Midsumma parades for marriage
Melbourne queer festival Midsumma took part in the city’s annual Moomba parade on Monday, with marriage equality a key theme of the colourful contingent.
Women in stilts dressed as brides took to the streets along with other Midsumma marchers including local drag identity Kaye Sera.
Equal Love convenor Ali Hogg welcomed the move to speak out about same-sex marriage and said crowds responded favorably.
“I was so pleased to see equal marriage rights represented,” she said.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras also put a spotlight on the same-sex marriage ban in Australia this year as a result of their Say Something campaign.
It’s the first time the Midsumma Festival has marched in the family-friendly Labour Day parade.
This year, lesbian icon Ruby Rose was queen of the parade, sharing the throne with Collingwood Football Club coach Mick Malthouse as king.
The ABC reported last year’s Moomba king Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum took part dressed as Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Same-sex marriage advocates are set to take to Melbourne’s streets on March 26 to call for marriage equality.
PHOTO: Ali Hogg