A glimpse at young love nudged Jonathan Watcham to finally tell his family and friends the truth. Now he feels a sense of self-worth he couldn't imagine 30 years ago.
It was during a COVID lockdown. The Sydneysider had entered his 60s and was lonely."I saw these two gay guys coming down the stairs, young gay guys, holding hands," Mr Watcham said.Mr Watcham found that courage early last year and came out to his family and friends.
"I wrote a very long letter. It was a 15-page letter, the poor things that had to grind through," he said."Some family said, 'we kind of knew anyway'."Not only will Mr Watcham glitter up for his first Mardi Gras tonight, but he will also be marching in the parade. He has learned a punchy dance routine, which he will perform in light-up shoes, with his LGBT boxing club, the Sydney Hookers.
"I want to be standing next to them proudly, because they've supported me, welcomed me, affirmed me, been kind to me," Mr Watcham said."People have said to me, 'don't you wish you'd done this 30 years ago?' And I think the timing was right now.The parade returns to Oxford Street after two years at the SCG.
This year is the first that Mardi Gras will be held at its spiritual home of Oxford Street since 2020.when a few hundred people now known as the "78ers" took part in a parade which became a seminal moment in Australia's LGBT rights movementThe event's chief executive, Albert Kruger, said there would be 12,000 people and 208 floats in this year's parade, with hundreds of thousands expected to line the streets.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Everything you need to know about Sydney Mardi Gras and WorldPride opening concertSydney is gearing up for one of its biggest weekends in years as the international WorldPride event officially opens and Mardi Gras returns to its historic home.
Read more »
Sydney Mardi Gras 2023: Parade returns to Oxford Street | Weather forecast | Road closuresHundreds of thousands of people are expected to flock to Sydney’s annual Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, prompting a warning for drivers to expect delays as a number of major roads are shut off to traffic. 9News
Read more »
Sydney hits peak LGBTQ+ as Mardi Gras parade returns to Oxford StreetHundreds of thousands of people expected to line the parade’s famous route, which last ran along the street in 2020 due to Covid
Read more »
‘Mardi Gras is like my Christmas’: how Sydney’s LGBTQ+ community is marking PrideFrom ‘gay admin’ to ‘bookings, bookings, bookings’, the city’s celebration of queerdom is about diversity and joy
Read more »
These floats are going the extra mile, or hundreds, to be on the international stage this WorldPride Mardi GrasFrom the world stage to infinity and beyond. This regional Mardi Gras float has taken the Sydney WorldPride theme to the next level, and it's gearing up to spread the love this weekend.
Read more »
How one night of brutal violence forever changed Australia's LGBTQIA+ movementWhat began one night in June, 1978, with a large crowd of partygoers ended in fear, arrests and brutal violence. This is an immersive 3D retelling of Australia's first Mardi Gras.
Read more »