Living Out Loud: A History of Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia

From law reform to the Lesbian Sex Wars, from Young Gays to Grey Gays, via demos, drag and dancing, for 40 years, Australian lesbians, gay men and their friends have struggled to change the way homosexuals are treated and thought about in Australian society. And they have been remarkably successful. Laws dating back to the times of King Henry VIII, once enforced with the lash and the noose and endorsed by the mass of "right-thinking" citizens, have been repealed in all states and territories. After the breakthrough in South Australia in 1972, efforts to remove unjust laws only ended with the victory in Tasmania 25 years later. But even before that was achieved, demands for full legal equality had moved onto the public agenda and seem now to be within grasp. The medical profession has abandoned its support for electro-shock therapies to "cure" homosexuality; among the churches, clergy who hold age-old attitudes of condemnation are widely dismissed, even by their own, as cruel and out of touch. Trade unions routinely defend their gay and lesbian members' rights and lifestyle. The points of view of homosexual men and women are now part of mainstream media. In transforming society, lesbians and gay men have also transformed themselves, with the old attitudes of fear and self-loathing gone. Gay Pride is now a powerful force in the lives of millions. The communities that have been forged along the way are a significant part of Australia's rich multicultural mix - and major players in the economy. This book is a full-length account of this movement from a national perspective. It is the story of the people who changed a society.