Glitz, glamour, and a whole lot of glitter will be coming to town when Leeton holds its first ever Mardi Gras in 2020.
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On Tuesday the Leeton Rainbow Pride Collective pulled together a colourful committee to help organise the event, which is currently planned for September next year.
The event is the brainchild of Denise McGrath, who said there was huge demand for a Leeton Mardi Gras.
"Nobody can throw parties like rainbow people, but it's not just about that," Ms McGrath said.
For her it's also a chance to celebrate the leaps and bounds made towards social acceptance of the rainbow community.
She's seen a great deal of social progress throughout her 66 years of living; she remembers a time when her friends were being beaten and persecuted openly in the streets.
She is a lesbian herself, and she had many gay and lesbian friends who suffered at the hands of police, colleagues, and family members who refused to accept their sexuality.
She took a stand against the discrimination by joining CAMP, the Campaign Against Moral Persecution, and taking part in the first ever Mardi Gras in 1978.
"We've come a long way since then," she said.
Since then Mardi Gras events in places such as Wagga Wagga and Hay have continued to grow bigger, better, and more fabulous with each passing year.
They always bring in large crowds and generate a great deal of excitement in the community, which is something she believes Leeton desperately needs.
She said there's long been an unmet demand for LBGT services in Leeton, which is why she formed the Leeton Rainbow Pride Collective in May.
Since then the group has rapidly gained a colorful cast of members who have ambitious plans to make Leeton a more inclusive place.
The group are currently setting up a a support group for LGBTQIA people as well as their families and friends.
On June 19 the collective will meet the NSW Mental Health commissioner and deputy comissioner at the Leeton Soldier's Club at 11am.
The collective's calendar has been steadily getting fuller and fuller, and the committee will soon be getting a whole lot busier once preparation for the 2020 Mardi Gras gets underway.
"It's just been taking off," Ms McGrath said.
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
