今日吃瓜

In the lead up to World Pride 2023 there is a renewed effort to set up a permanent pride museum in Sydney. And it鈥檚 already gaining momentum.聽Former High Court justice , a patron of the Victorian Pride Centre, has written a letter to a number of prominent members of the LGBTQI+ community in Sydney, as well as allies, to make them aware of the new museum proposal.

He said while the already contains 鈥渁n archive of records which substantially deal with the history and personal stories of the hostility towards LGBTIQ persons in Victoria,鈥� there is no NSW equivalent in Sydney.

鈥淣or is there a suitable venue for the public display of records, interviews and memorabilia of leaders and participants in the LGBTIQ community over the past century and more,鈥� Michael Kirby added.

He said a preliminary committee for the museum has already been established and it is being organised by notable HIV/AIDs activist, David Polson. He has already been in touch with a number of potential supporters including ABC chair, Ita Buttrose, who has agreed to be involved.

Education and reflection

World Pride 2023 will see people from around the world descend upon Sydney in celebration of the LGBTQI+ community. For the influx of tourists, there are already many vibrant and fun queer spaces across Sydney to enjoy.

But the yet-to-be-named museum, provisionally titled the 鈥淣ational Queer Museum,鈥� would have a serious tone.

It would be a space to document the history of oppression against the LGBTQI+ community and celebrate wins such as equal age of consent laws, expungement of historical homosexual convictions, same sex adoption and marriage equality.

City of Sydney councillor, Dr. Kerryn Phelps, told the Star Observer the space would be an important educational tool as 鈥渢he first step in learning from history is to record it.鈥�

鈥淲e have to hear and preserve first person reports of the struggle for recognition and equality so that future generations understand how important it is not to take freedoms for granted,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e have to record our own history because the role of the LGBTQI community is mostly invisible in the chronicling of mainstream history.鈥�

In his vision for the center, Michael Kirby said it should be a space for reflection akin to the Sydney Jewish Museum and include sections to do with colonialism, the first Mardi Gras and the HIV epidemic. There would also be sections celebrating notable LGBTQI+ Australians.

鈥淎s this idea develops, I hope that it will have unanimous support, expressed in various ways,鈥� he wrote in the letter.

鈥淚t will be vital that the years of oppression of sexual minorities and the gradual liberation from oppression are faithfully and vividly recorded, for the benefit of future generations.鈥�

Failed attempts

This isn鈥檛 the first time there has been a push for a pride museum to be established in Sydney.

Previous attempts to get the idea off the ground have faced a number of obstacles including finding a suitable location and uniting the community behind a concept. Money is also an issue, with the project needing both startup funds and ongoing funding.

Most recently in 2016, Labor councillor Linda Scott pushed for the rundown T2 nightclub building at Taylor Square to be transformed into an LGBTQI+ museum. The idea for the building to be transformed into a pride museum was first put forward by independent councillor Angela Vithoulkas and had the backing of other councillors including Christine Forster of the Liberals.

In 2014, Ms. Scott put a motion to council to begin storing and documenting artefacts of Sydney鈥檚 LGBTQI+ community. The motion passed, laying the groundwork for a museum. But, the idea to transform the T2 was knocked back by a majority vote, with Lord Mayor Clover Moore and her allies favouring a proposal for a bicycle hub in the building.

Eventually the bicycle hub plans were scrapped and the .

Asked how this attempt would be different from the ones before it, and whether there was more backing this time around, Dr. Phelps said it鈥檚 still 鈥渆arly days,鈥� but there is 鈥渃onsistent interest鈥� in the project.

鈥淚 am sure these challenges will be front of mind for the steering committee as they get this latest attempt off the ground,鈥� she said.

Lord Mayor on board

Despite knocking back previous incarnations of the project, Clover Moore told the Star Observer she is committed to the renewed museum push.

鈥淚n 2014, Council resolved to support the LGBTIQ community if there was a viable proposal for a permanent museum, noting that such a facility could only be established and sustained with strong community, state and federal government financial support,鈥� she explained.

鈥淭o this point there hasn鈥檛 been a proposal that accounts for the resources, volunteer commitment and business plan needed to ensure such a project is viable.鈥�

鈥淏ut I believe the people involved now, with their long histories as members or allies of the LGBTIQ community and deep commitment, might be just the group to achieve this.鈥�

Ms. Moore said a Pride Museum would be 鈥渁 welcome addition to Sydney鈥檚 cultural infrastructure鈥� and said while the City is 鈥渘ot in the business of establishing and running museums鈥� themselves, they welcomed ideas from the community.

She confirmed she had received the letter from Mr. Michael Kirby, and a policy officer from her team has been in touch with the chair of the museum committee to schedule a meeting.

鈥淚t is encouraging to see committed members of the community interested in establishing a Queer Museum or Pride Centre in Sydney. With WorldPride taking place here in 2023, it鈥檚 a great time to get such an initiative off the ground,鈥� Ms. Moore said.

Before any concrete plans can be laid out for the museum a suitable location must be identified. Dr. Phelps said a government or council owned site, preferably close to Oxford street, would be most suitable.

鈥淪ydney is the epicentre of the LGBTQI+ community in Australia and a Pride Museum would be an important statement of the integral role the LGBTQI+ community has played and continues to play in the life of the city,鈥� she said.