Photo / Destination New South Wales[/caption]
Dramatic drag queens and droll drag kings. Bears (the hairy-male type), bogans and Bananas in Pyjamas. Grooving and gyrating mer-drags, macho muscle Mary’s and minx-y mistresses. Sinewy prancers, dancers, hula-hoopers and hedonists in harnesses.
With such decadence and debauchery, it could only be Sydney Mardi Gras – the annual glittering gem of a pride event that showcases the diversity of Sydney’s LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) communities.
Now in its 38th year, Mardi Gras marks a high point in Sydney’s social calendar and holds its own as an internationally recognised celebration of equality, passion and freedom.
Borne from a rocky start, this much-loved parade originally began as a protest. Following years of hiding their sexuality, a group of around 1000 men and women took to Sydney’s inner-city streets on Saturday June 24, 1978, to march for the recognition of their rights. Despite the peaceful intentions of those who protested, the police reaction was violent, and many arrests were made.
By Emilia Mazza – Full Story at The NZ Herald
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Half a tonne of glitter and 5 kilometres of fabric is needed to get Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade on the road, and it shows. The gigantic street parade is a dazzler. Dressing up in feathers or leathers isn’t just for those in the show – people in the huge crowd of onlookers also tog up in weird and wonderful ways such as their favourite comic character, movie star (Marilyn Monroe is a favourite), or even the Sphinx.
Anything goes in the circus-like event, which has grown way beyond its original platform for the gay community to express themselves in all their diversity, and display their love of putting on a show. It’s become a gigantic street party and a sea of happy faces that anyone can join.
Mardi Gras is a must-see for visitors to the city in early March. The loud, lurid, and licentious cross-dressers generally grab all the media attention but the parade is more than just a huge-scale drag performance.