Change by nature is uncomfortable but necessary.

The French Author François de la Rochefoucauld wrote in the 16^th century “the only constant in life is change”. And as an out proud women I can only rejoice for the change that life has brought me, my friends and community. Without change on all levels we would still be battling the police on that first Saturday in March.

But with change we should never forget, and it would be remiss of me not to comment on the recent announcements made by the now, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG). The past 9 years of my life have been spent supporting and working in this organisation towards what I believe was a common goal of respect and acceptance of all our differences. A goal of infinite change. Change in behaviours, in laws, in mindset. Change for the better, change for total acceptance and equality.

I need to stress at this point that I no longer speak on behalf of the organisation, nor do I feel any responsibility to support, endorse or criticize this recent direction. My opinion is now just my own. And like most people in the community today I have struggled somewhat if forming my overall view. I must admit I have had mixed feelings about certain elements of it, but for the most part I agree with the direction.

For the sake of clarity around these current arguments let’s break this down into some bite sized pieces.

The organisation name is changing from New Mardi Gras to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. In my mind this is sad as it is the end of an era, but also exciting at the same time. As Michael Rolik the CEO said at the launch, it is time to re-claim the company name that we lost 9 years ago. It’s a clear message that we have survived some pretty hard times, some rollercoaster moments and we are back. Lest we not forget the organisation and people of New Mardi Gras that enabled us to get here though because frankly it’s been a bloody hard road.

There are now two new logos: Well, really it’s one and a half new logos. The old/new organisational logo and a brand new one for the event. The organisational logo reflects our heritage, contains the words “Gay and Lesbian” and is a clear indicator that this organisation is a GLBTQI community one. The season logo I’m sure I will grow to love in time. It represents in its simplest form what we have been fighting for for the past 33 years. Love.

The Event name has been changed to Sydney Mardi Gras and the event has been opened to include everyone who does not identify or sits outside the “alphabet soup”.

Quick Note here: I actually find the term “alphabet soup” to describe our beautiful and diverse communities rather offensive, So maybe MG and everyone else who uses this term could re-think that and come up with something a little more respectful to describe our diversity!

This event name change is the one change that has most people talking. And talking they are. Some love it, others hate it, some think that the SGLMG has sold out to commercialism or to the government. Some think that by dropping the G and L the organisation is leaving its community behind. The headline in Friday’s SMH “Mardi Gras goes straight” leaves a lot to be desired and is frankly just sensationalism. Poor form SMH.

Allow me some digression now to get to my point.

I am a 40ish woman who has lived in Sydney for nearly 20 years now. During that time I have come out as a lesbian, I have “dated” boys – secretly, I have experienced the queer, leather, and fetish communities. I have identified as Queer. I struggled with being maybe bisexual for many years. I self-identified as a femme fag last year and now I wonder if that is still relevant. As the chair of the SGLMG Youth committee, Leah Weber, explained at the launch, I was a not so young person thinking I had to choose an initial and stick with it.

I thought I had to choose the L label because of my then role in the organisation and this community. Bearing in mind up until 2002 bisexuals could not be a member of the SGLMG. We couldn’t have a queer, maybe bisexual, most often lesbian leading Mardi Gras – or could we? Well we did. I just wasn’t strong enough to admit it to a community who insisted on enforcing labels and identities to belong to certain groups so you could be categorised.

So for me, personally, the decision to remove the G and L initials from the event NAME, but not the organisational name, is a good one. As an organisation we have fought for so long for the acceptance, the respect, the “it doesn’t matter” attitude to be who we want to be and who we are. This event should be welcoming and available to everyone who is sexually diverse,  regardless of how they identify this week, month, or year. And let’s be realistic, for years now let’s remember that all of us, both within the community and out of it, have been calling it “Mardi Gras”. Period.

So here is my bottom line on this whole logo name schomgo debacle: It is still a GLBTQI-whatever organisation. It is still a GLBTQI-whatever led event. The board, staff and organisation is still bound by the objects of our constitution, which make it very clear what our purpose is and the organisation still has a membership that votes and elects a board to govern these objects.

If I could be critical of anything, I would question why the current board and staff could not have learnt from the mistakes of the past and held a specific public member consultation on this very topic and its plans. They are, after all, accountable to their members each year at the AGM, and the members own the company. It’s not too late SGLMG to call a public meeting and discuss these in person with the community you represent, rather than have this play out in a disgusting manner on facebook and online forums?

