Antarctica is set to have its very first Pride

A group of ten LGBTI people located more than 1,000 kilometres away from the South Pole have begun organising the very first Pride event in Antarctica.

Talking to NewNowNext, Shawn Waldron and Evan Townsend said they wanted to commemorate Pride in Antarctica during Pride Month in June.

Based at the United States’ McMurdo research station, which is home to 133 people over the winter and almost 900 during the summer months, the pair said the station has a thriving LGBTI community.

“We had a few LGBTI social events that people showed up to and also because it’s such a small community, it’s easy to find out who is and who isn’t in the LGBTI community,” Townsend said.

“My biggest fear before I left was, I’m going to be the only gay person, there’s going to be no-one else here. I was wrong.”

He added that the ability to hold a Pride event and represent LGBTI people in a remote location like Antarctica was important.

While much of their time is spent working, the LGBTI community at the station spends their spare time hosting events and watching the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

“Having an example of somebody who travels and can have those adventures would’ve been a great thing for me as a kid,” Townsend said.

“But even more so being able to see that there are queer people out there who are proud of their queerness and that in no way inhibits them from living these adventures.”