Chairmanship of Nick Parker).
• The current Chair and almost all Board members weren’t even on the Board when the last profit was delivered and Mr Urmson has served less than two years as a Board Member in ANY capacity.
“All this whilst facing challenging financial conditions and cynical people like yourselves who moan and bitch about what they ‘should/should not’ do. “
I think that I have more than earned my right to be cynical:
• I marched in the Parade for almost 10 years.
• I volunteered for almost a decade after that.
• I was involved in close discussions about the direction of the organisation with the current Chair (when he was a Board Member and after he became Co-Chair).
• I had detailed discussions with the former CEO and her replacement on separate occasions detailing what I and the people I represented were concerned about and feeling, as well as offering suggestions on how to help achieve those things and a commitment to work hard at it.
• I and others in those meetings were always assured by those individuals that they; agreed with our views, saw significant merit in the ideas proposed and would move heaven and earth to ‘fix things’. Each and every time they did none of the things that they had said they would.
“If you want to make a difference, then support our organisation and provide feedback at the forums they have opened up to us all.”
I will not support an organisation:
• That started in 1978 as a protest march for Gay & Lesbian Rights and now feels the need to remove the words Gay & Lesbian from the name of the Parade staged in commemoration of that Protest March.
• Which decides on behalf of the members (I still am one) with NO consultation to make what can only be described as the MOST radical decision the organisation has ever made and become something that invites ‘those who share our positive message about the power and beauty of diversity to be part of our celebration,’ It wasn’t and isn’t called ‘Sydney Diversity’, it is called the ‘Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras’.
• As for the forums ‘they have opened up for us all’, they always seem to be targeted at people who live and/or work in Darlinghurst or Paddington, who are available to provide input at 6:00pm on a week night and they always strangely enough arrive at the point that has been prepared beforehand.
“Don’t sit in your chair and chastise it!”
I have to sit in my chair and chastise it. It’s the only option I have left:
• I have spoken to them
• I have tried to work with them on affecting positive change
• I have worked my arse off for years as a volunteer
• I have continued to demonstrate my support over the last three years.
The parade started as a statement of gay rights, why remove it from the title. This is completely fucked
Now all we need are some heterosexual types to step forward and take over the planning and running of the event.
There’s something wrong with the reader poll- when I vote “No”, the “I don’t care” percentage goes up! Also- not good that it allows multiple votes- that should be blocked.
Anyway- latest on Facebook NMG page- they are now calling it “Sydney Mardi Gras, Presented By The Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Organising Committee”. Phleeeze! I’m so trying not to be negative, but they now even blaming the smh for blowing out of proportion- the smh were just publishing their direct quotes & now they backflipping. They need to immediately fix this ASAP !!! Don’t persist with this worsening train wreck!
makes me think do i want to bother going to parade and events if they remove the words gay and lesbian.
The name change and removal of ‘Gay and Lesbian’ is so saddening. I have been marching for the last 4 years. Last year my parents joined me for the first time. They didn’t care that it was called ‘Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’…for them that was the whole point. My parents marched to support their gay son.
There are still so many issues we face as a queer/gay community and now one of the best platforms to raise these issues has been destroyed. We are still fighting for same-sex marriage, against discrimination in our work places and places of worship. We are still campaigning for our transgender and intersex friends. We are still fighting to see ‘ex-gay’ programs shut down and for better healthcare. We are fighting against HIV/AIDS and believing for a cure. Most importantly, Mardi Gras was about us standing together and saying to the world that we are here and we are queer and we are not going away!!
Much has been discussed today about the new direction for Mardi Gras.
For the record, the G&L is coming back to the name at the very front – it will be known as “Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras” presents…. “Sydney Mardi Gras”, “Fair Day” etc etc. We are no longer “New” but we certainly are run by the Gay & Lesbian communities first and foremost.
For the record, the Parade criteria has NOT been changed to let anyone participate. A proven commitment to our diverse communities is still very much essential. I would not support any dissolving of our current criteria nor has it been suggested at any briefing or meetings regarding the rebranding.
Our new message, your new message, is that we are leaders of showing the world that it really is about love and our right to love freely, openly and without restrictions – everyone, everywhere – NOW!
How YOU take that message and embrace it is up to YOU.
Please ensure the correct facts are used and feel free to cut and paste, or share, my comments as a Director of YOUR Mardi Gras.
Can I be honest, I am glad that the alphabet soup os LGBTIQ has gone – I mean that was a mouthful even without saying what it stand for!!
Secondly I am in two frames of mind about this change. It is upsetting to see “Gay and Lesbian” dropped from the Mardi Gras name but at the same time things have changed and shifted somewhat. Just go down Oxford St and you will see what is happening. What was once the gay heart and hub of Sydney has changed and is continually becoming smaller and smaller.
Yes this could be a move to raise more dollars from corporate Australia but I don’t think it will ever loose its history or its core values. Looking at the survey on here people want the name change and remember they did consult with the community and the majority want it to be about inclusion, not exclusion.
