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Content about Mardi Gras

May 25, 2013
Sydney Mardi Gras Parade gets another name change

Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade will once again be known as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade after its members voted at an Extraordinary General Meeting

Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade has had its second name change in two years after members voted to change the name back to ‘Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade’ in an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Members also voted to change the name of the entity that puts on the annual festival from ‘New Mardi Gras Ltd’ to ‘Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Ltd.’

New Mardi Gras Ltd was formed after the original company that produced the parade and festival went bankrupt in 2002.

May 9, 2013
Watch the Sydney Mardi Gras video and you'll soon be booking for 2014

Watch the 2014 Mardi Gras preview video and plan your LGBT Sydney carnival party

Festivals, parades, over 70 events and parties, yes Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) is back with its 2014 teaser.

SGLMG’s video is an explosion of LGBT celebration. There’s bondage, rainbow roads, sailor dancers, fireworks, cocktails, Amanda Lepore, carnivals, sea, sun, beaches, lots of dancing and little clothing.

And 2014 will see SGLMG celebrate its 36th year, the first was held in 1978 and many of its original partiers still attend.

May 2, 2013
Team Sydney declares victory in fight against gay hate in sport

LGBT sports organization confident that homophobia in sport is ‘not really an issue’ in Australia

As professional sportspeople around the world tentatively begin to be open about their sexuality, there has been a lot of discussion in the media about how to create a safe environment for LGBT people in sport.

It seems that Australia may be leading the way. We spoke with Ian Wilby, president of LGBT sports organization Team Sydney, to find out more about their work and why they’re not focusing on homophobia in sport.

When was Team Sydney established?

April 23, 2013
Australian Defence Force disciplines failed politician for comments about Islam and the Sydney Mardi Gras parade

Bernard Gaynor, who was deselected as a candidate for senate by Katter's Australian Party, disciplined by the Australian army for anti-Islamic and anti-LGBT comments

Reserve Australian army officer and former senate candidate Bernard Gaynor has been disciplined by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for comments about Islam and the army marching in the Sydney Mardi Gras LGBT rights parade.

Gaynor said on Facebook yesterday that he had been charged seven times by the ADF for, in his words:

April 12, 2013
Petition to improve police complaints procedure in New South Wales

Following several police brutality complaints after Sydney Mardi Gras, LGBT rights groups petition state parliament for a debate on improving procedure

LGBT rights groups in New South Wales (NSW) in Australia have launched a petition to ask the state parliament to debate ways to improve the procedure for police complaints, following several allegations of police brutality at Sydney Mardi Gras last month.

The petition was devised after a community forum on policing at the festival and it needs 10,000 signatures for the state parliament to take it seriously. 

April 6, 2013
Columnist attacks “gay mafia rule benders” over Sydney rainbow pride crossing

A conservative Australian opinion columnist says people who want to preserve a gay pride rainbow street crossing on Sydney’s Oxford Street are ‘gay mafia … rule benders’

Conservative Sydney opinion columnist Piers Akerman has attacked people campaigning to make a gay rainbow pride street crossing installed for the 2013 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival permanent, labeling them the ‘gay mafia’ and ‘rule benders.’

April 2, 2013
State Government says Sydney must lose its Rainbow Crossing

Sydney’s Oxford Street gay nightlife quarter will lose its rainbow crossing despite it becoming a local tourist attraction and nearly 15,000 people signing a petition to keep it

The City of Sydney will be forced to spend $35,000 to remove a rainbow flag gay pride crossing on Sydney’s Oxford Street despite the City wanting to keep it and police having no issue with it.

March 26, 2013
Sydney Mardi Gras Awards recognize outstanding events, volunteers and floats

The festival is over but Sydney Mardi Gras 2013 organizers haven't forgotten all the hard work

The festival finished at the beginning of March but the organizers of Sydney Mardi Gras got together last night to reward the best of the hard work that went into it.

At a ceremony in Beresford Hotel in Sydney awards were presented for the best stalls at Fairday, the best events of the month-long festival, floats in the parade and those who volunteered their time for free to make the festival happen.

March 20, 2013
Sydney police listen to LGBT community after accusations of violence at Mardi Gras

Dozens speak out about inappropriate police behavior at police community forum in Sydney

New South Wales (NSW) police addressed concerns from the LGBT community at a packed public meeting last night.

