It might not be the world pride festival again, but Mardi Gras is still set to be as big, and as important as ever with this years' theme being: "Our Future…"
Protest with pride
“Our Future… is not just a theme but a call to action, a bold invitation to define and shape our path forward as a community."
Gil Beckwith, CEO of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
There are plenty of events to attend and a party on every corner but, as always, the most important function of Mardi Gras is to spread awareness through protest, allowing us to create a future for the LGBTQI+ community which is safe and welcoming.
A future which seems especially distant today amid news of a double murder of a same-sex couple by a cop ex-partner, and the murder of a non-binary high school teen in America by their peers.
No more cops
Since the double murder, the police have been uninvited from marching at the Mardi Gras parade; something many in the queer community have been pushing for years. Mardi Gras began as a protest against police violence and while police violence continues to exists, they should not march in the parade, guns on full display.
And this year, they won’t.
Year round ally
Incidents like these are a reminder to those who are not part of the queer community to be a genuine, supportive ally all year round. Because a future that's safe and welcoming for the queer community is only possible with the support of those outside the community.
If you need a refresher on what support can look like, read our blog post 5 ways to support the queer community this Mardi Gras.