This entry was posted on 2/23/2007 4:38 AM and is filed under Australia.
THE MARDI GRAS PARADE IN SYDNEY...
We
bought tickets for the Glamstands in order to have a great view of the
parade. It was a night parade and it was unusual for us to watch
instead of being participants. One of us (guess who?) was
relieved to be a watcher. The other (guess who?) gave in for once
and agreed to be a spectator.
This parade is preceded by its
reputation as one of the best Mardi Gras parades in the world so we
were ready for a fabulous event. It was a night when it was
definitely cool to be gay. Everyone was waving rainbow colored
mini flags and the drag queens were wearing their finest.
The
parade kicked off with the Dykes on Bikes. Their headlamp bulbs
had been replaced with bulbs the color of the rainbow. Bare
breasted girls, leather girls, fat girls, skinny girls in hair rollers
and everyone else in between was on a big bad bike and making a huge
deafening sound as they revved their engines.
Here are some of the groups that were represented at the parade...
The Workers Out Union of New South Wales marched right after the
Sexy Scientists from the National Centre of HIV Epidemiology and
Clinical Research group.
IBM had a float as well as ANZ (pronounced A - N - Zed), the local bank.
Political
Groups were there too. The Socialist Alliance was supporting
same-sex marriage. The "We Love Justice and Freedom" were there
advocating for the return of David Hicks and the other prisoners held
illegally at Guantanamo.
IKEA was represented by a huge truck with a large
kitchen on it. Two boys in leather chaps with nothing else (bare
butts shining!), were cooking up breakfast with these oversize
utensils. They were serving four drag queens in full
regalia. Wouldn't see this at home!
Teenagers from "Highschoolers
Against Homophobia" had a float. And the "Homotones" were dressed
as their favorite superheroes and played hero themesongs. The
M.A.G. (Mature Aged Gays) group on the large bus was a hit with the
crowd. But the "Clean and Sober" group had only 5 marchers and
the crowd largely ignored them. Drinking in Australia is a major
pastime and a lively sport that is taken quite seriously.
What surprised us the most was seeing the Australian Police
Department marching as well as the Fire Brigade. All supporting
gay rights.
Our
favorites were the ones that showed the most creativity.
Unfortunately, there weren't many of these. The Trojan Horse was beautifully created.
The cupcakes and the wedding cakes
with the elaborate silken layers gave us much inspiration for a future idea for Summer
Solstice. The synchronized speedo (only) clad group of men and
women from the Surf Life Saving group were fun to watch and a crowd
favorite. And of course, who can't help but admire the many drag
queens who walked the whole parade in stiletto heels! I'd rather
walk a parade on stilts than in stiletto heels anyday!
Click here for a couple movies - composites of several groups...
This
parade, very different from the Summer Solstice Parade of Santa
Barbara, did entertain and at the same time remind people that
diversity is present everywhere and should be respected and honored.
There
were massive crowds and the amount of trash left behind was enormous
and unbelievable. Thank goodness for the hardworking crew that
picked up after everyone. Shame on the crowd for their sloppiness!
