GATHER | DREAM |AMPLIFY
Equal Voices invites Christians to join in faith involvement in World Pride 2023 – to be held in Sydney between 17 February to 5 March – the first time World Pride has been held in the southern hemisphere. Check out our pages here to discover shared events already planned with various groups
Equal Voices In Partnership with Community
As part of Sydney World Pride and Mardi Gras celebrations, LGBTIQA+ people of faith and our communities are hosting a series of events that we hope are of interest to you and would like to especially invite you to attend and support.
1) Amplify Queer Faith: A Photographic Exhibition of Queer (and Ally) Faces of Faith
Launch on Thursday 16th February 2023 12.30pm-1.30pm, Pitt Street Uniting Church. The exhibition will continue to 31st March 2023 and will be open daily 10am-2pm during Sydney World Pride.
Featuring LGBTIQA+ and ally religious and spiritual from many faiths, spirituality and cultural backgrounds including Aboriginal, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, etc. The exhibition is a pilot campaign project celebrating the resilience and flourishing of LGBTIQA+ people and communities of faith and spirituality, and their allies, who despite prejudice, persecution, violence and discrimination are shining their light for a better world.
The portrait exhibition will feature former High Court Judge Michael Kirby; Yorta Yorta elder, Composer and Soprano Deborah Cheetham with her spouse trailblazing Conductor Nicolette Fraillon; Catholic Congregational Leader of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan Sr Patty Fawkner; Sydney Queer Muslims, long time leader of the Jewish LGBTIQA+ community Kim Gotlieb; Broadcaster, 78er and Cancer Survivor Julie McCrossin etc.
Corresponding to the physical exhibition is an online exhibition which provides a more in-depth exploration of the subjects. Other LGBTIQA+ and strong ally people of faith are also invited to share their own portraits and stories as part of this truly community exhibition. This pilot project is auspice by GIIN (GLBTIQ+ Interfaith & Intercultural Network) and Equal Voices.
It is our hope that following Sydney World Pride, allies will support GIIN & Equal Voices to show the works in exhibition at parliaments around Australia to highlight the realities and flourishing of LGBTIQA+ people of faith and our supporters in our diverse faith communities.
Apart from the exhibition, Queer Christian Roundtable will bring together the Rainbow Christians Together stall at Fair Day and will march in a Mardi Gras parade float. Two other events that are both celebratory and reflective of LGBTIQA+ flourishing in our faith communities we hope you’d attend are:
2) Pancake Pride Ecumenical Celebration Tuesday – 21 February 2023 6pm-9pm @Pitt Street Uniting Church:
Pancake Pride – brings together the broad Christian ecumenical family to celebrate the traditional Shrove Tuesday (‘Mardi Gras’). The event will include food, music, reflections, readings led by church leaders from across the denominations: Catholic, Uniting Church, Anglican, Pentecostal, Evangelicals, etc
3) Thanksgiving Mass Friday – 24 February 2023 7pm-9pm @Good Samaritan Sisters’ Chapel @ 2 Avenue Road, Glebe:
World Pride Thanksgiving Mass: hosted by the national Rainbow Catholics Interagency for Ministry that brings together LGBTIQA+ affirming Catholic ministries across Australia is in thanksgiving for the gift of LGBTIQA+ folks in the church and world, a service of celebration with prayers and songs to honour the variety and diversity that enriches our world and church, as we pray that discrimination and invisibility is overcome with justice and love.
You can visit some events organized by Queer Christian Roundtable for World Pride at www.worldpridefaith.com.au
On this ABC Soul Search, you can hear a bit more about our organizing and stories: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/soul-search/queer-faith-and-theology-at-world-pride/101919756
Benjamin Oh Josephine Inkpin
co-Chair of Equal Voices co-Chair of Equal Voices
Convenor of Queer Christian Roundtable