Will It Rain On Our Parade? Sydney Mardi Gras Says March Will Go Ahead

Two transgender men and one trans woman have sued the state of Oklahoma over its efforts to block them from amending the gender on their birth certificates.The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Lambda Legal on behalf of Tulsa residents Rowan Fowler, Allister Hall, and a Creek County resident who chose to remain anonymous, using the initials C.R., alleges that the three faced intentional discrimination “on the basis of [their] transgender status” when they were barred from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate to align with their gender identity.The lawsuit names Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Commissioner of Health Keith Reed, and registrar of vital records Kelly Baker as defendants in the lawsuit.The prohibition on amending gender markers was imposed by Stitt after he issued an executive order banning the practice. Stitt issued the order in response to outrage from his fellow Republicans after the state’s Department of Health complied with a judge’s order and approved an amended birth certificate with a nonbinary gender marker.The original plaintiff in the case leading to that decision, Kit Lorelied, had sued after being denied the right to have their correct gender reflected on their birth certificate, as trans and nonbinary individuals are currently able to do in 17 states and the District of Columbia.Stitt has since urged the state legislature to ban “nonbinary gender markers” on vital documents — a proposal that is currently being considered by the state’s senate.

Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of “Rust” in October, says Halyna’s family is now trapped in Kyiv as Russian attacks escalate on Ukraine’s capital.Matthew told TMZ on Friday that the “safe passage” corridors Putin agreed to are being bombed and Halyna’s mother Olga Androsovych and father Anatoly Androsovych have no option but to stay. Olga continues to work as a nurse at the hospital where she has worked for more than 10 years.

Brittney Parks, the violinist, singer, and producer, who records under the stage name Sudan Archives, has shared her new original song in three years. It's called "Home Maker," and it comes with a video directed by Jocelyn Anquetil (Bree Runway, Tkay Maidza).

A rainbow pathway in Newtown may be just around the corner, after a motion to begin plans for a new pathway in time for next year’s Sydney WorldPride event was carried unanimously by Inner West Council last week.The motion, which was moved by Independent Pauline Lockie and seconded by the Greens Liz Atkins, noted that installing a rainbow crossing in Newtown would be “a visible sign of pride and support for our LGBTQ community”.“Symbols representing our community make it clear that queer people are welcome in our community and, are in fact, to be celebrated,” Cr Atkins told Star Observer when asked about the significance of installing the new rainbow pathway.Cr Pauline LockThis follows a previously resolved motion by council in December 2019, where prospects for a rainbow crossing at the intersection of King Street and Enmore Road in Newtown were being investigated.Although the motion was then approved by councillors, an installation required the approval of Transport for NSW, who “advised Council that it would not support a rainbow crossing in this location and is also unlikely to approve other locations for on-road rainbow crossings”.“That’s quite a complicated intersection anyway, there are multiple sets of lights; multiple crossing points; emergency access points; a train station there”, Cr Lockie told City Hub.Alternative options suggested in the motion included lighting one of the pathways in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park with rainbow lights, painting one of the existing pathways in the park in rainbow colours, and painting a rainbow pathway outside Newtown Town Hall.Two amendments were moved by Cr Mat Howard, who called on council to “submit a request to the Geographical Names Board to rename the public square

By Dr Clifford Lewis and Kevin MarkwellIn 1985, calls for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to be cancelled in response to concerns about HIV/AIDS were successfully countered by the organisers. The parade is now recognised as an important way of creating awareness of safe-sex practices, reducing the social stigma of HIV/AIDS and being a living memorial to those who died from it. In 2020, like many other major events, the Mardi Gras parade became a victim of another virus: COVID-19.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras chief executive Albert Kruger has called for a full NSW police investigation into the circumstances that led to the ejection of one of the original ‘78ers Barbara Karpinski from her seat in the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday night. He has also initiated an internal Mardi Gras investigation. Kruger told the Star Observer that he is in no doubt that the incident happened. He said that the police action was “unacceptable” and that he is “upset about it to be honest”. Karpinski was removed after standing briefly in the stadium seating area holding a handmade poster calling for peace and an end to the war in Ukraine.

2 min read The Sydney Cricket Ground was awash in a vibrant display of pride and self-expression on Saturday night as the iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade united LGBTQIA+ communities from all over Australia.

Yesterday, LGBTQI communities and their friends celebrated the 44th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in a supernova of glitter, glitz, and glam.Performers included singer-songwriter Darren Hayes, Vanessa Amorosi, The Wiggles, and Timothy Springs.Darren Hayes, former member of bestselling Australian pop duo Savage Garden, performed The Animal Song, Affirmation, and Do You Remember, and the crowd was ecstatic.Matt Akersten, Pride and Diversity Officer for Sydney WorldPride 2023, tweeted, “What a night! How’s how the 2022 [Sydney Mardi Gras] Parade ended, a dazzling show with [Darren Hayes]”What a night! How’s how the 2022 @sydneymardigras Parade ended, a dazzling show with @darrenhayes!

No rest for Sebastian Stan! As Pam & Tommy wraps up on Hulu, the Marvel star has another project debuting on the streaming service: the new movie Fresh.

As Mardi Gras festivities set their place onto my calendar I always save some space to hold my annual “camp” film festival. Camp films are an integral part of LGBTQI culture, and while “camp” films are often mistaken as bad films, this isn’t entirely correct. Many “camp” films (including some on this list) are excellent but are considered camp due to highly exaggerated elements, particularly in the script or performances.

The Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre has issued a public apology after posting transphobic content to its page.Image: Then on February 28, they posted a link to an article titled, “J.K. Rowling Writes About Her Reasons for Speaking Out on Sex and Gender Issues.”Image: “We seek to understand where this fits in to their services.

This Saturday, March 5, the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for the second year in a row.  In order to attend, visitors will have to pay for a ticket, which has raised equity concerns among members of Sydney’s LGBTQI Communities. The Parade was free to attend when it was held along  Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Wei Thai-Haynes, a member of the SGLMG Board and activist group Pride in Protest, told Star Observer that “Mardi Gras should be free and accessible to all those who wish to attend.

Roman Abramovich, the Russian owner of England’s Chelsea FC, one of soccer’s biggest clubs, said Wednesday that he is selling the franchise, with the proceeds to go to a foundation that will benefit war victims in Ukraine.

COVID-19 required only in indoor public spaces.Parade routes are shorter than usual, because there aren’t enough police for the standard ones, even with officers working 12-hour shifts as they always do on Mardi Gras and the end of the Carnival season leading up to it.But with COVID-19 hospitalizations and case numbers falling worldwide and 92% of the city’s adults at least partly vaccinated, parades are back on after a season without them.And people are out and ready to let the good times roll.The crowd Sunday, when the huge Krewe of Bacchus paraded, “was a record for us in the 10 years we’ve been open,” said Thomas Houston, bar manager at Superior Seafood and Oyster Bar, located at the start of the truncated parade route.He expected similar crowds on Fat Tuesday — a state holiday — if the weather is good.

March 5,  Sydney Cricket Ground at 6pmIn his first live performance in Australia for a decade, singer-songwriter Darren Hayes returns home to head up a superstar line-up for the 2022 Mardi Gras Parade at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday 5 March 2022. Fresh off the back of the release of his new track ‘Let’s Try Being In Love’, Hayes’ Mardi Gras performance will mark his 20th year as a solo recording artist, as well the 25th anniversary of Savage Garden’s acclaimed debut, self-titled album.The Parade will also feature a special performance from Australian music legend Vanessa Amorosi, presented by Principal Partner, American Express.