It was on a trip to Victoria that Gympie local Emily Smith realised how much her Queensland region needed its own Pride Festival.
During a work trip interstate, the 17-year-old went to two regional Victorian Pride events located just half an hour apart.
The experience at both events was a revelation for her, and she felt like she had finally found her people.
Back home in Gympie, an hour north of the Sunshine Coast, Emily wants the entire LGBTQIA+ community to feel that same way.
She and a dedicated team of others got to work organising Gympie’s first Pride celebrations all this month.
Emily explained homophobic harassment is sadly a problem for some queer folks in Gympie, particularly young people who struggle to come out.
“The queer youth [feel] they have to suppress themselves out of fear of being harassed, bullied or assaulted,” she said.
“Just today one of the Gympie Pride team members said someone made really horrible comments to him in his workplace, after seeing one of our flyers.”
An April drag event featuring performer Lulu LeMans for Gympie’s Youth Week also attracted small protests and online abuse. But the show received a flood of praise and excitement from young people in Gympie.
Now throughout June, the Gympie Pride group have put on events, with a one-day festival event happening this weekend.
“We’ve already had a few events since the start of the month,” she said.
“We had a comedy night and every week we’ve had flash mob classes for a flash mob performance we’re doing.”
Last week, Emily saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert for the first time at a special Pride screening.
“Watching it with the group was the best way to see Priscilla for the first time,” she said.
12 hours of Pride this Saturday in Gympie
On Saturday (June 24), the Illuminate: Glow with Pride Festival is at Gympie’s Australian Institute of Country Music building.
The folks at Gympie Pride and arts collective Space Girls are putting together a 12-hour program of events. From 10am to 10pm there’s all ages dance, creative workshops, music and fashion events hosted by arts producer Cindy Vogels before an 18+ comedy gala hosted by comedian Anna Brennan in the evening.
The festival will also offer a free family lunch and chillout zone provided by Headspace Gympie.
“It’s going to be an incredible day,” Emily said.
“Then on June 30, we’re also planning a Pride dance party to end the month.”
Emily said the Gympie Pride and Space GirlS want to make the Pride Month celebration an annual event in Gympie.
“We want to put on events and create environments where everybody can feel safe and be themselves and feel supported,” she said.
The Illuminate: Glow with Pride festival is presented by Space Girls and Gympie Pride Festival on Saturday (June 24) at the Australian Institute of Country Music on Channon Street. Follow and keep up to date with Gympie Pride Festival on Facebook here and Space Girls here.
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