2025 Winter Edition Newsletter — PRIDE HISTORY GROUP

This newsletter was written and produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora Nation. We are deeply grateful to those who have preserved the rich history of Aboriginal custodianship of these lands.

Pride Month has seen many fabulous events celebrating LGBTIQ+ History. But there’s always more to do to record and celebrate our lives and achievements. Pride History Group’s next general meeting will be online on Monday 21 July at 6.30pm. We meet online on the third Monday of each month.

Ida Leeson recognised with a Blue Plaque

The unveiling of Ida Leeson’s Blue Plaque. Jo Haylen, Alex Greenwich, Dr Caroline Butler-Bowden (State Librarian), PHG members Teresa Savage, Sam Cooling and Stephen Neill.

Last year Pride History Group made a submission to Heritage NSW to establish a Blue Plaque for Ida Leeson. Our submission was successful, and the plaque was recently installed on the front steps of the Mitchell Library. Alex Greenwich MP, Member for Sydney, and Jo Haylen MP officially unveiled the plaque.

Ida Leeson was a trailblazing feminist librarian, an accomplished academic, researcher and collector. For fifty years she lived openly with her partner Florence Birch in a lesbian relationship at a time when that was rare, and when they were not legally protected in ways that we are today. We are hoping that Ida’s Blue Plaque will be visited often, including in queer history walks. It serves as a celebration of a remarkable woman and a constant reminder of our existence through history.

This round of Blue Plaques celebrates a number of LGBTIQ people, including Ida Leeson, Malcolm Cole, Bobby Goldsmith and Peter Allen.

More information about the Blue Plaques program at https://blueplaques.nsw.gov.au

The Pride History Great Debate

On Tuesday 10th June we held our Pride History Debate in partnership with Qtopia. The subject of the debate was that “LGBTIQA+ history will always be a niche subject.” Speaking for the motion were Garry Wotherspoon, Jen Peden and Professor Jioji Ravulo. Speaking against were Dr Shirleene Robinson, George Savoulis and Sam Cooling. The motion was resoundingly defeated by popular vote.

Constructing their arguments the speakers referred to a range of materials, which you may like to follow up:

Garry Wotherspoon. Story of Captain Moonlite reflects NSW's queer history, historian says

Jen Peden. The History of the Flying Bats Football Club

Professor Jioji Ravulo. A liberating vision of identity that transcends labels and Queerness as a source of resilience for Pacific LGBTIQ+ community

Dr Shirleene Robinson. Eugenia Fallini/Harry Crawford

George Savoulis. Qtopia Sydney History

Sam Cooling. George Bass letter received from Matthew Flinders, 15 February 1800

The debaters: Dr Shirleene Robinson, Sam Cooling, George Souvalis, Garry Wotherspoon, Jen Peden and Professor Jioji Ravulo. Moderator, Teresa Savage.

In brief

On 8th May several members of Pride History Group met with photographers from City of Sydney at our office space in Glebe. The meeting space has been made possible over many years through the support of the City, and is a place where volunteers have gathered to research, organise and record oral histories since the group formed back in 2004. We now have a current photographic record of the place.
On 12th June we joined Inner West Council at the Pride Centre in Newtown to unveil an honour role naming community members who worked for the establishment of the centre. A number of Pride History Group members are honoured on the role, including Robert French, Sarah Midgley, Russ Gluyas, Peter de Waal and Teresa Savage.
On 22nd June Pride History Group was pleased to be part of free Pride Film Screenings and Market at Leichhardt Town Hall. This was a partnership between Queerscreen and Inner West Council. It was great to catch up with old friends, and make some new ones.

You can find more information about all these events on our Facebook page.

Heritage Strategy - An opportunity to have our say

Pride History Group has made a submission in response to the draft NSW Heritage Strategy, which was released for public comment by the Honourable Penny Sharpe, NSW Minister for Heritage. When published, this will be the first official Heritage Strategy for NSW. It will offer significant opportunities for the recognition, celebration and conservation of places and events which have shaped our LGBTIQ history.

