Another year of pride
TasPride, 1-9 November 2013
It barely seems like enough time has passed since last year’s epic 20th Birthday of TasPride and all the associated celebrations, but here we are again: festival time.
TasPride started out way back in 1992 as the GLC Inc – the Gay and Lesbian Community Centre. Back then, the priority for the community was encapsulated by the need for a service – a space that was ours, separate from what was a reasonably discriminatory wider Tasmanian community.
It’s easy to see how far we have travelled since those times. While valuable services like Working It Out provide support groups for young people and people negotiating the sometimes-tricky business of their sexuality and/or gender identity, we at TasPride are free to get on with the work of frivolity. Our aim is to hold events that bring the fabulously diverse LGBTIQ community together.
Us keen sorts on the organising committee volunteer our time to help in putting on the now-iconic annual Queens’ Ball (always on the Queen’s Birthday holiday in June) and other, newer, events that are fast feeling like institutions themselves.
The Pride Parade through Hobart’s streets is in its third year running, and always sets the town buzzing. This year it was held on Saturday 2 November, mustering at the Playhouse Theatre on Bathurst St, and proceeding down Murray Street to end in a huge community celebration (including, of course, families, friends, and our ever-expanding legion of supporters, allies, and all-round good sorts) on Parliament Lawns.
By far the biggest night on the festival program this year was the Halloween Ball. I feel like I’m running out of breath trying to tell you all about it. It was held at the newly-revamped Tattersalls Hotel, with the costume theme being “Alice in Funderland” – perfect for their “Wunderland”-muralled dancefloor. Sydney drag legend Minnie Cooper was hosting and performing, along with the ridiculously-toned and talented burlesque boys of Le Male. AND we had all-girl band Titanium 22 from Sydney rocking the joint.
But really, the reason why I’ve been frothing with excitement about all these events (check out the full program for the mind-blowingly long list) is not the crazy-good talent that we’ve managed to get down to our little island. It’s the fact that these fun times are designed as a way to get everyone out of the house and hanging out with each other. With the news that the Tasmanian Legislative Council has refused to revisit marriage equality, many of us will be welcoming the opportunity to commiserate together (and to renew our plans to continue the struggle).
I can’t repeat this enough: show us your solidarity and support, check out the Tas Pride program and hope to see you at future pride shenanigans.
Bec Dorgelo – TasPride President
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