Lyle Shelton Targets Anthony Albanese, The Wiggles Over Sydney Mardi Gras Appearance

Former managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Lyle Shelton has no love lost for the LGBTQI community. 

Trigger Warning: This story has details of homophobic and transphobic language, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.

On Saturday, the 44th edition of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with over  40,000 spectators watching around 5,800 marchers participate in the march.

However, Shelton seems to have taken offence at the presence of two groups at the Mardi Gras parade  – the Australian Labor contingent led by Opposition leader Anthony Albanese and The Wiggles. 

Political Attack On Albanese For Marching In Mardi Gras

Shelton retweeted a Mardi Gras post by Albanese to launch a political attack on Labor. “If you want your children taught their gender is fluid and that “men” can fall pregnant and “chest feed” babies, vote @AustralianLabor,” said Shelton. 

If you want your children taught their gender is fluid and that “men” can fall pregnant and “chest feed” babies, vote @AustralianLabor. #MardiGras https://t.co/yN3jBREXes

— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) March 5, 2022

According to Penny Sharpe, Leader of Opposition in the NSW Legislative Council, Albanese has been marching in the Mardi Gras parade for over 30 years. 

@AlboMP is in the house. He has been marching in Mardi Gras for over 30 years. #MardiGras2022 @RainbowLaborNSW 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/lY6Xx3HzZ8

— Penny Sharpe (@PennySharpemlc) March 5, 2022

Shelton, in a second post on Twitter, retweeted a post by Prime Minister Scott Morrison about his conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “While Anthony Albanese was at the Mardi Gras 2022,” griped Shelton. 

While @AlboMP was at the #MardiGras2022… https://t.co/gH27Mxqz3b

— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) March 5, 2022

Twitter users were less than amused at Shelton’s attack with one user responding, “absolute b*lls#*t”. 

The Wiggles At Mardi Gras Upsets Shelton

Encouraging children to attend tonight's homosexual mardi gras is wrong, it is creepy. Children should not be sexualised or taught their gender is fluid. https://t.co/NG6ecI94Dv #MardiGras2022

— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) March 5, 2022

Prior to his attack on Albanese, Shelton also targeted popular Australian children’s musical group The Wiggles over their performance at the Mardi Gras, which he called “an indecent event”. 

Shelton claimed that the “invitation to children’s entertainers The Wiggles to perform at the mardi gras is particularly disturbing and quite frankly, creepy.” 

Shelton took umbrage at a video posted by The Wiggles about their Mardi Gras performance. 

“Exposing children to nudity and radical sexual concepts is wrong. Sexualising children is wrong. The government of Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet should not be allowing it (The Wiggles to perform at Mardi Gras),” Shelton riled.

This is not the first time that The Wiggles have upset Shelton. In August 2021, when the group added cast members for a more “inclusive lineup”, Shelton  accused The Wiggles, who he said was ” once a safe haven for children”, of “now indoctrinating them into harmful LGBTIQA+ ideology, confusing them about whether they are boys or girls.”

Shelton has a history of targeting the LGBTQI community. The former leader of the “No” campaign during the 2017 national marriage equality vote, has earlier targeted Drag Queen storytime, Safe Schools program, so-called conversion therapy and the Rainbow Path at Prince Alfred Park in Sydney.

Last year, Christian Democratic Party founder Fred Nile had named Shelton as his successor to lead the party and to the party’s Legislative Council seat. Five months later, Nile withdrew his endorsement citing “irreconcilable differences”.

If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.

For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14

For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.