It's the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras & SANE is celebrating all things LGBTQIA+

Great question @Former-Member! There's so much I love from LGBTIAQ+ pop culture

-From the land of TV: Sense8, Sex Education, Orange is the New Black, Queer Eye

-Ballroom culture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI8uC7_RnEE

Musically I'm a big fan of SOPHIE and all the artists she influenced

Plus the fashion, poetry, and influence of Alok Vaid-Menon

🌈🌈🌈

Mary Lambert - She keeps me warm

Hi Everyone,

A little late to the party, but incredibly happy to be here nonetheless 😊

While I don't identify as being part of the community myself, I have been privileged to know many who are part of the community and I stand with all of you. Please know that you are seen, you are heard, you are valued and you are amazing, just as you are. I hope this will be a space where you can be you, and that you can share and celebrate the wonderful, amazing you that you are.

A deep thanks to my fellow PSWs, @Former-Member for creating and continuing to hold this oh so important space for sharing, celebrating and learning, and to @RiverSeal and @Former-Member for so generously sharing your knowledge and experience with us. Also to all of those who have posted so far (@petrichor @eth among others), and those who are yet to contribute to the discussion for sharing your experiences and knowledge too. It is thanks to your openness, willingness and generosity that supporters like me can learn more and be better able to stand stronger beside you as we progress toward a better society with more acceptance and inclusion for everyone.

In answer to Rhye's other question, something that has stood out to me recently pop-culture wise is a tiny moment in the latest season of Queer Eye. Karamo talked about the idea of 'letting others in' as opposed to the more traditional idea of 'coming out'. I feel like this way of thinking/ approaching it recognises, highlights and honours the courage it can take to identify and/ or to put your identity out there or make it known. On which note, thank you, so very much, to all of you here in this thread and across the forums for letting us in when you have made that courageous choice to do so ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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This week we're all about the diversity and queerness on our screens, in our ears, on our pages and across the media landscape!

We'd love to hear your fave moments in LGBTQIA+ pop culture – it might a favourite tv show you're binging right now, a song that brings out your inner diva, or a moment in media that changed your thinking, moved you or made you proud to be LGBTQIA+ or an ally 🌈

Drop your iconic moments below!

SO here are mine 🌈 🎉

Let’s talk TV -
❤️ When it first came out I loved watching the original ‘Tales of the City’ TV series set in San Francisco - about a group of people live in a boardinghouse turned apartment complex. They also made a newer addition to the series in 2019 which is on netflix that I found also a good watch.

🧡 ’Queer Eye’ Such an uplifting, wholesome show that always pulls at my heart strings
e v e r y e p i s o d e !

💛 ‘Sort Of’ Comedy/Drama series on Stan that follows the story of a fluid millennial called Sabi. Loved MANY things about this show & glad to hear they’re making a 2nd series.

Music -

💚 Sam Smith - JUST L O V E their vocals and often have sing alongs with them in the car or at home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RvAKRoIDqU

Artists -

💙 Aus Artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran
The bright bold sculptural clay characters that he creates I find hard not to love.

💜 American Artist/Illustrator Lisa Congdon
Her illustrations have captured me from the moment I found them & is inspiration having created a career as an artist later on in life.

And lastly.... Movement/Dance -
🤎 Giu Alfeo - They are a ‘Longboard (skateboard) Dancer. Their videos of them moving on the longboard skateboard I find so calming and mesmerising to watch. A true artform in itself.
Unfortunately all the videos are on their Instagram acc, so you’ll need to look for them there to experience the wonder of them dancing.


But here is a reference to a short ‘how to tutorial’ with a trick on YouTube.

@Former-Member @petrichor @Former-Member @RiverSeal @Daisydreamer @Paperdaisy @TideisTurning @Former-Member @eth @Clawde @Shaz51 @cloudcore @NatureLover

@Former-Member Thank you so much for sharing. I particularly loved the ballroom culture video! The thing that struck me most was this quote from one of the participants:

“This coming together confirms each other and we see each other for who we are, and I think that’s such a great tool for survival for our community – just to see each, to know that we exist, to see that our history matters and so do our voices.”

