World’s Biggest LGBTQIA+ Museum Opened By Australian PM Anthony Albanese… With Heartfelt Insights And Humour
In a moving and often light-hearted speech, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened Qtopia, the world’s biggest LGBTQIA+ museum, in Sydney today.
Addressing an audience of dignitaries and community leaders, he recalled that he has been marching in the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras since the 1980s, and that walking through Qtopia museum, which he described as “magnificent” brought memories of the ’78ers, who marched in the first Mardi Gras in 1978, and of Paul O’Grady, the first out gay politician [in New South Wales].
“It took enormous courage, at that time, to do what they did. The community has come so far… Qtopia commemorates the history of struggle in which champions, many of whom are here today, took risks, literally, with their own safety… in order to advocate for the right to be who they are, and for generations to come to be able to have a much safer way of engaging with the community.”
Albanese acknowledged the significance of the museum finding its home in the old Darlinghurst Police Station – a site of trauma for some because it was where LGBTQIA+ people were assaulted by police.
“A song that we sang at that early time in the 1980s,” recalled the Prime Minister, “to the tune of Edelweiss – and I won’t see a mass stampede by singing it for you here today – but it began, ‘Anal vice, it’s not nice, Darlinghurst cops will get you.’”
While this anecdote was greeted with laughter from the audience, it illustrated that New South Wales Police’s war on gays was well-known by the wider community at the time.
“When Young Labor first marched in Mardi Gras, we were told by Sussex Street [Labor Party headquarters] that we’d be punished for doing so because it was out of step with so-called mainstream political activity,” continued Albanese. “So, today, I pay tribute to the bravery of those people in the community who went out there and showed leadership, who gave practical, real examples, and celebrated who they were and suffered because of it.
“Social change doesn’t happen in a straight line, but it does happen. As a progressive, I believe that… when it does, the beneficiaries of that social change aren’t just from the community who are included, the society as a whole benefits. The great strength of this great nation is our diversity, and it must not just be tolerated but celebrated. That is what Qtopia is.”
Prime Minister Albanese also announced a 1.5-million-dollar contribution from the Federal Government and credited Labor MP for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek, for her advocacy on behalf of the museum.
The Prime Minster rounded out his speech, saying, “Mardi Gras is next Saturday; it’s always the first Saturday in March, so I thank all of you who will be marching to celebrate inclusion but also, it happens to be my birthday! I’ll see you there.”
Discover more on Qtopia, here.
