Pauline Hanson still doesn't like Mardi Gras, saying sexuality should be kept 'behind closed doors'

After denouncing the anti-LGBTQ+ views of Former WA One Nation candidate Parminder Singh, federal One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has shared that she doesn’t like Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and that sexuality should be kept “behind closed doors”.

Warning: this article contains reference to homophobic language some may find offensive

Senator Hanson’s comments follow One Nation making headlines this week after a former candidate for WA’s upper house, Parminder Singh, made a series of bizarre anti-gay comments in a social media interview.

Singh volunteered his thoughts on the gay and lesbian community, saying:

Pride parades advertise homosexuality to young people,
that gay people were mentally ill,
he claimed that women who go into relationships with other women don’t go back to men because they think men are “using them”,
that animals are smarter than humans because they don’t want gay sex
and that he didn’t want same sex marriage to be legal.

In an apology, Singh said he was repeating something he heard on social media in reference to homosexuality being a mental illness.

Federal One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said on Thursday that Mr Singh “was not standing for One Nation… They’re not my views.”

One Nation candidate Parminder Singh
Source: Instagram

When Singh’s comments went public, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce defended the party from anti-gay comments, declaring on air that One Nation is apparently “one of the gayest parties in Australia”.

But on Sunday morning, Pauline Hanson shared on News 24 that sexuality should be kept “behind closed doors”.

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‘I still don’t like gay Mardi Gras’

In 1996 on 60 Minutes, Pauline Hanson was asked how she felt about Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

That nighter infamous catchphrase, “I don’t like it”, was born, as was the iconic Pauline Pantsdown.

Political satirist, University of New South Wales media lecturer and LGBTI activist Simon Hunt shot to fame parodying Hanson and One Nation.

Three decades later, it seems Hanson’s views haven’t changed.

Speaking on News 24 on Sunday, Hanson was asked about former candidate Singh’s comments about Pride Parades.

Singh said the events were advertised to children.

“You no need to gay parade in city, you don’t need those type of parades,” Singh said. “I’m a man. Why I advertise, everyone know I am man. If they are gay, they are gay. Why they need to advertise?”

On Sunday, Senator Hanson said she acknowledged the economic benefit of the pride parade, adding that it was “acceptable” Australia had legalised gay marriage.

“I still don’t like the gay Mardi Gras, but that’s my opinion,” she said. “Have I ever been to one? No. Do I intend to go? No, I don’t.

“I think your own, personal sexuality should be kept … behind closed doors.”

I wouldn’t hold your breath for an invitation, Pauline.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 1: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on March 1, 2025

‘We need to celebrate our diversity, not just tolerate it’

Far from the well-loved, crowd-drawing spectacle we know it as today, the first Mardi Gras in 1978 was a humble march and riot that turned to terror.

Nearly half a century on, what we now know as Mardi Gras is a bright spot in the annual calendar when it comes each year.

Although Barnaby Joyce thinks One Nation is “one of the gayest parties in Australia”, we can’t see them sorting a float ahead of the Mardi Gras 50th anniversary in 2028.

In 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was the first sitting Prime Minister to march in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.

Malcolm Turnbull attended the 2016 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras during his prime ministership but did not march.

Bill Shorten did march, becoming the first federal leader of a major party to do so.

“I’ll be the first prime minister not to watch the march on Mardi Gras, but to march,” he said. “We speak a lot about tolerance — and tolerance is really important — but this is about a step that is way more important than tolerance.

“We need to celebrate our diversity, not just tolerate it because our diversity is what gives our society strength.”