For right now, if you are a member, It is time to keep the board and the staff accountable to upholding these values and objects of GLBTQI Pride as listed in our constitution and ensure that our Mardi Gras remains a celebration of our community diversity.

Such as, I’m sure the season guide will bear the title the “Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras presents the Sydney Mardi Gras” in big bold letters spelling out the rich GLBTQI heritage. Just as I’m sure the coming press releases, key messages and communications will re-enforce our history and origin, and ensure the visibility of ALL our communities just as our seasons have done before.

The only difference as I see it, and I hope to see it, is now anyone can join in and celebrate our diversity, our love, our difference. EVERYONE is included. Because how hypocritical would we be as an organisation and community to stand in the streets and say accept us, respect us, give us equality, free us from discrimination but don’t you dare come to our “party”. As a community if we want total acceptance, total respect, total equality we must cross that invisible line and welcome all those who already accept, celebrate and fight with us, for us. Regardless of which initial they align to.

Ghandi said “Be the change you want to see in the world” and I want to live in a world where I don’t need to have an initial constantly attached to my name to be accepted, respected, loved and treated equally.

And afterall, isn’t that what we have been fighting for?

“I had fag cut into my back in three places then fuck here with an arrow pointing to arsehole across my but then held and repeatedly abused with sticks”  (Stuart, 21 years.)

I also read about a father who beat his daughter

“I got 3 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a punctured lung, my jaw broken in 2 different places and 7 of my teeth got punched out when my father found out i was a homosexual.” (Sian, 19 years)

This is not OK.

Whether you believe in the institution or not, marriage equality remains so important for our community. Why? Because it sends a very clear message to everyone that being gay is OK. Loving who you love is OK. That everyone is equal in their love and the families we create.

As a community we have come a long way in the past 40 years. From a country that criminalised homosexuality and brutally beat offenders in prison, to a country where legislation has us nearly equal.

Marriage Equality is yet another hurdle. We as a community must win this right to truly place us as equal citizens and society members. Imagine a world where people are invited to weddings and the genders of the brides or grooms are irrelevant.

I long for the day that Mardi Gras is irrelevant. The day we do not need to keep marching down Oxford Street to rid our world of discrimination, of harassment, of homophobia, or violence and inequality.

Same-Sex marriage is one of these moments we must all come together to fight for and win.

Australian Marriage Equality is a volunteer run organisation that goes head to head with large structured institutions, many of who have tax deductible status. AME does not. Hardly a fair fight.

AME relies on the generosity of our communities and friends to get our message heard. Through media, through ongoing polling, and through sending spokespeople to Canberra to speak with our elected representatives one on one.

They need our help to keep going. To keep fighting for the world we all want, we all believe in and all need.

We have come so far in our long road to equality and we are nearly there. This is our fight to win. But we can just as easily lose this fight right now.

The combined Hen$ night and Buck$ night  parties this coming friday September 23rd, are fundraisers for this cause. Every person involved in the events are volunteers themselves, from the DJ’s to the Performers, to the producers. The venues are providing the spaces free of charge.

The money raised from these events will specifically go towards Media and polling in the lead up to the National ALP conference in December, where it is hoped that the ALP will endorse the next stages in the road to equality.

And now we are calling on you to help.

Buy a ticket to Hen$ or Buck$ through http://www.daisytickets.com/ they are guaranteed to be fantastic events with activities for everyone on the night.

Even if parties are not your thing you can still help buy buying a ticket and putting “DONATION” under the ticket name. Every dollar raised is a step closer to having our message heard and acted on.

It’s time to come together, not just for the right to marry, but for contributing to a cause that will see us closer to the world where fathers don’t break their daughter’s bones, and people don’t carve Fag into someone’s back for being gay.

I hope to see you there, or your donation in the ticket sales.

* Quotes from Writing Themselves in 3 (WTi3) report

Image from Women Say Something by Kellie Lafranchi

It has been said that sacred cows make the best hamburgers. So, If the boards I’ve sat on over the past 3 years have done their job properly, they leave behind a legacy of governance, policy and process that allows our CEO to report on the activities of the organisation over the past year.

It is appropriate that our treasurer report on the financial outcome and for the returning co-chair to define the strategic vision of the company moving forward.

This will all happen tomorrow at our Annual General Meeting at 1pm.

