Mardi Gras: A Queer History of Sydney

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A Queer History of Sydney
Introduction
The gays and the lesbians have a hard time in Australia, just like in the rest of the world. There is still oppression, homophobia, and discrimination despite the changes that have been made in society. Before the Mardi Gras became popular in Australia, significant challenges made it hard for the gay community to express themselves. Like in the US, it was illegal in the 1960s for a person to be gay in Australia. Because of the legal hurdles, the gay community could not express themselves freely. There was also oppression from the general public, with a majority of the people believing the practice was unnatural. Finally, there was little support from the academics as the topic was considered to be undignified. The trend is, however, changing gradually, with more people being more accepting of gays.
A Queer History of Sydney
The year 1978 was the culmination of the gays and the lesbian community to stand up for their rights in Australia. Before 1978, people in the gay community used to hide and do their things in the shadows due to fear of the authorities and the public. However, the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade held in Australia started the debate on how people with different sexual orientations should be treated. The parade was supposed to be peaceful. It was meant to commemorate the Stonewall riots in New York and show solidarity to the gay community. The event was not supposed to be political but rather a celebration of the gay community. There had been a misconception that having a large crowd meant there was social progress. This was evident when the police decided to break up the celebrations, which resulted in the arrest of 53 people (Markwell 84). The events of 1978 can be seen in other parts of the world, with most gays and lesbians being discriminated against by the authorities (McKie et al. 4). There are still many places that gays are not welcomed as a part of the community.
Mardi Grass has been organized to highlight the Australian way of life (Markwell 85). The Mardi Gras is not only a gay parade. It has also been turned into a tourist attraction that requires entertainment and consumption. Most gay parades in Europe and North America do not require sponsorship, and attendance is free. However, the Australian parades have sponsorship, and tickets for attendance can cost up to 140 dollars. The street theater that is often performed in the evenings is meant for entertainment and test authori...