The Informer

Saturday nights Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade wasn’t just a celebration of protest to pride but also of last year’s marriage equality win.

Brekko from DIY Rainbow has been one of the many public faces within Australia that was fighting for equal marriage to become legal over, and, after proposing to his partner Stu on YES Day last year, the  two announced that  just a few months later they would tie the knot on a float during the Mardi Gras Parade at Taylors Square.

Dylan Joel spoke to Brekko and Stu today after their wedding and reception, to find out what it was like saying I DO in such a public way.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 5th March 2018.

Combining forces over the final weekend of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with 4 days celebrating 40 years of equality from protest to pride, including a live broadcast of the parade.

The Informers Dean Arcuri was one of the co-hosts of the live parade broadcast, and he spoke with the rest of the team in the van, Lisa Daniel, Dee Mason and Benjamin Norris about how they felt about being a part of the broadcast and the importance of being a part of the 40th celebration.

So how did our live broadcast of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade go? Filled with conversation, celebration and community pride, we give you a highlight of what the night was like here on JOY.

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 5th March 2018.

With over three hundred thousand spectators filling Sydney’s streets to watch 40 years of evolution during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade they saw over 200 entry floats and community groups marching over 4 hours which included, 350 bikes;178 vehicles – 15 which were being pushed and twelve thousand 300 participants.

Getting a good spot during the parade is key, and from 11am on Saturday morning there were already plenty of people camped out for the perfect view. The Informers Executive Producer Dean Arcuri was in Sydney as part of JOYs special Mardi Gras Broadcast with SBS Radio and decided to find out why people were camped out so early, was it all about the best spot to view the parade, or was there something more?

This segment of The Informer aired on JOY 94.9 on 5th March 2018.

A record number of people lined up and down Sydney’s Oxford Street on Saturday night for the 40th Annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with over 12,000 participants taking part in the world’s biggest celebration of our LGBTQIA+ communities.

On this episode we head to the parade as we speak to people in the street, participants in the floats and our own JOY crew on the ground as we share in an evening of self-expression and celebration of diversity and equality.

This episode of The Informer was hosted by Lara Dickinson on JOY 94.9

This year there will be 200 floats in the Sydney Gay and Mardi Gras Parade, the largest contingent they have ever had. For Mardi Gras 40th there was a record number of entrants, with many floats not making the final cut.

While it began as a violent protest, the Mardi Gras Parade is now a site to behold, but amidst the hot pants, glitter, dancing and celebration, there are still important messages of celebration, revolution and respect throughout the floats.

We spoke to some of the floats in the lead up to the parade about what they have planned and what it has been like to get ready for the  parade.

Dean Arcuri and I speak to Dykes on Bikes Sydney, the First nations Float, the Melbourne Chargers, the Institute of Many and Bigots Begone.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.

Many guys want to look just right for when Mardi Gras comes around, focusing on their diet and gym routine months before to look as fit as they can for parade weekend.

Last week comedian Joel Creasey wrote a facebook post calling this kind of behaviour in our community out. It was a long post, you can see it on his facebook page or just check out our social media right now, but part of the post said

‘I’m talking to those people who think it is a NECESSITY to be ripped, tanned and have 20k plus Instagram followers to be welcome.

It’s not. I’d take a personality and a sense of humour any day over that photo of your gleaming abs on the beach that has been ever-so candidly snapped of you. “Oh my god how embarrassing who took this photo of me and how did it end up on my Instagram!?” Complete with your attempt at a “whimsical caption” as if we all don’t know what you’re doing.

Please let’s stop starving ourselves, please let’s stop shaming others and please let’s stop posting dumb shit like “T MINUS 3 WEEKS TO MARDI GRAS” next to a piece of steamed broccoli.

That’s not what Mardi Gras is about. And that’s not what our community is about.’

While he was applauded in the media for calling out body shaming when our executive producer went to Sydney he found many locals that had a problem with Creasey’s post.

Steven Spencer was one of these gay men. He shared how Joel’s post made him feel and why we shouldn’t be tearing down the different bodies in our communities, but celebrating them instead.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.

It’s not only the parade that is filled with pride and protest, with performances during the party exploring our culture and celebrating our communities as well.

This year a pillar of Sydney’s LGBTQI community, especially the Leather Community, Jo Kingskin has put together ‘FRANKIE SAYS’, a performance, specially created for the Mardi Gras party, inspired by the banned 1984 video of Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, it’s not all about Cher!

A homage to the Sydney Leather community celebrating and acknowledging leather bars and events that have been a part of that history. The show represents and includes many of the people who have been a part of that history from way back when to current gatherings and at 2am at Max Watts at the Mardi Gras Party, you will get to witness history before your eyes with 4 generations of Leather Folk coming together to unite in displaying their kink and incredible performance bond.

Jo shared with us why this performance was so important, especially in Mardi Gras 40th Year.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.

One of the realities of a huge event like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Party is that there will be significant police operations at selected Mardi Gras events, which will involve sniffer dogs and, in some cases, personal searches for drugs.

So how do you best prepare yourself if you are approached by the police. For some in our communities this can be triggering, especially on Mardi Gras Parade night, how do you avoid homophobic or transphobic or biphobic violence as well as look after yourself and each other?

Dan sat down with ACONs Safety, Inclusion and Historical Justice Program Manager, Michael Atkinson and asked him what we needed to know.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.

Dykes on Bikes Sydney are not the only part of our community celebrating a 30 year anniversary during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, with the first nations float celebrating this year’s parade by rebooting the theme from their original float, revolution, for this year’s parade.

Daniel spoke to John Lea from the first nations floats about what this milestone meant as we look back on Indigenous peoples participation in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.

It’s not just about Mardi Gras 40th this year as Australia’s longest running female-identified motorcycle club, and one of the countries oldest LGBTQI community groups celebrates 30 years this year.

With members ranging from 18 to 80 years old, on any sized bike from a sporty scooter to a massive trike, Dykes on Bikes Sydney have kicked off the Mardi Gras Parade every one of those 30 years.

President of Dykes on Bikes Sydney Lyn Doherty spoke to The Informer about her and the clubs history with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, as well as what celebrating this milestone means to the club which has grown and evolved over 30 years.

This segment aired on The Informer on JOY 94.9 on 1st March 2018.