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Sydney's Mardi Gras

These pictures speak for themselves so there is not much I can add to make the more interesting.

The Mardi Gras parade is at night but people start lining up the streets as early as noon. It was about 4 o'clock when I took this picture looking south on the corner of Oxford and Flinders Streets.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

This is looking north on the same street corner (i.e., looking across Oxford Street).

The spectator's behavior was a show in itself!


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

The pastor of the church on the corner of Flinders and Albion streets must have had an open mind. He organized a band to entertain the waiting crowd and offered coffee and doughnuts to those who entered his church.

There was such a huge crowd that I'm sure only a small minority could have been gay. Generally it does not show but there are some obvious exceptions like the two examples below.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

The parade started at 8 o'clock at night with several groups making fun of the Catholic and Anglican Churches. Perhaps it was to exorcise the powerful sexual taboos promulgated by these organizations.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

It was probably meant to shock but it drew a lot more laughter from the audience that I would have expected. Such a strong statement would never have been possible in the United States where the constitutional separation of the state and the churches is more theoretical than actual.

I wonder what would have happened if they had dared to lampoon the sexual taboos and sexist practices promulgated by the Muslim religion!


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

It lasted almost three hours and there was a bit of everything. There were even devils and angels on stilts!


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Of course a number of a overdressed drag queens like these two didn't miss the occasion to show their finery.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

There were plenty of the underdressed variety as well.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

How would you call this one? A "drag king"?


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

The floats and groups were sponsored by a wide variety of gay and lesbian organisations representing nationalities, professions, sports, sexual preferences and geographic origin.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Here goes the Brazilian group.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

This scene shows how sadomasochism and domination turns on the leather pride group.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

There were many groups I could not identify but it was entertaining to watch them anyway.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Some themes were quite obvious like Harry Potter's flying broomstick.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Red and white fish, flowers and dark blue armbands! Can you decipher the message?


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Clearly, the overall message was that everyone was having a good time.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

The good ship lollipop was followed by a large number of men and women wearing sailors caps.


 

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Sydney's Mardi Gras

Here also, gays and lesbians mingled to form this enthusiastic group of cheerleaders.

It was almost 11 when the parade ended. I walked back to my a hostel and all the bars I dropped into on the way, were full of happy people. I admit that I can't remember what time it was when I got to bed.

After resting a couple of days, I flew to Noumea.


 

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