Brisbane Pride rally

Brisbane Pride rally

By Philippa Stanford

BRISBANE — "We're here, we're queer, get used to it" was one of the chants that filled the Brisbane city mall on June 28 as 500 people attended Brisbane's second Pride rally for lesbian and gay rights.

Despite law reform, lesbian and gay Queenslanders are still fighting for rights, recognition and services. As speaker Gai Lemon said, "Last year's law reform not only ignored the existence and rights of lesbians but was merely a tokenistic gesture to pacify what was becoming a powerful and vocal group in Queensland".

Proposed anti-discrimination legislation which omits sexual preference as a basis of discrimination. "The ALP state government doesn't want to touch controversial issues such as sexuality, abortion or funding for rape crisis centres, and by its silence on the issue of sexual preference it is condoning the acts of violence that are perpetrated against lesbians and gays every day", said Lemon. n

From GLW issue 19