Queer History
Sydney’s Kamp Kult – depression era fabulousness
Just days before Christmas 1931, the Arrow newspaper regaled its readers with the story of Sydney’s Kamp Kult. The paper marvelled at lavish ceremonies including the coronation of a Queen and same-sex weddings. At the time, Sydney suffered in the throes of the Great Depression. Men struggled to find employment and riots broke out over …
Vintage Gay Panic Defence – The Cooyar Tragedy
On August 26, 1921, the trial proceeded in Toowoomba of Harry Dale for the murder of Fred Hawes. The 1920 murder known as the Cooyar Tragedy marks the first known use of gay panic defence in Australia. Fred Hawes arrived in Australia from England in 1907. By 1915, he lived and worked in the foothills …
State Library of NSW wants to hear your story on the ‘Pride Line’
The State Library of NSW has put a call out to the LGBTQI+ community to share their pride stories on a very special anniversary. This week marks the 50th anniversary of Australia’s first Gay Pride Week (September 8–16, 1973). In New South Wales, the State Library has an ingenious way of capturing the community’s oral …
Watch: 1998: Club Trix, Cairns. Post Mardi Gras Week
In the 1990s, numerous international holidaymakers travelled to Cairns in North Queensland following each year’s Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras. In 1998, local gay bar Club Trix laid on a week of post-Mardi Gras entertainment. Scroll down to watch the vid. Looking back at the shows I performed that week, I can’t help but …
The 11 greatest homophobes of all time
The greatest homophobes of all time include people from ancient times till our own. Homophobes generally don’t limit their animosity to men with men. Their malice extends towards anyone who doesn’t fit the sexual and gender norms of the day. Therefore lesbians often suffered prejudice and persecution throughout history despite the relative rareness of specific …
$20,000 State Library of Qld Rainbow Research Fellowship
Applications are now open for the State Library of Qld Rainbow Research Fellowship. This year, among other benefits, the Fellowship offers a $20,000 stipend. Founded in 2022, the State Library of Qld Rainbow Research Fellowship returns in 2023. The first of its kind in Queensland — and probably Australia — the Fellowship supports a more …
Brisbane’s Secret History: 1930s Same-Sex Weddings
Long before civil unions or legalised same-sex marriage became a reality in Queensland, a newspaper reported on Brisbane’s secret history of gay weddings. The Arrow newspaper claimed in 1932 that Brisbane was a magnet for effeminate gays. “The growth of the pervert population of Brisbane, beautiful capital of Queensland, is astounding, and in the last …
1750 deathbed confession includes tale of failed gay seduction
The Horsham Museum holds a 1750 pamphlet detailing the deathbed confession of Thomas Mun, executed for various crimes in that year. Mun speaks candidly about various exploits including an account of a failed gay seduction. Executed for robbing a mail coach, Mun apparently handed the manuscript to his jailer on the morning of his death. …
Who knew? Dogcam: 1885 dog-mounted spy cam
Who would have thought that as early as 1885, some evil bastard thought to invent a camera specifically intended for non-consensual images? But here’s an ad from the Bulletin for the 1885 dog-mounted spy cam. It seems the would-be customers of Sydney’s Lichtner & Co didn’t quite understand how it all worked. So a later …
What was this 1943 advert trying to sell?
Advertising standards were a little different 80 years ago. Witness this 1943 advert for Cannon towels. At first glance, this vintage homoerotica might be an ad for a high-budget gay porn flik or an unusually clean sex-on-premise. But vintage homoerotica often emerges from unlikely places. In this case, Cannon’s 1943 advert was designed to promote …