The meeting was called after several accusations of inappropriate and violent police behavior at the Sydney Mardi Gras parade on Saturday 2 March, including alleged excessive force in the arrest of 18-year-old Jamie Jackson, which was captured on video.

March 13, 2013
American visits Sydney Mardi Gras to seek justice for his brother's death

Touching video of Steve Johnson, whose brother Scott is suspected to have been killed in a homophobic attack in 1988, at Sydney Mardi Gras

Steve Johnson, whose brother Scott was found dead in Sydney in 1988, was at Sydney Mardi Gras this year as part of a campaign to dissolve the mystery around what happened to him before his body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Manly.

Johnson marched with Lord Mayor Clover Moore and MP Alex Greenwich in the 35th Sydney Mardi Gras parade on Saturday 2 March and found the experience bittersweet.

March 11, 2013
Man arrested at protest against police brutality in Sydney

One arrest at peaceful protest calling for an end to police brutality, after heavy-handed behavior of New South Wales police at Sydney Mardi Gras was caught on camera

A 31-year-old man was arrested for offensive language and behavior following a protest against police brutality in Sydney on Friday.

'Once most protesters had left, the police took the opportunity to arrest a young homeless gay member of our protest who was mouthing at them over his shocking experience with police,' said Cat Rose, one of the protest's organizers.

'We had a peaceful protest last night but they could not respect that. I took this arrest as a shameless and punitive attack on us all.'

March 8, 2013
Sydney MP reassures community ahead of tonight's protest against police brutality

Alex Greenwich says he has asked for an independent ombudsman to oversee a police investigation into alleged police brutality at Sydney Mardi Gras

Sydney's MP Alex Greenwich has held a press conference to reassure the LGBTI community that allegations of police brutality at last Saturday's Sydney Mardi Gras are being investigated, before tonight's protest about the incidents.

'People are rightly angry about the serious incidents involving police during the 2013 Mardi Gras festival,' said Greenwich.

March 7, 2013
Man fully stripped and 'humiliated' at Sydney gay Mardi Gras

Third internal police investigation has been launched into claims of brutality at the gay parade event

Police have launched a third investigation into claims of brutality after a man claims he was ordered to strip fully naked at Sydney Mardi Gras.

Gary Leeson, 55, said he was ‘humiliated’ and ‘bullied’ when New South Wales police ordered him to remove his clothes – including his underpants – during a drug search.

March 6, 2013
Gay man bashed in Wollongong on Mardi Gras eve

A gay man was bashed in the Wollongong city center in the early hours of the morning before the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade was held just up the coast

A man has spoken out about being gay bashed in the Wollongong city center in the early hours of the morning of the same day as the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade was held just up the coast.

26 year old gay man “Paul” told the Illawara Mercury that he had left a Wollongong nightclub around 3.20am on Saturday with some friends when a group of men started yelling homophobic slurs at them.

March 6, 2013
Sydney gay Mardi Gras victim 'not angry' at police

Jamie Jackson, 18, has said he is not angry with the police force in general, just the officer who threw him to the ground

The 18-year-old who was seen attacked by a policeman at Sydney’s gay Mardi Gras has said he is not angry at the authorities, just the officer.

In the video, which has now been viewed over 200,000 times, Jamie Jackson is seen being held by the throat, slammed to the ground and stood on by a police officer.

Jackson is seen screaming ‘I did nothing wrong!’ as he is arrested by the police.

NSW Police has announced he was charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and using offensive language in public.

March 5, 2013
Airline from worst country for LGBT rights in Asia sponsors Sydney Mardi Gras

AirAsia was first ever Asia-based corporation to sponsor Sydney's celebration of LGBTI pride

March 5, 2013
Airline from worst country for LGBT rights in Asia sponsors Sydney Mardi Gras

AirAsia was first ever Asia-based corporation to sponsor Sydney's celebration of LGBTI pride

March 5, 2013
Sydney police filmed in 'brutal' arrest at gay Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras party-goer is seen screaming 'I did nothing wrong!' as a policeman  throws him to the ground

Sydney police are being accused of brutality during an arrest at last weekend’s Mardi Gras.

