Sydney is gearing up to host the globe’s largest pride festival and the biggest the city has ever seen.
While a range of theatre shows and art exhibitions are already up and running, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and World Pride 2023 officially kicks off on Saturday, February 17, and runs through to March 5.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras began in 1978 as a brave protest to decriminalise homosexuality, and it has gone on to become one of the world’s most well-known and attended celebrations of LGBT pride.
This year festivities will be taken up a notch as Sydney hosts World Pride, making Australia the first southern hemisphere country to hold the biennial event, meaning more parties and events spanning the two-week celebrations.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras favourites will return as well.
Mardi Gras Fair Day will be held once more at Victoria Park in Camperdown, Sydney, featuring community stalls and performances.
The festival showpiece, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, is also returning to its spiritual home of Oxford Street.
And if you’re unable to get to the parade don’t worry, as it will be broadcast in its entirety live across ABC TV and radio.
There is still very much a need for public visibility and celebrations of the LGBT community such as Mardi Gras and World Pride.
In 2021, 41.9% of LGBTI people aged 18 and over reported that they had considered attempting suicide in their lifetime, compared with 13.3% of the general population.
Other health outcomes in areas such as sexual health are also significantly worse in the LGBT population.
By removing barriers of discrimination and stigma, research has shown that these outcomes dramatically improve.
As an organisation, Flourish Australia celebrates diversity, and we have an active Rainbow Network for our team members from the LGBTIQA+ community, and Allies. We’re also a proud founding member of the Pride in Health and Wellbeing, ACON’s program working with service providers to improve LGBTIQA+ people’s experience of their health and social support services.
We believe in working with people in a respectful way, free from discrimination and recognising the need to provide services that cater to everyone’s individual needs.
No one should be ashamed or need to hide who they are when accessing our services.
To find out more about our commitment to diversity head to https://www.flourishaustralia.org.au/about/diversity-our-vision-future
For more information about Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras check out https://www.mardigras.org.au
We wish everyone a Happy Mardi Gras and Sydney World Pride!
Talk to us today
For more information, contact us on 1300 779 270 or make an enquiry now.