So, with that in mind, I think it’s time to kill a sacred cow this year and do away with the exiting co-chairs speech at the AGM.

Why? Because All I have to say is contained in the infrastructure and vision left behind.

As it should be.

The CEO and boards I have worked with over the past 3 years have spent countless hours defining the best practices in governance, transparency and accountability. Spent many hours defining the vision and strategic plans for the organisation and the steps needed to get there. There is nothing I could say tomorrow that would add to these, or alter the plans that the incoming board are starting to form.

I ask the incoming board to respect the policies and hard work that previous boards and working groups have constructed before them and build on the successes already within the organisation.

I ask them to remember our organisation belongs to all our communities. A community which is diverse and wide with many different minorities and issues and I ask them to make decisions based on all of them, not just one.

I wish the incoming board the best for board unity, community engagement and a profitable season in 2011-2012.

This is my last Blog as Co-Chair of New Mardi Gras. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone I have worked with over the past 3 years, in particular my fellow directors and our CEO. It’s been simultaneously challenging and rewarding and I am left with a lifetime of memories and pride.

Last year, around this time, I made a commitment to myself that I would dedicate one last year to the organisation. I have done that with all my energy and best intentions and I continue to work until August 6^th in my elected role. Despite the request of my co-chair to re-stand and many months of careful consideration, I plan to honour the commitment I made to myself a year ago.

I returned to the organisation late in 2008 where the AGM was postponed due to lack of quorum and where only 5 people nominated for the board. The organisation had very little community engagement at this stage. We were also to embark on one of New Mardi Gras hardest periods with the parade party split of 2010.

The AGM in 2009 was a humbling experience for me. Facing the members with a mistake opened the door to engaging the members and community more in the affairs of the organisation. Although some headway has been made in this area, there is still more work to be done to achieve an effective and engaging framework for consultation.

I accepted the position of Co-Chair in 2009 against the advice of my counsel. I did so because I believe in the organisation and the community, and in the ethos of what the organisation stood for. The 2010 season was the most difficult season of the 6 seasons I have been on a Mardi Gras Board.

The AGM of 2010 put our organisation at significant risk following a season where protecting the brand was paramount. I agreed to stand for another term to begin the process of turning the financial result around, re-engaging a lost community and paying particular emphasis to women in the organisation.

2011 saw the Mardi Gras parade become a civil rights movement once again, which saw a huge focus on relationship equality. I was very proud to stand on Oxford street that night.

Of personal note for me, the Women Say Something event sold out during season. It was the first time in three years that I have seen women from such diverse generations and backgrounds come together and talk about their lives, opinions and values, and wanting to be part of a greater community. I was honored to be a part of this wonderful event and be amongst such inspiring women.

Mardi Gras is on the pinnacle of great change and transformation. What it requires now is fresh energy and passion to ensure the plans the current board have put in place and the progress we have made in U-turning the organisation, are seen through and indeed added to by people who are strategic, skilled and professional.

I hope that the individuals in our community who are quick to criticise do not provide a repeat of the election of last year over the coming month. The damage that occurs to the organisation by individuals has the potential to impact at the highest levels of our government relationships and our sponsors.

For members reading this, I firstly encourage you to vote, and then vote for those candidates that are skilled, professional, and strategic and are known to abide by our codes of conduct. You will see if individuals have signed the Candidate code of conduct shortly.

Whilst I am sad to leave the board, I will not leave the organisation entirely. I am excited to be able to step away from the overall big picture and focus in on areas that excite me. Area’s such as the women’s sub-committee and associated diversity programmes. I can now provide more energy to continue building these specific parts of the organisation and ensuring that women and minorities in our community continue to have a voice within Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras will always hold a special place in my heart and like any difficult intense relationship, I have laughed and cried in equal measures. Leaving is always hard, but it’s time. It’s time for me, and it’s time for the organisation to receive some fresh blood, passion and ideas to take it to the next level of its lifetime towards better years. I’m pleased that I could have been there to see it through some of its worst, and be able to hand it over knowing that it is on its way back to greatness.

See you at the AGM.

Much like a lactose intolerant child who can never have ice-cream, I’ve never really missed it. It’s something THEY do, not me! But now, that ice-cream is getting close. It’s on the plate in front of me, and I find myself reaching for a spoon.