The draft Strategy aims to set a direction for the protection of state-significant heritage under the vision statement "Heritage is valued as an integral part of the culture and wellbeing of our communities and our sense of place". One of the objectives of the draft Strategy is to "Embrace and reflect the diversity of our heritage". This includes recognition that Aboriginal heritage is the foundation of all heritage in NSW. The draft Strategy also stresses the need for greater engagement with diverse and marginalised groups.

The draft Strategy broadens the definition of heritage value to include what is important to diverse communities, such as intangible heritage - cultural practices, sense of identity and the like. It cites the listing of the Mardi Gras Parade Route as recognition of the importance of the cultural practice of the Parade to LGBTQA+ people, the impact it has had on the history of NSW and the advancement of human rights which has come about through protest. The Strategy recognises that heritage has a role to play in the identity, wellbeing and sense of belonging of people in NSW and that what we value as heritage in NSW needs to reflect what is important to diverse communities. This includes challenging entrenched attitudes and amending foundational principles of the NSW heritage framework, making it more consistent with current thinking about the roles and representations of Indigenous, migrant, queer and other marginalised communities in mainstream society.

The official comment period is now closed, but you can send your feedback to heritage.policy2@environment.nsw.gov.au

Some of the early results of public feedback are available here https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/nsw-heritage-strategy

Hunter Rainbow History News

MacKillop House Archives

Hunter Rainbow History (HRH) continues to describe the Wez Saunders collection of photographs taken at MacKillop House by staff there in the 1990s. MacKillop House was established in 1989 by a number of feisty Sisters of St Joseph Lochinvar. It was in response to discrimination and attacks on people living with HIV and AIDS in the Hunter and rural NSW. When people were having treatment at the local hospital, the house, previously a convent, became casual accommodation for them and their families. Over 2,000 photos were taken in the 1990s of visitors, families, staff and guests (ie. PLWHA). The collection is a record of birthdays, fundraising parties, days at the races etc, and a reminder of the friendships and good times at the House.

HRH is responsible for the process of digitisation. Guided by the HIV/AIDS community in Newcastle, photos are screened for privacy issues, so that photos of PLWHA and their families will be embargoed. Visit: https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/pages/hunterrainbow

Pipers Nitespot

The Pipers Nitespot was a local LGBT landmark in Newcastle in the 1980s and early 90s. HRH is collecting photos and oral histories to add to its web pages. Hopefully there will be enough material to produce a modest booklet or a digital publication.

Star Hotel’s 100th anniversary

The Star Hotel was extended from Hunter to King Street, Newcastle, in 1925. The extension allowed for a “gay” middle bar and musicians back bar when required in the 1970s. To mark the anniversary, the manager of Bernies Bar has received a grant to erect a history marker on the street. One side will feature the 1970s LGBT/drag bar and the other the “straight” history including the 1979 riot.

Star Hotel (King Street Building) is being considered for placement on the State Heritage Register. Anyone can make a written submission regarding the proposed listing at: https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/star-hotel-newcastle

If you want to know more or can help us, email John Witte at jw659347@hotmail.com

Sharing our history across the generations

Pride History Group member Jesse Hooley recently appeared in an episode of the ABC series, Ok Boomer, Ok Zoomer. The idea of the series is that two LGBTQ+ folks - one older and one younger - compare the challenges and triumphs of growing up queer in different generations, while sharing in the moments that made them who they are. Jesse chatted with Western Sydney musician Flynn Sant about the history of trans activism, trans visibility and how queer life has changed over time. Read more at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-13/ok-boomer-ok-zoomer-transjess-hooley/105037476

News from our LGBTIQ history friends

First Mardi Gras

First Mardi Gras (FMG) is a not for profit, incorporated community association for 78ers. Their 2024 Annual Report is available here https://www.78ers.org.au/s/FMGI-Mardi-Gras-Annual-Report-2024.pdf

Australian Queer Archives (AQUA)

The Australian Queer Archives (AQuA) are collecting 2025 Federal Election Ephemera. If you have material related to LGBTIQ+ candidates and issues from the election on 3rd May 2025, please send it to PO Box 2124, St Kilda West VIC 3182. More info at AQUA

