In New York, Army National Guard First lt. Dan Choi has been selected as the grand marshal of Heritage of Pride’s gay pride parade on June 27 (disclosure: Queerty is an official sponsor). In Sydney, New York-based trans nightlife fixture Amanda was chosen as chief of gay Mardis Gras on Feb. 27. What do these decisions tell us about the differences between Americans and Australians?
That American gays want to present an image of hope, confidence, maturity, and equal rights.
And that Australian gays want to throw a fabulous fucking party.
Qjersey
New York wants to honor a man we might actually drag to bed. Australians want to honor someone who drags men to bed.
Fitz
New York wants to kiss the ass of some fun-duh-mentalist. Australia, like the rest of the world, likes to bitch about the USA, but wants to be us.
YCKTR
It tells me that NYC’s budget was much more robust, and that heritage of pride understands that now more than ever our pride celebrations MUST have a political edge. Besides, Amanda IS fierce…but I sure as hell don’t want her as the mouthpiece for my rights.
!
Pat
…That the USA is actually, somehow, 20 years ahead of Australia in terms of Gay culture?
jason
The Australian gay scene is hopeless. It consists largely of a community that thinks camp is gay. This reflects a certain self-hate within the Australian gay community.
The problem is that Australia doesn’t really have many ordinary-looking gay men and women. Australian gay men and women think they have to camp it up in order to endear themselves to the local homophobes, and thus prevent being bashed.
It’s a totally sad country.
jason
I can’t think of one Australian gay activist worthy of leading any gay parade. They don’t have activism there. New South Wales has basically no activism at all.
kevinvancouver
DADT DOMA yeah USA! USA! USA! I wouldn’t be so quick to bash another nation.. I think your Republican party/GOP and that endearing Sarah Palin are sooooooooooo camp…
I seriously wish a better life for my gay american brothers and sisters…
Andrew
Jason – google Justice Kirby – then you may wish to rethink your position on Australia
sam
omg at the aussie bashing lol
you clearly don’t know what it’s like here. THere is no demand for camp, nor for queens. it just so happens we have a lot of them. And is that such a bad thing? Perhaps we’re just so much less firghtened of being ourselves than a bunch of trapped homos in some redneck states?
Last year the mardi gras had the first gay gold medallist. This year they went for a pseudo-celebrity…so what?
Any pride parade should at heart be a celebration of our freedom to be who we are and party like hell.
There will be plenty of political thigns coming otu of mardi gras, and i can’t wait to see it all 🙂 it’s gonna be my first
Pat
See, I have to object to this last comment. My lack of camp is not about denying my “inner self”. I’m sick and tired of oppressive snarks like that coming from queens, leathermen, circuit boyz, construction workers, cowboys and indians. Leave us Non-freak Caulksuckers alone.
Matthew
Australian soldiers have served openly in the military since the 1970’s so I guess thats one example Fitz of where we dont want to be like the US – how’s DADT treating you.
As for Jason – Justice Micheal Kirby, Penny Wong ( climate change minister ) Bob Brown (leader of the Greens party), Karen Phelps ( AMA ). I love the USA but I am confused why some feel the hate for us?
sam
@Pat: i wasn’t intending to make u feel like that’s what i meant. i was merely referring to the apparent “Excess” of queens here. Which I haven’t noticed at all myself, but I was merely making a suggestion 😛 no offense like that was intended.
(tho to be fair, if you’re annoyed by queens saying that about you, we’re just as annoyed at people calling us detriments to the gay community because of our own innate qualities)
Australia just really doesn’t have the kind of figures America has 😛 who on earth are we supposed to put at the head of the parade who would be of any interest? Bob Brown? HA
DEREK WASHINGTON
Bomb Australia now!
Lighten up Bitches.
jason
Matthew,
The Australian military did not allow gays to serve openly until 1992, not the 1970’s. Get your facts right. In any case, the Australian military is still culturally homophobic.
Australia also has these terrible Labor governments who have failed to allow gay marriage or civil unions.
As for Sydney’s Mardi Gras, it’s tragic central.
simon
The Mardi Gras a celebration of freedom??? More like a celebration of “six packs obtained by skinny-assed white boys after working their butts off at the gym”. It’s a horrible parade of sad drug users and misguided hedonists, not to mention venereal disease dispensers.
Keep well away from it.
A now confused John from England
@simon: You’re a laugh a minute. Not. Easy their tiger.
Fitz
@simon: You have either never been to one, or your bitterness has totally clouded your vision. Very very sad.
Same Crap
@simon: Simon, your description, sadly, makes queerty commenters want to go the celebration, not stay away from it.
I pliss
I’m going and can’t wait! it’s going to be great naked fun!
Tony
@Matthew: Ah, Mardi Gras always brings out the bitchiness in us Sydney queers. Never fails. Jason, check out Matthew’s list, but ignore Penny Wong, who’s a lesbian front for a homophobic party, and go along to one of the frequent queer protests in Sydney and get to know some fellow activists. This Sunday 14th at Taylor Square for a start.
Michael
Some of the comments just prove how arrogant and ignorant Americans can be. Some of you are trying to put Australia down but are too clueless to realize it’s America which is so far behind on LGBT rights. I used to hang out with Amanda Lepore and she’s the nicest person in NYC and I can assure you whatever party she’s at is the most fun one going on so I can also assure you Australia’s parade is going to blow ours out of the water. It’s just sad some of the comments are just proving how reasonably hated America still is.
Scott
At least it isn’t like L.A. a few years ago with Paris and Kathy Hilton.