The staging of a gay and lesbian parade was again rejected by Bunbury City Council this week.  Last week, Cr Wayne Majors sought Council support to investigate the feasibility of staging a parade in Western Australia's second largest city, but failed to find a seconder for his motion.  At that meeting, the gallery was packed full of local Church group representatives, who presented petitions to Council opposing the event.  Local church groups were well represented again this week and Majors again failed to find a seconder for his motion.

Cr Majors has shown great courage to stand up and push for a major gay and lesbian event to be staged in Bunbury and the response of local church groups and his fellow Councillors reveals that there may be a need for such activism to build acceptance of openly gay and lesbian lifestyles among community leaders.  That said, a parade or any other gay and lesbian event or service will only get off the ground in Bunbury or any other regional centre if there are local gay and lesbian people willing to get together, identify the events and services they want and then work together to make them happen.  If there are people in Bunbury who want to work together in this way, then they will have a great ally on Council in Wayne Majors.  The current debate has created a great opportunity to get something off the ground in Bunbury - even if it isn't a parade.

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Comments (3)

• |02:57 26-11-2009 Sally
  Petitions and more gay and lesbian unity is need in the bunbury region with possible influx of Perth's gay sector holding particular events within the town to become visible to the locals , dissolve the fear as best can be expected, also parents of gay and lesbian children, their comments in the local paper are powerful.
  
  Psychologist in favour of equality - reports.
  Financial boost to the economy is always a winner, what willthe pride fair in parade in Bunbury do for the local businesses - profit margins are necessary.
  
  Ok give it your best shot - however more visibility will be necessary even if this is to stage as i have mentioned various avents in the region to draw attention and acceptance/ some hostility - it seems to get this event staged in Bunbury will mean a few battles and some tears.
  Sincerely
  Sally
  
  The key is democracy and the rights that come with it.
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• |08:51 26-11-2009 Jason Dare  - With love from NYC Bunbury!
  Wow, wow, wow!.
  
  I stumbled across this article through an email from Gay in WA.
  
  For goodness sake, what the f*** is going on in WA? I'm a WA boy living in New York city and am very very proud of Perth and WA...up until now.
  
  I promote this city Perth-this state-WA, as being the most educated, most advanced loving people in the world. How is it so bloody homophobic still? I am now really embarrassed to even think I have been telling people from all around the world how amazing Perth and WA is.
  
  We love, we share, we have all. Wake up WA, and go down to Bunbury and protest for goodness sake, just to save face on our own PRIDE!
  
  Bunbury is a good town, Look after it OK! Please. x
  
  Jase
  
  NYC
  
  
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• |02:58 26-11-2009 Jamie  - Bunbury and Perth - not to far apart
  It was only a few years back that the Lord Mayor of Perth was opposed to the Parade and the City of Perth used a range of underhanded tactics to undermine its viability. Is the most recent position taken by Bunbury that different from the historical opposition of the City of Perth? Well done Bunbury for at least taking the issue to the Council floor. Progress is made in small steps.
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• |03:19 26-11-2009 Daniel Smith
  So true, Jamie. I remember back to the early part of this decade, and the only supporters Pride had on the City of Perth were the late Bert Tudori and the late Vincent Tan. The Nattrass faction reigned supreme. Not long after the arrival of Lisa Scaffidi on Council, Nattrass lost his majority on Council, with Bert and Lisa then organising support among other Councillors for a large funding increase for Pride. With Nattrass' retirement, Lisa became Lord Mayor and we have a very gay friendly public face for the Council. Babysteps can get you there.
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• |23:34 26-11-2009 Roz McHale
  'Babysteps', absolutely spot-on - take it slow and easy. And yes, Well done Bunbury for putting the issue out there, at least it will generate some debate and that's the first step.
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• |18:59 18-02-2010 tony  - MONOPOLY..
  If Bunbury is to be controlled by religious groups, we should do our best to ensure that not any one particular religion acts as a dominating monopoly over any other..
  A few more Anglican, might be helpful in this instance, with thier open, understanding, forgiving nature - who appreciate all, and most everything..
  I never realized quite how provincial Bunbury was on such items, - it really sounds like another temptation needs to be demystified
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