Pride in 2024 & A History of Pride Worldwide.

True North Psychology's First Pride

Last weekend, Brisbane celebrated its annual Pride march and fair day at Musgrave park. Bella, Derrek, Ryan, Jasmin, and Nick from the True North Psychology team had a brilliant (and only slightly sunburnt) time at our first march and stall. Pride is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and connect with our LGBTQIAP+ community in all it’s splendour, and we’re so thrilled to have been a part of it for the first time (and definitely not the last).

A History of Pride and discrimination in Australia

Pride Month is celebrated internationally in June, commemorating the Stone Wall Riots of June 28th 1969 in New York. This represented the first major protest against criminalisation and discrimination against the LGBTQIAP+ community and was led by trans and gender diverse people of colour, including Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and Stormé DeLaverie. Nine years later, on June 24th 1978, hundreds of Sydney’s LGBTQIAP+ community staged their first protest against similar prosecuting, representing Australia’s first Mardi Gras. A year later the number grew to over 3000 people as they marched for the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Decriminalisation of homosexuality in Australia occurred state by state between 1975 and 1997. National decriminalisation occurred in 1994 by Keating’s government after Tasmania’s staunch opposition to decriminalisation led to Toonen v Australia at the UN’s Human Rights Commission, which found that Australia’s criminalisation of homosexuality was in violation of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. Marriage Equality occurred 20 years in 2017, after a gruelling year of political footballing and campaigning that subjected the community to incredible scrutiny and homophobic rhetoric.

Fighting for equality

The history and continued experience of discrimination against the LGBTQIAP+ community is why Pride continues to be such an important element of our community’s experience. While we currently have a level of legal recognition and protection, there’s a long way to go before equality is truly achieved.

The LGBTQIAP+ community in Australia faces several significant issues today, including:

• Discrimination and Stigma: Despite legal advancements, many individuals still experience discrimination in workplaces, healthcare, and public life based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

• Mental Health: Higher rates of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, are prevalent within the community, often linked to social stigma, bullying, and discrimination.

• Trans and Gender Diverse Rights: Ongoing challenges include access to appropriate healthcare, legal recognition of gender identity, and societal acceptance. Trans youth, in particular, face significant barriers.

• Youth Homelessness: LGBTQIAP+ youth are at a higher risk of homelessness, often due to family rejection or discrimination, which exacerbates their vulnerability.

• Intersex Health Care: the Intersex community continue to be neglected in health care settings and frequently subjected to non-consensual sex-assignment surgeries at birth or in infancy, leading to physical and psychological harm.

• Legal Protections: While Australia has made progress, gaps remain in anti-discrimination laws and protections for specific groups within the community.

• Safety and Violence: Hate crimes and violence against LGBTQIAP+ individuals, particularly people of colour and trans individuals, remain serious concerns.

• Intersectionality: Members of the community who also belong to other marginalised groups (e.g., Indigenous Australians, people with disabilities) often face compounded discrimination and challenges.

Pride started as a protest and, for all the reasons listed above, we must continue to advocate for the rights of our LGBTQIAP+ community until all of our communities — especially gender diverse, intersex, queer people of colour, and queer people living with disabilities — can enjoy the same rights, protections, and freedoms as everyone else. 

We’d love to see you at Pride next year, and continue supporting and advocating for you in the meantime as well.

Written by Nicholas Baker, Clinical Psychologist

Nick currently has a waitlist for new clients and offers sessions at True North Psychology on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays.