AUSTRALIA: Glitz and glamour at Australia's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

Thousands of people lined Sydney's streets to watch the parade - and party - of the year on Saturday (March 3), the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Crowds whistled and cheered on the parade, an explosion of music, dance, sequins and glitter. The parade, the biggest of its kind in Australia, included 7,500 participants with hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the 1.6-km (mile-long) route. The paraders danced, marched, and sang their way down Oxford street - which lies at the heart of the gay community in Sydney. Politics is never far from the surface of the parade, with the main message being tolerance and acceptance of gay and lesbian people in the wider community. Australian Prime Minister John Howard was a perennial target, as he has also been in past parades. U.S. president George W. Bush was also a target of the parade, and a giant float depicting Bush kissing Howard brought the two leaders together. The issue of the environment took centre stage at this year's parade, with a message to Australians that they must take action to protect a threatened environment. The issue of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility was also featured. A wide variety of community groups are represented in the parade, including the police, fire brigade and church groups. A huge float was dedicated to singer Kylie Minogue, who is a popular icon amongst the gay community also made its way through the city's streets. Actor Rupert Everett and entertainer Boy George were also playing prominent roles in the parade to help promote the gay community. Although Australia decriminalised homosexuality in 1984, federal law does not recognise same-sex marriage.

ITN Source | March 3, 2007

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