ALLY SHIP IN ACTION

SUPPORT THE LGBTIQ+ COMMUNITY IN THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE

From the initial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1975 to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2017, the LGBTIQ+ community has had their share of hard-won rights.

All The Queens Men co-artistic director Tristan Meecham explains much of this progression is thanks to the advocacy community elders have put in.

"This is a group of people who have had to live through pretty tough times to get where they are, and also to fight for our communities to be where they are," Tristan says.

It's this acknowledgement that Tristan says is the driving force behind The Coming Back Out Salon – a one-day event on this month celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and intersex elders through performance.

“Though The Coming Back Out Salon prioritises older people’s experiences, the joy of it is having younger and older and allies from all communities come together in honouring the journey that older people have made,” Tristan says.

Among events like The Coming Back Out Salon, being an ally is one of the most powerful support tools for the LGBTIQ+ community.

“In Australia, we want to try and pride ourselves on being a tolerant progressive country and allyship is about supporting those that don’t feel as confident to support their own lived experience.”