Mardi Gras 2023

The Olympic champion opens up on the importance of WorldPride as he prepares to appear on his first-ever Mardi Gras float.

“Combine that with being a high-profile athlete and the expectations around that - that I placed on myself, that everyone else around me expected of me - and it was just too much to handle.” “The amount of pressure that you experience is immense, and I think I was inappropriately asked (about his sexuality) as a minor,” he said. “Sydney WorldPride about to kick off and I’m feeling like a teenager again!” he wrote. “It changed my entire perception of what it is to be gay, because I was being ‘accused’ of being gay. “But there are still a lot of issues that the queer community faces and there’s still discrimination, sadly. In a time where phrases like “non-binary” and “genderfluid” have entered the everyday lexicon, it’s easy to feel like all the barriers have been broken down and that the LGBTQIA+ community no longer has to deal with hate, discrimination or disadvantage. “I love that Mardi Gras represents communities right across the country, from the bush to the suburban street, and our First Nations people too.” “Optus is a champion of diversity and inclusion, well-being and sustainability, so I’m just really grateful that I’m able to do this with them,” he added. “I’ve met with some of the 78ers (those involved in the first Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978), and I’m very aware that this originally started as a protest. Thorpe can’t give too much away about what punters will see on the Optus float, but he does reveal a little tidbit - that it will have a “nautical” theme. On Saturday night, the “Thorpedo” will appear on the Optus float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - the first time he’s been on a Pride float since he came out in 2014. “But it is important for me to do this - because if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.”

Queer make-up artist Jess Aitchison is no stranger to bold requests for Mardi Gras. For the second year in a row, she is booked out with back-to-back ...

“Mardi Gras is one of my favourite times of year for make-up application,” she said. “She’ll do my face at 10 am, and it will still be on perfectly for a final midnight show,” Mitchell said. “I like to layer with lots of cream products, and then I’ll put quite a lot of setting powder on. It’s the second-busiest time of the year behind Halloween, with Aitchison seeing more than 50 clients in the past three weeks alone. Paired with a hot pink lip, it’s a bright, high-fashion look, she said. Queer make-up artist Jess Aitchison is no stranger to bold requests for Mardi Gras.

Thousands of rainbow revellers are getting ready to return to Oxford Street for the annual parade, the largest event of Sydney WorldPride.

My colleague Angus Thomson will take you through this evening’s excitement and through to the after-party. Some have travelled further than others to be a part of the 2023 Sydney Mardi Gras. Buses: Buses between the city and the inner west and eastern suburbs will be diverting around the parade route or terminating early – at Central rather than Circular Quay – between 4pm and 2am. Trains: Transport for NSW recommends people wanting to access the northern side of the parade (Darlinghurst) use Town Hall, St James, Martin Place or Kings Cross stations. ″Drag Queen Storytimes have been successfully held in many places across Australia and overseas, to the delight of children and their families,” he said. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age’s fantastic video teams have put this together: It was also the city of the ’78ers, the killing of Scott Johnson, the Bondi Boys, the Darlinghurst police station. Sydney has always considered itself Australia’s “gay city” the home of Mardi Gras, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Newtown, Stonewall. The world has changed – a lot. Before we get into the festivities, a little update on the protest (and counter-demonstration) outside Manly Library this morning. The event, which featured stories and songs “celebrating family, love and being yourself” followed by creative craft activities, went ahead as planned. “I’ll be wearing jeans and a shirt, I won’t try and compete,” he said.

Tonight, the 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will keep the party going on ABC TV, ABC iview, and live crosses on triple j.

Tonight, the 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will keep the party going on They will be supported by on-the-ground hosts including ABC NEWS’ Jeremy Fernandez, Actor-Musician-Director, Zindzi Okenyo and comedian Mel Buttle. The 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on ABC and ABC iview from 7:30pm.

Excitement is rising in Sydney ahead of the city's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, which will re...

"This has been quite a journey. But while flamboyant outfits will be anything but few and far between, the PM won't be dressing up much for the occasion. And it's also a great event. "I'll just be wearing clothes. "We need to remember as well, that after 45 years that began with a campaign for law reform, it's about equality and it's about respecting people for who they are - no matter who they love, no matter where they live, no matter what their identity is," he said. Pride is something that we should be proud of, that Australia is moving towards a more and more equal community where everyone is respected, no matter who they love."

Since 1991 the roar of Dykes on Bikes motorcycles is a sure sign to the crowds that Mardi Gras has started. Follow all the action in our live blog.

There's a lot of visitors in town and I think they're seeing Sydney at its very best." This is definitely the GAY-BC tonight! ABC is televising the Mardi Gras, as it did back in 1994. It's all about partying with purpose. By Maryanne Taouk "This is one of the most electric atmospheres I've seen in a very very long time and of course, it's all about equality.

Thousands of people have begun to gather in Sydney's CBD to take to the streets and celebrate Mardi Gras.

One reveller painted a blue heart on themselves for the celebrations Glittered and ready to go! So to have them here on this line and expressing themselves with a smile. 'We've got so many people with diverse backgrounds and people recovering from serious addictions and all those sorts of things. Revellers are seen in glitter and topless Legs for days!