Community spotlight: Deeje Hancock, President of Brisbane Pride
Image: "At times there is nothing I love about Brisbane Pride. But these seem to precisely be the times when someone will say 'thank you', or 'you don鈥檛 know this but you saved my friend鈥檚 life'"
Each month we鈥檒l champion two amazing drag queens, DJs, or community heroes in the gay scene. This week: Deeje Hancock, President of Brisbane Pride.
* 聽* 聽*
What do you love about Australia’s LGBTI community?
What’s not to love – it鈥檚 an amazingly diverse, strong, resilient community that never gave up. Most of all I love our determination and ‘out there’ lack of subtlety throughout history.
What has been one of your highlights at Brisbane Pride?
From a community angle it would have to be an even split between last year鈥檚 march of 10,000 people and hosting Queen鈥檚 Ball, the oldest LGBTI event in the world.
On a personal level it has been having two fabulous women鈥攎y mother in law Bev and my aunty mum Judy鈥攂e a part of these events, it鈥檚 the most amazing experience ever.
What area do you need to focus on at the moment?
One is stigma. I believe stigma forms the basis of a lot of our community鈥檚 problems and costs so many lives. Drug abuse, depression, and mental illness exist and are very real problems within our community, but the stigma that surrounds them is something that makes it harder for people to reach out or seek help.
Internal stigma within our community is also a major problem. We cannot succeed if we continue to stigmatise members of our community who align themselves with a different subculture to ourselves.
Who do you see as an LGBTI hero in the community?
There are many heroes in our community and way too many that are no longer with us. If I had to name one it would be Mr Neil McLucas. I love and admire that 鈥楴ellie鈥� has never hidden himself or his sexuality.
He has always been outspoken, proud, and there to provide safe places for our community in one of the hardest states in Australia to do so.
Favourite LGBTI venue?
How can you ask that question of a Pride President, someone will kill me. Sporties in Spring Hill has always been there through the good and the bad times.
Favourite LGBTI anthem?
Still after all these years it鈥檚 “I Am What I Am”.
What do you love most about Brisbane Pride?
I’m known for telling it how it is, so I鈥檒l be honest and say that at times there is nothing I love about Brisbane Pride.
But these seem to precisely be the times when someone will walk up to me out of the blue or send a message and say 鈥渢hank you鈥�, or 鈥測ou don鈥檛 know this but you saved my friend鈥檚 life鈥�, or something along those lines.
Whenever I learn that just one person has had a positive experience from the work the Pride team does, that鈥檚 what I love most.
Best Pride moment?
Seeing Brunswick Street disappear under the rainbows of last year鈥檚 march, and the entire street filled with 10,000 people was amazing.
Advice for young LGBTI people?
Please say thank you to a community elder, as they went through things that could not be imagined today, so that we could all live in a better world.
Also learn your history. It’s not always a pretty story, but it’s yours, as well as those who lived it.
Be proud, look in the mirror, and smile at the hero who looks back at you. Oh and for fuck鈥檚 sake, put the bloody apps and phones away for one day of the month, just one.
You May Also Like
