Flying the flag with Pride at Melbourne’s Midsumma March

On Sunday, 2 February, more than 7000 people, including a lively contingent of Monash community members, celebrated the LGBTIQA+ community, taking on the 38°C heat to march in the 30th annual Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda, waving to thousands of spectators who lined the streets and balconies of Fitzroy Street.

​​This year’s march commenced with roaring engines from the Dykes on Bikes, Rainbow Riders Victoria, and Melbourne Motorcycle Tourers. The marchers were led by Midsumma's Indigenous pride float.

Other groups involved included the Labor Party, the Liberal Party, the Greens, queer organisations Minus18 and JOYFM, and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, sports clubs, health services, schools, universities, and businesses.

A Pride Open Road: Listen to a special mid-season documentary of the award-winning podcast What Happens Next? hosted by Dr Susan Carland.

In Monash’s 10th year of involvement at the Midsumma Pride March, our group consisted of more than 200 students, staff, alumni, family and friends from Monash University and Monash College, supported by a brass band that provided the perfect soundtrack – Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, and Britney Spears.

We proudly wore matching T-shirts featuring a rainbow “M” to represent the diversity of the LGBTIQA+ community at Monash.

Our pride logo is inspired by the Intersex-Inclusive update to the Progress Pride Flag, which was designed by Valentino Vecchietti. We fly this flag at each of our Australian campuses during Pride Week in May, coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT).

Protest and celebration

Marching along Fitzroy Street, I noticed someone in the crowd wearing a shirt that read “Pride is a protest”, and I took a moment to reflect on the history of the Pride movement.

Pride is part memorial, part protest, and part celebration. It’s often traced back to the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots in New York City, where thousands of LGBTIQA+ individuals fought back against police brutality and oppression.

This act of defiance marked a turning point in the fight for LGBTIQA+ rights. A year later, in June 1970, the first Pride marches were held in cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.

In Australia, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which began in 1978, is a key milestone in the history of Pride. It also started as a protest, but the original organisers also wanted the event to be a vibrant celebration, blending elements of remembrance, activism, and joy.

Melbourne’s first Pride march, which was held in 1996, was similarly conceived as an outdoor, public celebration of the LGBTIQA+ community, with a march through St Kilda followed by a takeover of Luna Park.

Why we need Pride

Pride is about celebration, but also about fighting for visibility, justice, and equality. It’s a reminder that the struggle for LGBTIQA+ rights is ongoing; acknowledging how far we've come, while also recognising how much more work lies ahead. And there’s a lot to do.

Last month, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to recognise only two genders. Journalists have reported that references to LGBT have been removed from US federal websites, including public health agencies. This has already begun having a profound impact on intersex, trans, non-binary and gender-diverse communities in the US and internationally.

In Australia, the Queensland government recently paused access to gender-affirming care including puberty blockers and hormone therapies for new patients under 18, echoing similar bans in the UK. Shortly after, the federal Minister for Health, Mark Butler, announced a federal review into gender-affirming care for trans and gender-diverse children.

Closer to home, the threat of homophobic and transphobic violence lingers after a spate of anti-LGBTIQA+ protests in 2023 that targeted Pride events and performances, forcing the cancellation of many important community gatherings.

Responding to these events, the Justice Legislation Amendment (Anti-vilification and Social Cohesion) Bill 2024 was introduced to the Victorian parliament last November. This is intended to broaden existing anti-vilification legislation to include disability, gender identity, sex, and sexual orientation.

Marching with Monash

While I often cheer from the sidelines, being part of the Monash group was a proud moment. Over the years, I have met many students who come from places where LGBTIQA+ people are not visible, are actively marginalised, or socially excluded.

I know first-hand what that feels like. Growing up in a rural community, it wasn’t until I started university that I felt I could embrace my authentic self. I still remember the thrill of seeing a rainbow flag in the Campus Centre when I visited Monash Open Day as an aspiring student.

At the end of the march, I thought about how Pride is so important – to march along the route where others have marched before us, reflecting, showing solidarity, and celebrating the resilience and resistance of the LGBTIQA+ community.