And a spoon I have grabbed! My Mardi Gras Co-Chair Pete Urmson and myself have jumped into battle and are organising a mega fundraising event: A hen’s and Buck’s party for Marriage Equality. More on this later…

For me, marriage equality is not just about being able to marry someone of the same sex, it’s about ensuring our community (US) have the same rights and choices as our straight friends (THEM).

It just isn’t fair that THEY can do this and WE cant.

US and THEM.

So really is this marriage equality debate really a debate between US and THEM? I’m sure our politicians are making it that way.

On Friday the 20^th May (the day before the supposed rapture I may add) Julie Gillard accepted a letter with a face to face meeting with FamilyVoice Australia. This letter contained the signatures of 32 000 people against Same Sex Marriage. She then reportedly told representatives from FamilyVoice that she greatly appreciated receiving the letter and reiterated her support for marriage remaining a heterosexual privilege.

Privilege? When I look up the definition of privilege I get the following: “a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most”

Does that mean that our prime minister thinks homosexuals are less worthy than heterosexuals?

Meanwhile, she refuses to meet with marriage equality groups. That’s hardly fair, or representative of the overall community is it?

Every couple of month’s rallies are planned around the country to support marriage equality. The same diligent 800 or so people trek into the city, listen to the same type of speeches take to the streets and chant the same slogans. There is no doubt that we are making headway into the hearts and minds of THEM, but how can we accelerate this to ensure that this is actually moving towards the outcome we want?

Unfortunately, the marriage equality fight will not be won in the trenches of our community. It is a stark reality that we are still a minority, and even ALL the collective voices of US will never be more than a fraction of the majority of THEM. We need money to get our messages out and into the mainstream… and fast… that spoon is close!

So your call to arms is firstly start showing up. Surely there are more than 800 of us willing to fight for this cause. Secondly you need to enlist the help of THEM for US. There are many silent supporters in our greater mainstream communities for our cause they just need to be asked, educated and mobilised.

US+THEM can equal CHANGE!

What we can all do individually to help this cause is more than just chanting slogans and getting our community friends to weekend rallies. It’s as simple as starting to talk to our straight friends and asking them to join us. Gay rights are human rights, equal rights are human rights.

Everyone knows members of THEM – friends, Family and Colleagues. If we can get THEM to join US, there will no longer be an US and a THEM. We can just be an accepting, loving, equal US. And what a great world that will be.

So, at the next Marriage Equality Rally or fundraising event will you:

1. Come along and join US
2. Bring 5 or more straight allies with you
3. Ask THEM to bring their friends with them as well

It’s time we added to our choir in the name of equality and human rights, and this means NO MORE US AND THEM.

I will update everyone on the Hens and Bucks night… You will need to bring your straight friends and wallets. If you can help, in any way, gay or straight, contact me. It’s going to be huge, it will be fun, it will be uniting.

See you at the next rally/event/fundraiser.  

In a nutshell, Leeton High School (incidentally the high school I attended for 6 years) is doing a production called “gLeeton: don’t stop believing”.

From the LHS website:

“Don’t Stop Believing is a revue style show featuring 21 songs from the hit TV series Glee. The show has a loose plot line based on the typical teenage issues of popularity and peer pressure, love and the age old battle between sport and music.”

There are 13 lead roles: the characters of Rachel, Quinn, Finn, Artie, Mercedes, Puck, Tina, Brittney, Santanna, Kane, Randy, Joe and Jenny.

Of note is the absence of the character of Kurt, an outcome that prompted a letter to the local newspaper, “The Irrigator” on June 3^rd entitled “Play Decision Homophobic”. The writer goes on to question how the exclusion of the gay character from the production looks to members of the rural community who are struggling with their own sexuality.

What transpired was a flurry of responses online many from students involved in the production and many from former Leeton youth who were bullied for being gay and moved  away to safer environments.

What was interesting was the comments from two students:

“We don’t have a Kurt in our production as asking a school student to play a homosexual character is a personal choice,” said Alice in The Irrigator, admitting that the Kurt character had been “cut”.

“The person that would be playing Kurt would probably end up having rumours spread about them, which would end up resulting in a bullying situation,” wrote Liam Warren.

Instead of firing off a letter to the Irrigator I wanted to get my facts right so I rang Greg Horton the Principle of Leeton High School and settled in for a chat. He convinced me that the decision not to cast a Kurt was a consequence of the students auditioning for self-determined roles and no-one wanted to perform as “Kurt”. It was not an intentional cut.

