SYDNEY — On February 4, the day the month-long Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival was launched, Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) announced that it would attempt unite all groups that have campaigned against the ban on same-sex marriage in a single float at the March 5 Mardi Gras parade.
"This homophobic ban on same-sex marriage will add legitimacy to bigoted attacks in the wider community", CAAH spokesperson Farida Iqbal said. "With 20% of stranger violence homophobic — and queer youth up to seven times more likely to kill themselves as heterosexual youth — we cannot be silent."
CAAH announced that "the Canterbury Bankstown Gay and Lesbian Group (CBD), the Socialist Alliance, Queer Students Network, Australian Marriage Equality (AME), Resistance, The Greens, Council Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and Sex and Gender Education (SAGE) have united to help Mardi Gras return to its protesting roots."
Ray Goodlass, NSW Greens gay and lesbian rights spokesperson, said that his party "fully endorses CAAH's campaign to repeal" the ban.
The CAAH-organised float will be meeting on March 5 at 1pm outside the UTS tower. For more information, phone Simon Margan on 0438 637 037 or email <smargan@bigpond.net.au>.
Rachel Evans
From Green Left Weekly, February 23, 2005.
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