Been There Done That

8 Mar 2018

Seeing ourselves at Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade 2018

Anniversary, Community, Diversity, Gay, History, Icons, Intersex, Lesbian, Pop Culture, transgender, Visibility

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Seeing ourselves at Sydney’s Mardi Gras Parade 2018

We witnessed with pride the transformation of our diverse gay community celebrating our progress in social acceptance and equality in the 40^th Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade – a very good trouble-free time was had by all, in perfect viewing conditions. We are thankful that we had colour TV (first TV broadcasts in colour were back in 1 March 1975) for seeing all the glorious costumes in this parade.

We also thank Sydney’s gay Peter Travis for his wonderful design of the Speedo (or Sluggo) skimpy swimming costume – better known generically now as budgie-smugglers. Peter was born 22 Feb 1927 and lived to a great age of 89 years, dying in 2016.

Robert Mapplethorpe – US controversial gay B&W photographer (who died 9 March 1989) – used some models who would have overflowed Speedos!

On 13 Feb 2018 high-fashion British company Burberry revealed their new fabric featuring the gay rainbow – designed by gay Christopher Bailey – see illustration.

QANTAS’s gay CEO Alan Joyce is named as Patron for Pride in Diversity – the workplace diversity program for employers and employees.

On 12 March 2018 we celebrate Labour Day with a public Holiday for the 1856 advancement of working conditions, leading to the 8-hour working day, which then allowed 8-hour recreation and 8-hour rest. Melbourne has the Moomba parade – celebrating our diverse community of workers and the fight for workers’ rights, although it seems that in the modern digital age, the formula has become somewhat distorted.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #793 – First broadcast on 6 March 2018