to lead the Mardi Gras Parade. It was a singular honour and it was (at
that time) 20 years since we had been involved in one of the most
tumultuous upheavals of the Sydney Gay/Bohemian scene. Now, it's 10
years later and 30 years since that attack.
In 1978 there was a climate of hatred and an unofficial mandate to crush
those who would be themselves. Those who would dare to come out of the
closet and declare that the way they were was 'normal'. There were no
real support agencies, there was no 2010 for queer youth, no acceptance.
The police did their level and brutal best to vilify, bash, harass,
humiliate and destroy any thought of us being recognised as normal, and
they (unintentionally) catalysed the change from sanctioned wanton
street bashings and ham-fisted arrests (ask me about The Darlo Drop one
day) to having GLOs (Gay Liaison Officers) marching in a parade which
celebrates the very thing they were ordered to destroy.
I received this in an email this morning...
<i>"[as one of] The 78ers [you] will lead off the parade following the
Welcome to Country ceremony, a recognition of us being on Aboriginal
land. The concept is a very simple one with a banner leading the way,
along the parade route there will be large screens which will be used to
signal to the crowd the significance of this section of the parade."</i>
These days (our numbers shrinking every year) we are called 78ers. We're
given the label of pioneers, of trailblazers for the cause. Hell, we
just wanted to be recognised, some of us just wanted the right to
celebrate in an atmosphere where we didn't have to jump when someone
called "Hey! You!". Mostly, we just wanted to be able to stand up and
say "We're here! We're Queer! We're people, too!" I guess sometimes
that's all it takes. The need to stand up for what you believe in,
non-violently, and yet continue to face the extremists who oppose you.
30 years later, we will look up Oxford Street and see what changes we
wrought on that June evening.
...and smile
--
No comments:
Post a Comment