45 years - Sapphire Anniversary

It's late Saturday night and this evening, I attended the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Sapphire Anniversary Celebration.

Obtaining tickets meant being successful first in a ballot, then booking them when released.

The dress code was outfits worn in previous Parades, Fair Days or certain other Mardi Gras Festival events.

All my Parade costumes were designed for warmer weather, since February/March is Summer/Autumn, when the Festival is on.

In the end, I went in regular clothes and wore a face mask used in this year's Parade.

I also had pink, yellow and blue glowsticks on my handbag.

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The event ended up being boring so I went early, plus there was nowhere to sit and I was in pain.

There were some old costumes and props from previous Parades of many years ago on display and historical posters, going back decades to the first Parades, which were a protest.

Today is the 45th Anniversary of SGLMG.

24 June 1978 was the first protest march which became the Parades of today.

Back then, those marching were arrested and their personal details published in a major newspaper.

Look at how far we've come in 45 years but with still a long way to go.