As the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras becomes truly more diverse, is it time to drop the gay and lesbian tag line? Words by Spenlow with photographs by Nat Cagilaba.
Mardi Gras went totally ‘trans’ this year with head of parade Amanda Lepore waving her way down Oxford Street in a convertible Mercedes wearing a rhinestone g-string and leaving much to the imagination.
And while previous parades have been more ethnically, religiously and globally diverse, the feeling on the street this year was that the parade has now more than ever become an extravaganza for the every man and woman, regardless of sexual orientation.
This transition perhaps completes the life cycle of what started as a revolution and is now a non-confrontational pageant peppered with current political messages that has become a barometer of mainstream, and gay and lesbian issues.
But having Amanda Lepore as head of parade is more than just a token gesture to the transsexuals that participate in Mardi Gras. It underscores the evolution of the parade and how it has brought diverse genders and sexual orientations to the fore, helping to destigmatise them in the process.
Marching with the Transsexual Empire Strikes Back float was Cara Wilson, who says having a transsexual as head of parade is in line with the changes in perception of transsexuals throughout society. “The depiction of transsexuals as psychopaths and deviants has changed and destigmatisation of the community is definitely in progress. I think we really are seeing a greater diversity in the parade than ever before.”
And while this very public celebration of diversity makes its way down Oxford Street each year, squabbles continue behind the scenes and occasionally spill over into the international media. The animal rights proponents denied a float at this year’s parade, actors allegedly paid to be on the Ikea float in 2008, and corporate sponsors ANZ Bank blasted for their human rights record. On top of this, sponsorship by the New South Wales government purportedly further diminishes the parade’s community focus and grass roots history.
But this is 2010 and priorities have shifted. The squabbles will undoubtedly change from year to year but the elation on the faces of the 9,000 paraders on the 130 floats this year, and the excitement in the crowd indicates that the parade will definitely go on.
But for who and under what banner?
The political relevance of the parade fluctuates depending on the agendas of the day, but isn’t it time to consider a more inclusive catch cry that encompasses the breadth of people who participate in this annual spectacle?
And with other events such as Chinese New Year beginning to jostle for pride of place on the Sydney events calendar, has Mardi Gras become another event, just the one with the most sequins? It felt like it this year, but that perception didn’t diminish the messages of inclusion, tolerance and acceptance that are still at the heart of what the parade is all about.
Sydney and Australia spend this one special time of the year celebrating diversity in all its shades – gay, lesbian, transgender, transsexual, bisexual, queer, intersex, and straight, but what we continue to share in common with minority communities the world over on a daily basis is the hypocrisy of politicians. For while they clamour to be in the limelight of the parade, they sent a very clear message of non-support to the gay and lesbian community last week when the senate rejected same-sex marriage.
This year’s parade was titled History of the World and there was much excitement about the firsts that the parade achieved this year. A rainbow flag was raised over Sydney Town Hall, the parade marshalling area was moved away from Hyde Park behind 6-foot high fences to shield paraders from the drunken crowd that amassed in the park last year, and the party and the parade were split. It’s just another year in the life of the Sydney Mardi Gras. First published on Fridae.com.
Spenlow 