Its a positive yet negative move but what would have happened if it continued down the same path? Would Sydney have lost Mardi Gras altogether? Maybe – perhaps. Looking at the last couple of years the parade as gotten smaller and smaller with less entries into the parade, at fair day and numerous other events. The gay community has changed and shifted in a huge way!
Look at grindr and all those other new dating applications. They have changed how most gay guys and gals meet other people!! No longer is it about going to oxford st to meet new people, all you have to do it just touch your smartphone and get the app working and your on your way to hooking up or finding love or new friends!!
Also how many of us say “hey are you going to Mardi Gras??” or “I was in Mardi Gras and it was awesome!!” we don’t ever say “hey are you going to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras?” no one ever has said that to me unless I had to explain it to someone who didn’t know what it was about.
So its all about change and thats what happened within the LGBTIQ community! I think this could and maybe a positive move to become more inclusive and much bigger event than ever before because isn’t that what it’s all about at the end of the day – inclusiveness??
I think this is a really positive message from Mardi Gras and says really good things about their attitude towards non-typical community members and people who are BTQIs. Who isn’t aware that Mardi Gras is gay and lesbian? Are they living on the Moon? It’s not the words that make the difference it’s the events and what we do in them. Better floats, smarter messages and more humour please. I think Mardi Gras have done the right thing in focusing on inclusion and diversity, because it’s not 78 any more, things have moved on. All credit to those from that time, but if you insist that things can never change then the event’s destined to a slow death. Surely that’s not what we want??
Now the Mardi Gras organisers on Facebook are latching onto blaming the smh headline as being the problem “re going straight”. We are not dummies- of course the headline is sensationalist- I’m more concerned about simply te dropping of the words Gay & Lesbian. Going on about the headline is more wasted time that the organisers still don’t get the point… simply the decision needs to be reversed ASAP ! I noticed they’ve reversed their display name of their Facebook back- the sight of it yesterday without the words is still burned into my memory. Now get to it & change the Event name back- and NOT via “SGLMG present’s”. Phleeeze- just admit you’re wrong & fix it immediately. Don’t persist with excuses, delays, tricks, window dressing, & head in the sand, then in 10months time due a survey & then finally admit you’re wrong – admit it NOW!!!
Such a sad day/week! So would the MG board like us all to go back into the closet and start wearing beige? I too add my distaste to the dropping of Gay and Lesbian from the logo name… and hey I have only spent 20 odd years fighting for my rights. My Cv of fighting for our rights include..Media.. BrotherSister, MCV, MSO, SSO… community orgs; ACT Up, Midsumma Board member, ALSO foundation parties and directory, almost every political rally in Melbourne over the last 20 yrs… so many night clubs parties were yes straight people were welcome, but it was a gay space and if two boys were having a good time in the girls loos and a straight girl complained, she was asked to leave! FFS… I can not believe that MG seems to be making a play to make the not gay or lesbian people feel welcome..you always were as long as you understood it is our space… not made to make a PFLAG member feel comfortable… it was OUR space to feel comfortable..as a PFLAG member can feel safe in the street not a GAY person….arr so angry! Oh and peep’s her is an insite… Tourisms NSW (apparently) tried to stop gay owned non NEW business from being a fair day on a few occasion… just ask any gay small tourism business owner from tassie!
The day we have full equality, can get married, live where and how we choose without fear THEN we can change the name to sydney mardi gras. Until that day comes we need those words ‘gay and lesbian’ in the title.
@Jack – As someone who attended all the Mardi Gras consultations, followed the issue in the GLBT media, and received all the invitations to take part in discussions on the future of Mardi Gras, you can probably answer this question – When exactly did the New Mardi Gras Board explicitly say “We’re thinking of dropping the words “gay and lesbian” from Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, we’re thinking of changing the names of the Parade, Party, Festival, Fair Day – the whole Mardi Gras season to the Sydney Mardi Gras – what do you think?
Which consultation was it? Which GLBT media reported this? Did the Board email or write to all its members explicitly asking them whether they agreed with the change? They certainly didn’t seek the members support by putting it to a vote at a general meeting.
My point is that a change as profound as this shouldn’t be made at the very least without the people who created and built Mardi Gras, the lesbian and gay volunteers and parade participants who ensure it happens every year, and the broader GLBT community having a chance to express their view. A profound change such as this should be carefully considered, tested, discussed and debated.
What is particularly sad is that 10 years ago, at least one person who is a party to this decision would have agreed with me, and would have been outraged if this had’ve been attempted in the same way back then.
This is not a whinge. It is a lament for a lack of courtesy, respect and basic community democracy.
lame lame lame.
What is this vote? Shame on the Star Observer.
No…but not because “it’s about history”. That’s fucking lame, and essentially the same excuse the right/family/conservative lobby use to justify not supporting gay marriage. No, because it’s about identity and being proud of it.