The celebration featured a wide variety of floats, from corporate sponsors ANZ and Holden to activist groups No Pride in Detention and Union Pride. Lead floats represented LGBTQI First Nations people and friends, as well as the original 78ers.
Calls for marriage equality were again prominent with LGBTQI families and queer seniors pushing for change. The Sydney Queer Irish float featured drag queen Panti Bliss, poster girl of the successful Irish marriage equality referendum, who called the lack of progress in Australia “frustrating and depressing”. Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich were vocal in support of change.
This year’s parade was the first for crowd favourites the Tiwi Island Sistagirls, who travelled 4,000 kilometres for their first Mardi Gras. Their crowdfunded float saw all the sistagirls in handmade traditional costumes and jewellery, celebrating pride in their culture and identities.