I was satisfied with this response, and I do not want to take away from the students and staff who are putting much time and effort into what will be a great production for them. But what a shame it isn’t looking at the principle messaging of Glee: Acceptance. When I asked Greg if they were performing the unofficial theme “Born this Way” by Lady Gaga – he wasn’t even aware of the song or artist.

However, what I found more interesting from my conversation with Greg, was when I asked what support services were in place for our GLBTQI youth in Leeton. He could not answer. There were no specific services at the school, and he was not aware of any LGBTQI identified youth in his school. Although he did admit that he probably, by nature of statistics, had some students who were struggling with this.

He could not tell me where he would refer a student who had these types of questions or issues if they presented, except he would take it to the schools “welfare” committee. I couldn’t find reference to this committee on the LHS website.

What I did find on the LHS website was a section called “Caring for Students – Student Safety” which went into detail around bullying, racism and drug safety. Using the search function on the site I inputted Gay, and it did not return one record. This says to me that there are no LGBTQI policies of any form publically available from Leeton High School.

Whilst it would be easy to make Leeton high school an example I fear that this is common amongst many regional schools.

I deliberated for a few days as to whether to respond with a letter to the local papers, However, I find myself limiting my response to this blog? Why? Because my Mother and Brother still live in Leeton and I fear repercussion on them. Isn’t this reason enough to question homophobia in the town?

One of the responses from a former gay student, Sarah, said:

I am gay. I grew up in Leeton. I was not supported by the school or community. Stereotyping is something that happens in Leeton trust me I know. That’s why I don’t live there anymore I live with my girlfriend Yumi now and I’m happier than ever

What is needed is a specific LGBTQI program for our secondary schools. Period. The pilot trial in 12 schools this year needs to be extended and quickly.

If there is a genuine desire to minimise homophobia in our schools, and I will hold our educators to account on this, then there needs to be openness to accepting it. The one thing that Mardi Gras has learnt over the years is the need to get out there and be who we are.

It’s a shame that a student wasn’t prepared to perform in a Kurt inspired role, but hopefully if an opportunity arises again for an actor to portray a gay character like Kurt, whose wit is likely to charm the audience, then this is explored a little more.

On a final note when I asked Greg if he would be open to me, or a performer even, coming to the school and speaking to the students regarding this, he wasn’t so keen.

Show’s that Leeton High School can produce a Co-Chair of Mardi Gras, but isn’t ready to have that person come back.

Show’s we are still lucky to be in the accepting Ghetto, but go outside and it’s a different world.

Update 10/6 – The department of Education has provided an official response. Read it here.

We continually fight for acceptance as a community. We have stood side by side to win our rights and for people to accept us because of our differences and we celebrate this by turning on each other?

Decades and decades of community heroes’ have walked before us to enable us to live the life we currently live, to stand together to fight the remaining battles and turn our attention to those who still need our help.

We all stand together to support our younger communities who are being bullied at schools. We rush in, embrace the cause and lend our undying support, because we do know it gets better… and most of the time it does, but….

When it comes to adult bullying within our own community we are not so quick to jump in and say it’s not ok.

Why is this?

Why are we scared to point out the flaws in our own communities? Are we scared that we we will not be included in the “in crowd” we socialise with on the weekend? Are we still acting out our schoolyard scenarios but in a more sophisticated and adult fashion?

Why is it OK to bully one another as adults? And more so, why is it ok to see it happening and not call the bully out on their behaviour.

The Canada Safety Council defines adult bullying as:

“a grab for control by an insecure, inadequate person, an exercise of power through the humiliation of the target.” It involves humiliation or abusive words that lower a person’s self-esteem. It can take the form of rude, degrading or offensive remarks; intimidating gestures; or discrediting a person by spreading rumours, ridiculing them or calling into question their convictions and private life.”

Sound familiar, or do you call this gossip or politics or scandal? Or is it ok to make fun of someone who is fat or skinny, or doesn’t wear the right clothes or isn’t as socially outgoing as you? Or do you call this just the natural pecking order?

It’s really a sad day when I keep hearing about this and have to write a blog like this.

As a community please stand up and start calling this behaviour when you see it. It’s not acceptable, and it’s not cool.

You are responsible for the way you choose to treat others, and no-one else. Watching bullying and not doing anything about it is just as bad as doing the bullying in my opinion.

If you are being bullied as an adult talk to someone about it and then call the behavior. It’s the only way this is going to stop.

I saw people talking to people who would not normal mix together, and I hope people left the event feeling a little more comfortable with the diversity of our communities.

The original vision I had for this event was just that. That people who would not normally meet would get the opportunity to come together and learn. Learn to accept all our community quirks and differences and carry that forward into their own tribes.

I truly believe that we will not gain the fundamental human rights and respect that we all fight for until we learn to accept all our tribes and the diversity that comes within that.

That’s a big call. But it’s not something I say lightly. I have pondered whether I should not say anything at all, but I have come to the conclusion that someone has to look at our community from the inside and point out the obvious.

We are all fighting for acceptance yet we struggle to accept one another. How can we demand acceptance in the greater context when we still cannot accept the differences that make up our community.

Last night’s Women Say Something event was a start, but it was no means an end to the work that needs to be done. And although we have programs in place by our wonderful community organisations, this really needs to start at home. Meaning, one person at a time. That means you. And it’s not hard to do either.

I want to share a personal story that bought me to this point. It made me take a good look at my own reactions and my own thoughts on the subject.

I never really “got” the queer scene. I struggled with the performance art and I struggled with why people dressed in a non-conformist manner. I didn’t think I was a judgemental person, I just thought “it wasn’t for me”, but then I met Zoo. I say I “met” Zoo, but really I started to get to know her through Facebook. We instantly clicked after an incident at Sleaze ball last year which saw her write to the community press and me respond. The importance of boundaries was the title of my response and it was based on the respect that we all had fought for for the past 40 years in terms of diversity and acceptance.

Writing that response really started me thinking about my own opinions and judgements.

Zoo is the first real Queer that has come into my life in a major way. She is controversial, provocative and well, just out there. Queer performance pieces, I admit, I still don’t “get” at times, but she is happy to explain them to me, and from there I have a greater understanding of what people are trying to say. She is someone who never stops saying something. She has taught me, and I say taught, because I do feel she has been my teacher, that expression comes in a number of ways, and acceptance comes from appreciating that.

The other thing Zoo has taught me is that the Queer scene isn’t really that scary. Over the past 6 months she, and others I have met, have introduced me to some amazing artists, writers, professionals and musicians. I see self-expression in everyone I met, and I have even started to define and develop my own sense of expression in the clothes I prefer to wear. The “look” I try to achieve for myself when I got out. I no longer listen to those people who tell me I can’t wear that, I choose to listen to that person inside that say’s I can! And I choose to wear what I wear where I wear it. Transcending the queer to the gaystream to the bears to the twinks.

What Zoo and I have is a symbiotic relationship. We often laugh about how I teach her about the gaystream and she teaches me about the queers. It works!

I am so lucky that in my role at Mardi Gras I get introduced to many of our diverse community tribes. Exciting that I get to learn the politics and the reasons and the inspirations that drive our thought leaders and clusters of community. And I feel privileged that I have a platform to drive greater acceptance of that in events such as Women Say Something.

I fear that others feel they do not have that opportunity. But what I would like to say is that you do.

It simply begins with Hello and continues with an open mind.

And who knows, you might even find your own Zoo.

Happy Mardi Gras.

This has always been the goal of Mardi Gras: To allow you to speak, rather than to speak for you. And I believe this year, we deliver on that.

One of the events that has been born from this campaign is Women Say Something. A panel of diverse women talking about issues that matter to them. The themes and questions will be sourced from the community for the community and I’m sure what will happen during the event will be exciting and thought provoking.

On a personal note, I have always wondered why it was so hard to bring our many female communities together in solidarity, and even harder to bring our G’s and T’s and L’s and B’s and Q’s into a non-judgemental environment. Even on parade night and at the party I see many groups of women judge other women. In a community and organisation where we stand for acceptance and equality shouldn’t we be starting with ourselves first?

That’s why I wanted a panel which was as diverse as we could get. So that we could start with the women who have led or continue to lead (whether officially or by profile) the diverse groups that make up our communities. I’m not saying we all need to get on and agree but I do feel we need to learn to co-exist and accept each other. For one week in the year let’s stand together strong, without judgement, with all our initials blazing and keep striving towards the goal which we all agree is our fundamental human right.

A “Gaystream soft butch femme Queer kinky lesbian”

*Women Say Something is being held March 2^nd, 6.30 for a 7pm start upstairs and the Colombian hotel. For more information visit www.facebook.com/womansaysomething