The Gay Lesbian Mardi Gras, Sydney
I’m sitting in front of the television in my rambling cottage in a small town just one hour north of Brisbane. I’m watching the two-hour procession of the 45th Sydney Gay Lesbian Mardi Gras. It’s Rude, sometimes Crude, Colourful, and Fun. And everyone is having a wonderful time. Back in 1978, it was a different story.
On 24 June 1978 a small group of gay and lesbian people operating as the Gay Solidarity Group staged a day of events in Sydney. The intention was to promote gay and lesbian culture and to encourage political activism against the discrimination they routinely experienced.
The group organized a traditional march and public meeting in the morning and a street parade at night. The violent police response to the parade brought national attention and helped to establish the parade as an annual event.
Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives president Graham Willett describes the 1978 Mardi Gras as the ‘most dramatic moment of the backlash’ against the campaign for gay rights. The parade started at 10 pm and progressed down Oxford Street towards the city. The trouble began when they reached Hyde Park.
In an attempt to get the crowd to disperse, the police confiscated the lead truck and loudspeaker. The crowd, seeing that access to Hyde Park was blocked, headed towards Kings Cross. The police moved in and arrested 53 people.
According to Willett, ’Many of those arrested were badly beaten inside police cells and the Sydney Morning Herald sank to new editorial lows by publishing the complete list of names and occupations of those arrested.
Supporters began a ‘drop the charges’ campaign, which initially generated more arrests. However, due to public uproar about the arrests as well as favourable media coverage, the first charges were dropped in October 1978, and all charges were dropped by the end of 1979. Additionally, laws around obtaining permits for street marches and parades were liberalized.
As such, the first Mardi Gras march was a major civil rights milestone beyond the gay community. About 3,000 people marched in an incident-free parade in 1979.Mardi Gras has grown to be one of the major events of the Sydney calendar. Today it is a festival held over several weeks, culminating in a parade that attracts more than 200,000 participants and spectators. The survival and success of Mardi Gras represents a remarkable and defining change in public attitudes.
Today the festival is held over several weeks, culminating in a parade that is expected to attract more than 200,000 participants and spectators as well as a huge global viewing audience. The survival and success of Mardi Gras represents a remarkable and defining change in public attitudes.
Two Dykes on a Bike was first broadcast in February 2020 on the Whooshkaa platform and features another adventure of the Private Eye, Wannarbee Bond.
Today there are numerous Dykes on Bikes clubs around the world. Around 20 Queensland Dykes on Bikes members ride annually from Brisbane to Sydney for Mardi Gras. The return journey is 1,800 kilometres. It takes four days – two each way and entails more than 20 hours on the bike.
Two Dykes on a Bike was first broadcast in February 2020 on the Whooshkaa platform and features another adventure of the Private Eye, Wannarbee Bond.
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