Back To the Main Site2009 Sydney Mardi Gras
Our Entry in Mardi Gras was a raging success. We had 22 people show up on the day to march with us. We wore fantastic green t-shirts, had awesome placards, and made waves with the crowd, the other floats, and the commentators alike!
It was my first ever Mardi Gras, and the feeling of marching with 21 other trans people, genderqueers, and our friends and families while being cheered on by the crowd, was an incredibly empowering experience. We handed out hundreds of stickers that said “Gender Rights are Human Rights” and lollipops with “Trannies are Sweet” written on them. Trans people and their supporters in the crowd screamed “I love trannies too!” at us from the sidelines, and we had post op FTM’s flash their scars at us.
I was thrilled to see the level of support for our community from other LGBT organisations, and from the wider community. Some people were obviously confused by our marching group, and our placards gave more than a few cause to pause and think about their preconceived notions of what a trans person looks like, and what they experience.
So, maybe next year YOU will be marching with us too! :)
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Was a great success yes, and well worth the energy put into making the word get about that TRANS people are here to STAY and that we have much to say for ourselves, even if it be slightly not what the mainstream has been led to think all these years.
The placards were simply superb, and right to the point, but I fear that many people would not have got the word and that we have a long way to go to get the word out there to people. I think a good way is for TRANS ppl to STOP hiding themselves away and get more involved in such actions as Mardi Gras Parade and be involved in their local support, social groups. We also have to STOP being hidden away by our fears and uncertainties in the wider community too.
Be proud of who you are!
Be proud to hold a hand up and say that you are a TRANS person with Right and Needs and Wants just the same as everybody else has!