A video allegedly shot at the gay pride parade shows an unidentified partygoer in handcuffs thrown on the ground by a policeman, who then stands on the man’s back.

The footage does not show clearly what happened immediately before the man is thrown to the ground, and it is not known why the man was targeted by police.

Alex Greenwich, Independent member for Sydney, said the footage is ‘certainly distressing’.

March 2, 2013
Crowds turn out for 35th Sydney Mardi Gras parade despite threat of rain

Hundreds of thousands of tourists and Sydneysiders turned out to watch the 2013 Mardi Gras parade despite an early threat of rain
 

Sydney’s 35th annual Mardi Gras Parade has been a success despite an early threat of rain from bad weather that thankfully cleared up at the last minute.

It had rained the previous night and all day but that didn’t deter the hundreds of thousands who turned up to line Sydney’s Oxford Street to watch the parade - which itself contained 10,000 people across 110 different marching groups and floats.

March 1, 2013
Heather Small and Loreen play pop-up show tonight in Sydney

'Secret' last minute gig announced with performance from M-People's Heather Small and Eurovision winner Loreen

Ex-M-person Healther Small and Eurovision winner Loreen are playing a pop-up party in Sydney tonight, ahead of their performances at the Sydney Mardi Gras parade after-party, Mardigrasland, tomorrow.

The singers, performing in the intimate surroundings of the Sydney Mardi Gras Museum, will be joined by DJs Bimbo Jones and Adam Love and drag queens Dallas Dellaforce, Vanessa Wagner, The Amazing Ari and Carmen Geddit.

February 26, 2013
Lesbian Sydney councillor argues back to MP's accusation

Christine Forster responds to Alex Greenwich's accusation that she is 'mean-spirited' and not supporting the LGBTI community

Sydney Councillor Christine Forster has explained why she voted against a motion to paint a road crossing rainbow colors to honor the LGBT community.

The city's MP Alex Greenwich said yesterday that the fact that Forster, along with another Liberal councilor and a Living Sydney councillor, had voted against the crossing was 'mean-spirited and showed a lack of respect' for the LGBTI community.

February 19, 2013
Loreen joins Sydney Mardi Gras party

Swedish Euphoria HQ singer and Eurovision winner and will join Sydney Mardi Gras parade after-party on 2 March

Eurovision 2012 winner Loreen has joined the Sydney Mardi Gras parade after-party as a last minute addition.

Loreen will join Crystal Pepsi (Jake Shears from the Scissor Sisters), Heather Small (ex-M-People) and Delta Goodrem at the party, Mardisgrasland, on Saturday 2 March.

February 7, 2013
PM, Premier and Lord Mayor all welcome Sydney Mardi Gras in 2013

Australia’s Prime Minister, the state Premier of New South Wales and the Lord Mayor of Sydney have all released statements of support for the 2013 Sydney Mardi Gras season

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, New South Wales (NSW) Premier Barry O’Farrell and the Lord Mayor of Sydney have all released statements of support for the Sydney Mardi Gras at the start of its 2013 festival season.

‘I warmly welcome everyone who has come to share in Sydney Mardi Gras 2013,’ reads Gillard’s statement in the 2013 festival guide.

January 30, 2013
Sydney Mardi Gras Museum opens

Museum to commemorate the history of Sydney Mardi Gras opens, but is yet to secure permanent home

The first museum to commemorate the history of LGBT rights activism in Australia has opened in Sydney.

The Mardi Gras Museum features archive materials, such as costumes, photograps and posters from Sydney's annual gay rights festival which started in 1978.

Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore and MP Alex Greenwich opened the museum at a packed event last night.

January 10, 2013
Dance on stage at Sydney Mardi Gras

Auditions opening soon for dancers to perform on stage at Sydney Mardi Gras

Sydney Mardi Gras is offering Australia's most enthusiastic dancers the chance to perform on stage during the festival.

The lucky dancers will get to be on stage with the stars performing at the 35th Sydney Mardi Gras party in March.

Former-Scissor-Sister Jake Spears, former-M-Person Heather Small and former-Neighbours star Delta Goodrem are performing at the legendary Mardigrasland party after the parade on Sunday 3 March.