Qtopia

After a very successful Pride Fest, our friends at Qtopia Sydney are busy staging a new set of performances and events. They are also currently consulting with the City of Sydney on the development of a new AIDS memorial for Green Park. To see their current exhibitions, activities and events go to https://qtopiasydney.com.au

International LGBTIQ+ Archives

The Lesbian Herstory Archives

Home to the world’s largest collection of materials by and about Lesbians and their communities, based in New York. See more at https://lesbianherstoryarchives.org

Centre D'Archives LGBTQI+ Paris Île-de-France

The LGBTQI+ Archive Centre in Paris has been collecting, processing, preserving and indexing oral histories and physical materials since the 1970s. Their website, in French, is at https://archiveslgbtqi.fr

Recommended Books

It Wasn’t Dutch Courage

In his biography ‘It wasn’t Dutch Courage‘ Peter de Waal describes rocking our culture at its foundations when he and his beloved, Peter (‘Bon”) Michael Bonsall-Boone shared a kiss on ABC TV. It was 1972, and this was the first TV broadcast of gay men kissing, on the ABC current affairs programme, Chequerboard. Peter and Bon appeared with Sue Wills and Gabby Antolovich. An immediate consequence of that broadcast was Bon’s dismissal from administrative staff at St Clement’s Anglican Church, Mosman: a deeply hurtful, costly rejection. A nascent gay activist group protested at the church.

While faith was important to Bon, Peter describes his own “depth of spiritual uncertainty.” Nevertheless, they found “deep comfort in each other, even as our beliefs diverged.” From the beginning of their relationship, in Melbourne in 1966, “Bon started to talk about … us as if we were a married couple.”

Settling in their Balmain house (named Chequerboard) Peter and Bon “started to name our oppression, the fear of violence, and our treatment by financial, legal, employment and community institutions… to demonise and exclude us…The normalcy of our lives highlighted the persecution we experienced.”

In 1971 Peter and Bon joined John Ware and friends to form the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP). Together in April 1973 they created and staffed Phone-a Friend, the pioneering gay self-help line, in Chequerboard’s front room.

Peter was involved in all 40 newsletter CAMP Ink issues from November 1970 to March 1977. The 1971 edition of Camp Ink again demonstrated the power of coming out. The photographs of Peter, Bon and 33 others are celebrated on the Merry Christmas cover.

Bon died in Balmain on 19th May 2017, just before he and Peter might have celebrated marriage equality: a symbol of everything bravely sought by them, with their unflinching view of respected, steadfast homosexual love.

Critical Care: nurses on the frontline of Australia’s AIDS crisis.

Geraldine Fela interviewed 30 nurses from across Australia to write this account of the extraordinary care, compassion and solidarity shown by nurses when HIV and AIDS devastated our communities. Negotiating homophobia, complex family relationships and health system failures, these nurses on the frontline of care worked so hard to ease suffering, support community and offer love.

She and her Pretty Friend: the hidden history of Australian women who love women

Danielle Scrimshaw explores women’s relationships through Australian history and colonisation, each chapter focussing on a specific person, couple, or time period. Scrimshaw states: “I’ve written (this book) because the historiography of queer Australia is lacking women’s stories, and it is exhausting to read the same words over and over again. Life-long friend. Companion. Partner in life. Romantic friends. “

New oral histories

Do you want to help?

Pride History members are always busy on a number of projects. Do you want to get involved?
We can always use some help to:

log oral history interviews
chase up permissions to publish interviews
work on one of our current history projects

Or do you have your own initiative you're wanting to work on? Get in contact!

And don't forget our website www.pridehistory.org.au

Thanks for reading

Thanks to everyone who helped put this newsletter together - John Witte, Emily Saunders, Stephen Neill, and Teresa Savage. Please let us know if you have any feedback about anything in this newsletter. We love to hear your views. Send your feedback to us here

Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends and networks.

We are always happy to take enquiries for new memberships. Become a member of Pride History Group and get involved today!
And don't forget that members are encouraged to come along to monthly meetings to find out what's going on, catch up with friends and get involved.
We meet online on the 3rd Monday of each month. We hope to see you soon.