Australia's first gay and lesbian cultural centre and museum could be built in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood in coming months, according to local media reports.
Tom McFeely – owner of gay pub The Peel Hotel and former Liberal Party candidate for the state seat of Richmond – and several other local businesses have applied to Yarra Council to transform the former Congregational Church Hall in Peel St, which has stood empty for many years.
He says he cultural centre and museum would include art exhibits and an interactive museum with displays about the historic struggles of gay and lesbian people, as well as their victories that may otherwise be forgotten.
"There's a time and a place for pride marches but the gay community isn't all about bathers and leather G-strings," McFeely was quoted as saying in The Age newspaper.
"The new generation of young people seem to think the battle is over – all we need now is gay marriage – but it's only a few years ago that homosexuality was decriminalised and to this day there are still people in the outer suburbs, in country Victoria, who don't have it as easy as inner-city gays."
He added that he was spurred into action after meeting a young bar staff member who had been forced to move out of home and stop studying medicine because he came out to his parents.
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Australian gay history 1700's The first recorded execution for sodomy 1828-63 People found guilty of sodomy are executed 1899-1900 In the Australian Colonies, the ‘abominable crime of buggery’ is punished by a sentence of life imprisonment 1950's In 1951, the NSW (New South Wales) Crimes Act is amended to ensure that ‘buggery’ is a criminal act ‘with or without the consent of the person’ – removing legal loophole of consent 1969 It remains a crime for men to engage in homosexual sex in every state and territory in Australia 1970 In 1970 the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP) is formed 1971 CAMP organizes the first gay and lesbian demonstration in Australia outside the headquarters of the Liberal Party in Sydney 1972 The political activist association, Gay Liberation, is launched at Sydney University. Groups soon flourish on campuses around Australia 1975 The first National Homosexual conference is held at Melbourne University, and attracts around 60 delegates. Under Premier Don Dunstan’s Government, South Australia becomes the first Australian state to decriminalize homosexuality. Campaign, the longest running commercial gay magazine in Australia, is launched 1976 In ACT (Australian Capital Territory) homosexual law reform legislation is passed 1978 The largest gay rights march in Australia history is held, commemorating the 9th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Of the 2,000 odd demonstrators, 53 are arrested on charges of offensive behavior and resisting arrest Excerpted from www.gaytraveller.com.au |