I went to visit this exhibit yesterday, with my daughter and it was extremely interesting. It also brought back a lot of memories. The photographs of the AIDS memorial panel being unfolded at the Brisbane exhibition grounds were particularly poignant. My daughter was just a baby when all of that was happening and she has no personal point of reference for those times and events. It was interesting to see her reactions as someone “Coming to this for the first time.”

The most interesting and engaging part of the exhibit for me were the personal stories of people given both in a pictorial display and on audio-visual presentation.

Although I lived straight most of my life until about five years ago, I realized that I must have kept my finger on the pulse, as it were, because of how many memories I had evoked by looking through the exhibit.

If you’re able to get to Brisbane to see this, I would highly recommend it.

It is very good. There is a picture of Paul Martin there too. He is a psychologist here in Brisbane who is gay and was a former leader of Exodus before he realized it didn’t work. Paul is a great guy.

The first Premier of Qld was Robert Herbert and he was gay. His partner was John Bramston and he was Attorney General. They combined their names and named the suburb of Herston. How cool is that! Don’t you worry about that Joe.

When legislation to de-criminalize homosexuality was proposed, the Baptist Church here objected very strongly that the existing legislation should not be changed. After their special assembly was held over the issue, I asked what the penal provisions of the legislation were that they didn’t want changed. THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW. It was 21 years imprisonment, but it only applied to men. Lesbians were fine.

When anti-discrimination legislation was introduced, again the Baptist Church protested loud and long that they should be exempt. So to this day you can sue anyone for discrimination on the basis of sexual preference, except the churches.

At the same special assembly, the Baptist Union advised all the churches that gays, PRACTICING OR NOT, were to be forbidden to lead, teach, exercise any ministry, or do any act of Christian service. Non-practicing murderers, thieves, rapists and terrorists are welcome to minister. That position has not changed.

Our gay neighbours at that time, Joe and Stuart were particularly happy that they could no longer be imprisoned because of it.

Did you see Shelley on Australian Story recently? She is the mother of a gay son who was in the Police Force here for 10 years and she is the local president here of PFLAG. She is just fantastic – an incredible lady. It is well worth seeing. You can view it on the ABC website under Iview.