GLST3001 Queer Culture, Sydney Mardi Gras, and Public Exhibits: Visibility, Identity, and Social Change

NOTES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION

TITLE SLIDE: Introduce topic and the title of presentation and introduce self including preferred pronouns, gender identity and sexuality.

SLIDE 2: basic introduction to the term queer and the umbrella community it represents, explain cis gender (relatively unused term by those who fall under the binary structure of gender in contemporary times)

Despite this history, queer has been reclaimed in an effort to bring people of non-normative genders and sexual practices and identities together. While the word has Anglo Euro-American origins, individuals and communities in a variety of countries world-wide embrace and identify with the term queer. This, of course, is not universal and the word remains problematic and still considered by many to be confrontational. In fact, the tensions and discomfort associated with the term are part of what some people appreciate in identifying with the term. That said, identities and practices change over time; it is quite likely that in the future a different term will be used to refer to the topic at the heart of this thematic issue. Michelle Walks, "We're Here and We're Queer?": An Introduction to Studies in Queer Anthropology, 2014

Flag talk about the current pride flag, speak about how the progress pride flag is being used more globally including in Australia and how it represents the vital the roles of people of colour in the LGBT community (thanks majorly in part to the BLM protests in America).

breakdown the new pride flag including what each section represents (used in Sydney Mardi gras and pride events as well as being globally rolled out as a much more diverse and inclusive flag for the LGBT community)

SLIDE 3: Shift into Sydney mardi gras

• History of this event (the 78ers)


• Play video


• Systematic oppression in full force at first mardi gras


• LGBT community growth thanks to accidental heroes

SLIDE 4: Absolutely Queer exhibit

• Overview of how this came to being, with Sydney selected in 2023 for WorldPride, the curators being queer, the importance of the government using this museum to exhibit this community until the end of the year way beyond Mardi gras end date.


• The contributions to this exhibit being key members of the community who have paved the way and their stories.


• Queer culture performing against heteronormative cultural practices with parodies framed in an LGBT framework (drag queens/kings)

SLIDE 5: Norrie

• The significance in displaying their Passport and birth certificate (x gender)


• The political inflections of Norries story in Australia politics and queer culture is always clashing and putting this on full display in this piece. (*side note, when visiting this exhibit myself spent the most time on it because of how many pieces there were to pick apart from it and open a discussion such as the John Howard cartoon piece, the trans pieces as well as the way the slurs were used to parody a parody of gay people.)


• Jump back with this to the way this exhibit in standing in a major museum in Sydney and being a year long exhibit is using soft power in engaging the public in having a critical discussion and attempt at potentially engaging with the LGBT community that intersects with the city.

SLIDE 6:

• Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey 2017


• Challenging heteronormative ideas of marriage with a campy/parodical display of two gender ambiguous wedding outfits, the vows of these two LGBT individuals playing softly when standing in this space.

OTHER NOTES:

• Though the absolutely queer exhibit is very white facing with the exception of a few pieces, there is another exhibit at the PHM that is free and on until the end of the year, Paradise Camp by Yuki Kihara.