Sydney's gay and lesbian Mardi Gras festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary, due to culminate on Saturday night with the annual parade.
The event has become one of the largest gay pride festivals in the world and generates millions in tourism for the city of Sydney.
This year it will feature a contingent from the Australian defence force.
In another first, about 100 ministers and clergy will offer an apology for the treatment of gays and lesbians.
It will be similar to the government's recent "sorry" to indigenous Australians.
Far cry
The annual event, in which some 10,000 people will take part, has now become a red letter day in the calendar of Sydney and one of the city's major tourist attractions.
But it is all a far cry from the inaugural fancy-dress gay pride march 30 years ago.
Back then male homosexuality was still illegal in New South Wales and the march ended with clashes with police and 50 arrests.
Now it is arguably the world's pre-eminent gay and lesbian celebration. Thanks BBC
0 comments:
Post a Comment