National
Gold Coast’s Pride March back on the beach at Surfers Paradise
Gold Coast Pride Festival has invited everyone to join Australia’s only beach Pride March during their upcoming festival on June 4. The burgeoning festival began on Queensland’s Gold Coast last year. Now organisers have confirmed a new, even bigger lineup of events and activities coinciding with international Pride Month in June. The loud and proud …
Drag stars join Gladstone’s first Rainbow on the Reef festival
Gladstone’s new Rainbow on the Reef festival will celebrate three days of regional LGBTIQ+ pride in the coastal Queensland city. Rainbow on the Reef is a group based in the Gladstone region, officially established last year. They meet regularly to allow locals “to make connections, feel supported, have fun and show their pride.” Now they’ve …
Coles supermarket makes big move for transgender staff
Supermarket giant Coles has announced that trans and gender diverse staff who are transitioning will be entitled to up to 10 days of paid gender affirmation leave. The supermarket giant’s legal and safety chief David Brewster said the policy change is an important step for the company’s commitment to workplace inclusion. “We know that we …
Hades Hula House set to bring tiki to city
For the queer community in Adelaide’s western suburbs, Hades Hula House at Semaphore is an institution. And with an upcoming move to Hindley Street, patrons should expect even more of the Hades they love. Owner Abby Roennfeldt said inclusivity was a core value for Hades Hula House, and this ethos would continue into the city …
NSW CHO urges gay and bi men to be alert to monkeypox
New South Wales’ Chief Health Officer has urged gay and bi men to be alert to symptoms of monkeypox after the rare virus emerged in two Australian states. The virus is normally limited to Central or West Africa. It’s a usually mild viral infection which most people recover from in a few weeks, and doesn’t …
All 3 major Brisbane candidates offer support for Diverse Voices
All three major candidates for the federal seat of Brisbane have offered support for phone and online support service Diverse Voices. The Brisbane-based service works alongside QLife to provide anonymous, LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues. For over 30 years, LGBTIQ+ Queenslanders needing someone to talk …
Dark history of proposed site for new LGBTIQ pride museum
Sydney will get its first LGBTIQ+ pride museum, tracing the “queer storyline from First Nations people to today,” in time for WorldPride next year. The proposed museum is called Qtopia, and is backed by funding from City of Sydney, Lord Mayor Clover Moore announced on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) this …
These conversion therapy survivors are still dealing with the trauma
Tasmanian survivors of dangerous LGBT “conversion therapy” have laid bare their ongoing trauma in a major new report that calls for a statewide ban. In the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute report, forty Tasmanian survivors shared experiences of undergoing the harmful “conversion” practices. A 28-year-old trans person said they were subjected to conversion therapy after confiding …
Locals celebrate as rural council backflips on rainbow flag ban
West Wimmera Shire Council in regional Victoria has reversed a ban on council flying rainbow flags in its biggest towns after backlash against offensive comments from the mayor. In April, the regional council in the state’s west, voted down a proposal to fly the rainbow flag for IDAHOBIT. The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism …
Megan Barnard after outing: It’s OK to be gay
Fox Sports presenter Megan Barnard says, “It’s OK to be gay,” in an interview with News Corp about her outing by former colleague Tom Morris. Morris outed Megan Barnard in a social media message. “Unfortunately, she’s a lesbian. Lads, Megan Barnard, she’s f_cking hot as. My view, the hottest girl at Fox by a long …