The annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade is the centrepiece of the entire Mardi Gras festival.
And this weekend's 41st Parade will feature approximately 12,000 participants with more than 300,000 spectators from across Australia cheering from the sidelines.
More than 190 floats will slowly pass by - one of them will be a sequin-studded South Asian float by Trikone Australasia, a Sydney-based community organisation providing social support and a safe, nurturing environment for LGBTQI+ people of South Asian origin.
Another South Asian grassroots network, FOBGAYS, will also be participating; their float displaying animals found throughout South Asian jungles.
Trikone Australasia was established in 2008 and the organisation has been participating in the annual Mardi Gras Parade since 2010.
Source: Trikone Australasia
Spokesperson Darshil Shroff says the group is very excited to be allocated the fifth spot in the 197 float-long parade.
“We will be out there representing the colourful cultures of South Asian nations. We have been a dance-themed float for the past eight years and this year we will be performing to Bollywood tunes.”
This year’s float by Trikone Australasia is aimed at highlighting the important developments affecting LGBTI communities in India and Nepal.
India decriminalised homosexual relationships between two consenting adults in September 2018, encouraging many people to come out and seek support.
Nepal was the first country in South Asia to recognise the third gender and assure equality for sexual minorities in 2007.
India's Supreme Court ruled on 06 September 2018, that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence. Source: AAP
“But there ’s a lot more work needed in South Asian countries when it comes to protecting the rights of sexual minorities,” Darshil says. And that is the message to be conveyed at this year’s Mardi Gras festival along with all the celebrations.
“Many in South Asian communities have never talked about homosexuality so while they don’t necessarily oppose it, they haven’t bothered to understand it, “ he added.
In order to spread awareness Trikone Australasia organises panel discussions on sexual and mental health issues faced by the homosexual community.
Stories by moonlight are weekday gatherings where people share their own experiences of coming out to their family; these discussions help address cultural barriers specific to South Asian communities.
Support for LGBTQI+ rights is growing slowly in the South Asian and Indian community in Australia. Many come and attend the Mardi Gras Parade, show their faces on the float to show support for a gay or lesbian family member or a friend.
Source: Trikone Australasia
Darshil was a member of a Mumbai-based youth organisation called Yaariaan before moving to Australia. Yaariyan (Friendship) is a voluntary LGBTQ youth initiative and a support group that empowers youth to understand their sexuality and finally come out to their family and friends. Over the years its Facebook group has grown to more than 8000 members.
Australia has taken big strides when it comes to LGBT rights with the legalisation of same-sex marriage, but South Asian communities in Australia still show more reservations compared to other western cultures.
Darshil recalls an initiative that worked well in Mumbai and something that could benefit the Indian community in Australia.
“It was a peer parent group called Sweekar (accept) where parents or family members and friends who have accepted their son or daughter’s homosexuality speak to other parents whose son or daughter has just come out as gay or lesbian.”
Darshil says it proved to be the most effective way of raising awareness and convincing parents to support their children.
Source: Supplied
This year more than 3,00,000 people are estimated to attend the Mardi Gras parade in Sydney with people flying to Sydney especially to attend the parade on Saturday 2nd March.
So Darshil’s message to those who purposely stay away is: “If there is a young person struggling with his sexuality in your family he or she would be encouraged and feel safe to talk to you if they could see you supporting LGBTI rights.
"Even if you choose not to attend the parade if and when someone does come out to you please remember we are no different from you.”
A live stream of the 2019 Sydney Mardi Gras parade will be available on SBS On Demand and the SBS Twitter account on Saturday, March the 2nd.
