Gays, lesbians and transsexuals celebrated the Mardi Gras parade in Sydney with flashy outfits, 200 colorful floats and lots of music. For the first time since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the march took place on the famous Oxford Street with around 12,000 participants.
Hundreds of thousands of onlookers lined the sidewalks from early Saturday evening (local time) to experience the spectacle up close. The broadcaster 9News spoke of a “sea of rainbow flags, glitter and sequins”.
The parade was held for the 45th time – and was considered one of the highlights of Sydney WorldPride 2023, the most important event of the year for the global LGBTQIA community. The festival, which runs through March 5, is being held in a city in the southern hemisphere for the first time. LGBTQIA is the abbreviation for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex, queer and asexual community, which expressly also includes other sexual minorities.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was also announced for Mardi Gras. But he would refrain from eccentric clothing, he smiled in the morning: “I’ll wear jeans and a T-shirt and not try to compete at all.”
March for Equality
The media spoke of a “triumphant return” to Oxford Street. “There’s ten times more glitter, ten times more fun, ten times more excitement,” said one attendee. Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said the world came to the metropolis to celebrate equality, justice and acceptance. “These are really important things to celebrate and we’re going to do it with a lot of glamor and a lot of fun.”
Sydney is considered one of the most tolerant cities in the world and is famous for its gay scene. The joyful and spectacular Mardi Gras has been delighting people from all continents for decades.
The first march took place in 1978. At that time, the protest event was brutally suppressed by the police. As a result, a Mardi Gras march was held annually to demand equality. Oxford Street is at the heart of Sydney’s queer community.