I think this sums up beautifully what community means for all, but ever so important for the LGBTIAQ+ community. Community, visibility and voice is everything 🌈

@petrichor this track by Mary Lambert is so beautiful. I knew I’d heard it somewhere before, and that was here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0

@TideisTurning never too late! We’re glad to have you here 😊I LOVE the reframe from Karamo – letting others in rather than coming out can also be a really important shift for those of us who are faced with a real, not just perceived threat, of homophobia and/or violence. Thank you for sharing 💙

And I'm making an edit here because @Former-Member added their favourite moments to the thread as I was posting...thank you so much for these shares!! I genuinely feel so inspired to revisit some, but even more so to explore those that are new to me. Gave me a little pick me up on a dreary morning, and I suspect it will do the same for others. You're a legend of an ally @Former-Member, as are all our other SANE allies 🌈

@Former-Member LOVE Sex Education!! 🙌

-Schitt's Creek 😁

-Shrill 💝

I don't get enough time to watch tv 💔 but a little book I read to my kids...

Hi @tennisplayer69, just tagging you here in the Mardi Gras discussion 🙂 We hope to speak with you soon!

As we move into the third and final week of the Mardi Gras celebration, and with the parade set for this Saturday in Sydney (fingers crossed for better weather 🤞), we're wrapping up our SANE forums celebration by honouring trailblazers who've paved the way for the LGBTQIA+ community 🌈

If you're keen to nominate a LGBTQIA+ trailblazer (or two, or more!) please feel free to add to the conversation by celebrating all that your trailblazers have achieved for you and/or the community!

When I think of an LGBTQIA+ trailblazers, for me it has to be the 78ers. These brave individuals were the first to march for LGBTQIA+ rights back in 1978, at a time when homosexuality was still deemed a criminal offence. I had the amazing fortune of standing with a 78er to hear the news that the marriage equality postal survey had been supported by the majority of Australians. It was a powerful moment, and to be alongside a 78er...the significance left an indelible mark.

Would love to turn it over to the community to hear who has left an indelible mark for you.

A big thank you goes out to all our LGBTQIA+ community members who've contributed to the celebration, and a big thank you to all our allies as well!

@RiverSeal @Paperdaisy @Clawde @Daisydreamer @eth @flybluebird @petrichor @TheVorticon @greenspace @RedHorse @Shaz51 @TideisTurning @girasole @Adge @cloudcore @Appleblossom @NatureLover @Lyra_reachout @Former-Member @Former-Member @TheVorticon and any others I may have missed!
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Given the tough time the community has experienced over the past few months with the debate around LGBTQIA+ communities in schools, we'd also like to take this moment to provide a list of national and state based LGBTQIA+ services to connect with should you need additional support.

Qlife have compiled a comprehensive list of services which you can find here, and also offer free support and referrals on 1800 184 527 from 3pm to midnight 7 days. If you need support outside these hours, or are experiencing significant distress, please contact any of the following:

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Suicide Call back Service: 1300 659 467

Emergency, police or ambulance: 000

Unhappy Mardi Gras 😢

Welcome to the haters. Mardi Gras, the same as any other discussion like marriage equality, the religious freedom bill etc brings out the worst in the 2 people that I feel closest to. They’re very outspoken about how much they hate and are disgusted by the LGBT community and ask why they have to be exposed or respect others that are not straight cis - because according to them, that is natural, normal… and they say it online and to my face…

i haven’t told anyone in the real world that I don’t identify as a female but was within myself excited about this years Mardi Gras because it’s the first Mardi Gras where I’ve come out to myself. It’s been a long journey but I started low dose T last year and it makes me feel better within myself.

so Mardi Gras is a trigger more than a celebration and it makes me feel that I will never be able to actually be myself and that I can never share the happiness I sometimes feel within myself about finding out who i am.

it’s an upsetting time for me. Even if I can’t go to Mardi Gras i just wanted to feel good about it but I just see that hate and disgust in the faces of the 2 people I feel closest to and it’s just upsetting. I’m not angry, just sad and so ashamed that I am not normal.

Hi @petrichor ,

I'm sorry the Mardi Gras brings up a lot of big feelings for you.

It seems like a connection has developed between the Mardi Gras and these 2 people, which I hope will shift in the future.

As for "I am not normal", I think many people have this running through their head at a point throughout their life. I know I certainly did.

I used to hate myself because I felt I was not 'normal' - well not like everyone around me. The negative feelings this stirred up really played havoc on my mind. I used to tell people that 'I just want to be normal'.

Now, in retrospect, what IS NORMAL? If anything, I still don't think I am normal, but I can truly say I live a very satisfied life being 'abnormal' (if i can term it that way). I really no longer feel I need to be the same as everyone else, and I'm happy that I'm not!

I am what I am, and I'm more than grateful for that!

My heart goes out to you at this time @petrichor

tyme