The Greek and Gay Support Network invites the Greek community to participate in the 2018 Pride March, one of the key events of the annual Midsumma festival. As expected, this year’s march will have a particularly celebratory tone, coming after marriage equality becoming law in Australia. The Greek and Gay Support Network has for many years advocated for this change and has been active in supporting members and their families during the recent survey. “By way of celebration of these achievements we would like to invite leaders within the Greek community as well as Greek leaders in other segments of the broader Victorian community to march with us in 2018,” reads a statement issued by the organisation. “We believe that this gesture will further enhance and cement the involvement of GLBTI Greeks within the broader Greek community and improve relationships within Greek families.”
The Greek and Gay Support Network began in 1995 and for the last 22 years has provided support and social services to GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex) individuals from a Greek background, providing support meetings, hosting Greek events and participating in Midsumma Carnival and Pride March. “In the early years we fought for acceptance within the broader GLBTI community in Melbourne and worked with other services and multicultural groups to support our members.” reads the statement. “Today we are a well-known and well-respected organisation within the GLBTI community following the assistance we have given to over 10,000 individuals and their families.
“The last 12-18 months has seen our organisation open a dialogue with the Greek community in Melbourne. In 2017 we partnered with PRONIA in delivering a first for the Greek Community; ‘Diversity in Greek Families – Let’s Start the Conversation’. This project opened discussions within the broader Greek community that many wanted to keep ‘in the closet’. This project will continue into 2018 and will continue to be supported by the Greek and Gay Support Network. The end of this year has also seen Australia adopt marriage equality following many years of campaigning by the GLBTI community and their supporters.”
The theme for the Greek and Gay Network’s participation in the 2018 Pride March will be και στα δικα μας.
The Midsumma Pride March is on Sunday 28 January 2018 from 2.00 pm onwards on Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. For more info go to midsumma.org.au/program/pride18