Plans for giant gay flag in Sydney revealed

Plans for giant gay flag in Sydney revealed

A LANDMARK symbol of the LGBTI community in the heart of Sydney’s Darlinghurst is one step closer to reality with Sydney Council submitting a development application for a giant rainbow flag to be situated on Taylor Square.

The plans show the pole would be situated in the centre of the square (as pictured above in artist’s impression), on the grassed area known as Gilligan’s Island, and would be topped off with a six metre long flag.

At 18m in height the flagpole, which will cost $52,000 to erect, will be taller than either the Courthouse or Kinselas hotels it will stand adjacent to.

Labor councillor Linda Scott welcomed council’s progress on the proposal.

“This will be a powerful symbol of equality in the spiritual home of Sydney’s LGBTI community at Taylor Square,” she said.

“Last year we saw people flood the steps of Town Hall to make a DIY rainbow flag with the message ‘Give us our rainbow flag and equality’.

“I look forward to joining thousands of Sydney’s GLBTI community at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2015 where I hope to see the rainbow flag flying high over the parade.”

In January, Lord Mayor Clover Moore announced that a permanent public artwork would be installed in 2018 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Mardi Gras and to commemorate the past and present efforts of the local LGBTI population.

However, Scott and Liberal councillor Christine Forster criticised the long time frame of the proposed artwork with Forster proposing that a rainbow flag be displayed at the historical heart of Sydney’s LGBTI community in the meantime.

If it gets the green light, the flagpole will overlook the site of the controversial and short loved rainbow crossing that bisected Oxford St in 2013.

Its removal, amid howls of protest, led directly to the DIY Rainbow movement which saw replica crossings, created with chalk, spring up across the globe.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates as many as one-in-five gay men in the country live with two kilometres of Taylor Square.

The development application can be found Sydney Council’s website until July 17.

 

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5 responses to “Plans for giant gay flag in Sydney revealed”

  1. What an excellent idea!

    Also lets also put the flag at the home of His Eminence, Cardinal George Pell – Archbishop of Sydney and at all Catholic Church doors – just to piss off the bigots!!!!!!

  2. Is it not the Gay Pride flag? If you do not identify as gay (same sex attracted) then get together and design another flag? But let’s not forget we are all family, and we need each others support and love to move forward and grow stronger. The last thing we need is an arguement over an historic flag that has symbolised our pride and unity as one big family thus far.

  3. No William, its the Gay flag. Its always been the Gay flag, and it always will be the Gay flag. The gay community is inclusive of any LGBTI indaviduals who wish to be included. And far enough too. But don’t try to re-write history. It is and always has been known as the Gay flag. Perhaps I could say in parting, Queer was dreampt up by the Melbourne mob, while they were high on Bolivian marching powder, in a foolhardy attempt to sell more advertising space, and to legitimize business expansion. But it never worked. Everyone walked out. And stayed out. I would venture to say that Victoria’s Blue-stone & Satellite & Mr Fishers “Queer” fantasy was the beginning of the end for the Gay community. Mr Fisher now in jail of course for fraud. Perhaps you William want to drive the final nail into your own coffin.

  4. If the flag is placed on Gilligan’s Island, it will not be noticed noticed until you are at the intersection.
    If it is placed on the tiled area outside the Oxford Hotel, it will be seen by everyone approaching from either direction of Oxford Street, Flinders street and Bourke Street which I believe was the whole point of having the flag installed at Taylor Square.

  5. It’s not a gay flag, it’s a queer flag. The flag represents gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and intersex people. I expect more from an LGBTI news source than to contribute to erasure of queer people other than just gay people.