Murdered Gay Lecturer George Duncan Honoured By University Of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide has renewed the lease on the grave of gay university law lecturer George Duncan, who had been murdered and thrown into Adelaide’s River Torrens 50 years ago.

Duncan was 41 years old when he moved to Adelaide and had only worked six weeks before his untimely demise. He was killed and had his body thrown in the River Torrens by a group of men on 10^th May 1972.

As he didn’t know how to swim, Duncan drowned. His death sparked legislation and led to South Australia being the first Australian state to decriminalise homosexuality.

And despite the horrendous act being labelled as a “hate crime,” the men behind it were never charged.

As the University of Adelaide is the custodian of Duncan’s grave, a ceremony was held at the Centennial Park cemetery in Pasadena on Thursday.

A Symbol Of Injustice

Professor John Williams, a law professor at the university had said that through his death, Duncan was transformed into a “symbol of injustice,” sparking change in Australia.

“I’d like to say that this senseless and deplorable death was a moment when the community decided enough was enough,” he said as reported by the ABC.

“Law reform is never easy … it takes a moment in time, it takes courage, it takes a community that will not let it rest. We didn’t know Dr Duncan, but we know what he’s done for our community, for our society.”

“Dr Duncan was one of us.”

“Our Rights Are Under Threat”

Chairman of the Feast Festival and the University of Adelaide special events manager, Adam Gardnir had said that while the country has taken positive steps for LGBTQ people and the community, tragic deaths like Duncan’s are still happening.

“We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go,” Gardnir said, as reported by the ABC.

“As we’ve seen this week overseas, our rights are constantly under threat.

“That’s why Feast exists, and why we get together and honour the past, but we also strengthen up for the future.”