I found myself in the privileged position of designing ‘Freedom 2 Be’s first and historic entry for the Mardi Gras …and no, it’s not anything you could be imagining!! A very conservative jeans and white tshirt! I was very hesitant to march in the Mardi Gras, knowing what the event is like, I didn’t feel like the event really represented me and where I was at (or wanted to be at)! In the midst of all this I was invited to weddings of an ex-student and my niece …then I realized that, after witnessing all these celebrations of heterosexuality, ‘…when do I get to celebrate my sexuality?’ So because I am unable to be married (yet), then I suppose, for good or bad, Mardi Gras IS my celebration. I decided, last minute to march.

I was so surprised to discover that although there was some confronting entries most were not the sensational images that you’d see in the media but rather community groups (such as ours), corporations and politicians. They included PFLAG, NSW Police, NSW Rural Fire Service, ANZ Bank, Ambulance Service of NSW, Dayenu Jewish Group, Cross campus Student float (Educational institutions), Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir, City of Sydney Council, Clover Moore MP, Living Clean (fun without drugs and alcohol), Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service, Elise Women’s Refuge, Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Willma Women’s Health Centre, Newtown Gym, Victorian Firefighters, Australian Labor party, High schoolers against Homophobia, IKEA, ACON, Riverside High Girls school, Surf Life saving Australia, NSW Fire Brigades, Australian Federal Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers, National Breast Cancer foundation, Workers out (Union NSW), MCC Churches, Amnesty International, G&L;s supporting animal liberation, Darlinghurst Business Partnership, Community action against Homophobia, University of western Sydney Students Association, The Big Issue, The Greens NSW, Anti discrimination Law supporters, Sydney Anglicans, Acceptance(GLBTQ Catholics), Australian Democrats, IBM GLBT employee group, SX News, Sydney Convicts Rugby, Sydney Stingers….to name a few!

As we were waiting I felt SO excited to be a part of this event especially when I realized that four of my ex-students from CCHS Regents Park were actually marching in our group! It was amazing to see and catch up with them after not seeing them for more than ten years!! This was definitely a highlight of the event for me! We mused over how others would react over this unexpected Christian school reunion!

In the adrenalin of waiting there was a strange moment when I just realized what I’m about to do …after a lifetime of self hatred and hiding to, now, marching in front of hundreds of thousands of people with a sense of pride!?!? I was open mouthed and trying not to cry. I looked over to Anthony who was already crying and hugged me. In the craziness of the colour, music and costumes …nobody could begin to comprehend how powerful this moment was for all of us and each of our brave stories that nervously brought us together …especially when our group was singled out in a press release by Fred Nile who ignorantly claimed …“I call upon Anthony Venn-Brown and these marchers to withdraw from this blasphemous, obscene parade and not bring the Name of Jesus Christ into disrepute” …Fred has no idea of the healing power of love and acceptance in this context …and until recently, neither did I.

As we started the march I was overwhelmed by amount of people screaming and cheering for us!? Now remember there were 40 of us …in jeans and tshirts …no music, no choreography, no glitter …just us. And surprisingly the huge crowd continued to cheer …for us? People from the crowd and point at me and yell ‘good on you!’, ‘we love you!’, ‘you’re fantastic!’, ‘proud of you!’ …these positive words from strangers spoke out against the years of Christian oppression.