Yeah good point mobileguy. I think the presence of these other organisations is encouraging and part of the inclusiveness of mardi gras. Why do people think that everything is so cut and dry? Cultures aren’t just made up of one type of person. And that’s why we march – to represent our variations of LGBT amidst a heteronormative world. To encourage celebration, openness, acceptance, greater support, joining with the community, integration, awareness……… I wonder if the person objecting also has a problem with friends and family of LGBT marching? I mean they’re not LGBT but they’ve had close input into their loved ones’ lives. In the same way, employers are very much a part of LGBT employees’ day to day lives. A lot of us spend roughly a third of our lives at work so this is a significant area. Good employers who care about human rights inequalities, social justice, bullying and harrassment etc need to know that their LGBT workers are at high risk for these things. And more than risk: we actually live with inequalities and injustice. Good employers will want to change their workplaces to let LGBT feel more comfortable at work, to send a clear message to society that LGBT workers deserve the same rights as everyone else. And it’s in their best interest to do so as we make up a lot of the workforce.. And LGBT people will of course be attracted to fair and supportive work environments just like their heterosexual colleagues.

Hi mallydog

Thanks so much for your support and sharing of your perspective.

I agree with what you say about the differences between the church and Jesus in terms of the way the LGBT community has been treated. And yes, the church should be a place where we can fully be ourselves and facilitated toward actualising, rather than stunted and abused.

It’s really encouraging to have you with us. Thank you…. and keep up the good work. 🙂

Blessings,

Ann Maree

well welcome RAAF BLOKE

join in on any and all discussions and events as you see fit.

hope you enjoyed the MG

Hi again RAAF BLOKE

I love hearing stories like yours! It really lifts the spirits to know the positive impact of mardi gras and also of f2b. Yay!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

I look forward to hearing more.

Blessings,

Ann Maree

Shane, Nick, Ben and Anthony,

Hey thanks for organising the event guys and allowing me to be a part of it, The banners were very powerful. I felt extremely proud to be marching for this cause and when someone from the crowd waved me over to explain and then were cheering before I only got half way through it, I felt like perhaps there was hope for the future of the church and the gay community.

Well done to all marchers who have made their voice be counted. I imagine for some of you it would have been very difficult but you should be proud! Given that I felt highly emotional as a hetrosexual supporter I can only guess at some of the feelings you were experiencing. This was my first mardis gras and first time marching and I was incredibly honoured to be included as a supporter. I too have felt condemned and ostracised from the church for my beliefs and as a result am not left with much respect for the organisation. I used to work as a youth worker for the Anglican church, I lasted 2 years before I pulled out and have rarely been back inside a church since. While I value spirituality and the awesome-ness which is God I do not value the limited and condemning view that so may church goers and church officials have. I Believe Jesus came to preach liberation, freedom and accpetance. Not hatred and place conditions on our lives – we are to live our lives to its fullest potentional. I also believe “We” as a church have royally screwed it up over the centuries and I am ashamed of the way people who are homosexual have been treated. I have always had a strong sense of integrity and so would never preach something I didn’t believe in myself, as you can imagine I got into quite a bit of contorversy, I also kept my mouth shut many times I wanted to scream, in the end I felt as if I was saying nothing at all of any use and left. In good conscious I could not be part of an organisation that does not accept up front and equally and can destroy a persons quality of life, when it should be enhancing it. Having seen the affect up close that being a person who is Gay and in the church can have and nearly loosing a friend because of it, means I will not give up preaching love, acceptance and reconciliation to anyone who’ll listen, but I will also not count myself ammoung the “religious” either. I’m impressed with those of you I meet who are still being strong in the chruch and wish you lots of courage and pride and strength to keep going. Perhaps if the church had been more consistent in its teachings and practising what it preached it would not have lost me and I’ll keep hoping one day they ‘get it’!

Thanks guys,

Malinda

Roma, Qld

hey mallydog…..it was so great of you to post this hear….without hearing stories like yours we would not be aware of the profound impact doing all this work has achieved. It was a pleasure to have you with us……and please come again