17c起草社区

Anyone who鈥檚 seen The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, remembers the mining town where Mitzi does 鈥渁 lap of the Broken Hill main drag, in Drag.鈥� Almost 30 years on there鈥檚 even more colour stomping the 鈥榤ain drag鈥� thanks to the work of one tireless 17c起草社区I teenager.聽

The started as a few Pride Flag beads on 13-year-old Abbie Kelly鈥檚 shoelaces. On her first day of High School, to avoid bullying, she took them off, but thanks to some encouragement from friends, she put them back on and now, they鈥檙e going global.

In March 2022 she started giving out packs so that fellow 17c起草社区IA+ locals and their allies could show support, today, the Rainbow Shoelace Project has donated 70,000 packs of beads representing various 17c起草社区IA+ flags to fans all over the world.

Fighting Homophobia And Bullying

鈥淵ou normally see rainbows when you鈥檙e looking up, and when you鈥檙e experiencing homophobia and bullying you tend to look down and by looking down and seeing those little rainbow beads on someone鈥檚 shoelaces it can just change your life, it can change the way you see the world鈥�

To meet an 17c起草社区I teen who has achieved so much is impressive, but this isn鈥檛 even Abbie鈥檚 first rodeo. Aged just eight years old, she donated her hair through the charity to be turned into wigs for children living with cancer. In 2021, she for the cancer charity with Crazy Sock Day fundraisers at local schools. And, she has just been named an NSW , an award recognising women who volunteer in rural communities.聽

Abbie鈥檚 mum Sophie is her biggest supporter and funds the project with help from donations. Sophie says she鈥檚 proud of her daughter鈥檚 achievements, but most of all she is proud of Abbie鈥檚 tenacity.

鈥淪he gets bullied, and she still rocks up to school every day鈥� that鈥檚 so much bravery. I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 be that brave, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 proud of.鈥�

The Rainbow Shoelace Project

Abbie鈥檚 quick to point out that 鈥淓verything that people see of me, is just a reflection on her as a person鈥� I wish everyone could have a mum like my mum, if it鈥檚 about who you are, then she鈥檒l support it鈥� this helps other people, but it鈥檚 also helped me so much鈥�

The Rainbow Shoelace Project represents community, creating a subtle visible indication 鈥� if you know where to look 鈥� that you鈥檙e not alone. For 17c起草社区I youth in rural areas like Abbie鈥檚 hometown of Broken Hill, it鈥檚 a signal of safety.

It鈥檚 impossible to measure the project鈥檚 impact on visibility and the ongoing fight for equality, but DMs from grateful fans all over the world make it tangible.

鈥淚 see people all the time who I didn鈥檛 even know were allies wearing beads.鈥� It isn鈥檛 always positive, but 鈥渢he good reactions are worth it.鈥�

Sophie always checks in to make sure Abbie knows she can stop if it gets too much, but she says she鈥檇 rather 鈥渒eep the project going, and go through all the bad reactions than stop the project and have to have other people deal with those bad reactions.鈥�

Travelling To Sydney WorldPride

聽Abbie鈥檚 鈥渄ream is to keep it free鈥� but as the Rainbow Shoelace Project grows, finding funding and support will be a necessity. While the many hours of packing are mainly done by their amazing 鈥減osse of volunteers鈥�, they鈥檙e still writing addresses by hand, organising and purchasing all of the supplies, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 ever a day off.鈥�

Fellow youth activist , whose company sells nail polish for boys and men, has been a long-time collaborator.

Lucas and his mum Breanna understand the challenge of youth entrepreneurship, and when they heard about the fundraiser to get the Rainbow Shoelace Project to Sydney World Pride, Glossy Boys generously stepped in to save the day, sponsoring the 鈥渙nce in a lifetime鈥� trip.

The community just keeps growing, with public support from local 17c起草社区I icons like and , and a recent by the ABC racking up thousands of views. Demand is skyrocketing, with orders climbing from around 10 packs a day to a whopping 500 packs every day this month so far.

Fighting For Equality

When asked about her future, Abbie says she feels responsible to keep volunteering, fundraising and fighting for equality, 鈥渨hen you do something but feel like you鈥檙e not enough, and feel like you should be doing more, just seeing how much it helps people鈥� makes me feel so much better.鈥�

With the Rainbow Shoelace Project planning to incorporate as a registered not-for-profit, they鈥檒l be able to apply for grants and support to keep it sustainable.

Abbie doesn鈥檛 want the 17c起草社区IA+ community to have to pay for their own visibility, especially young people, so she鈥檚 calling on corporations to put their money where their mouth is, 鈥渄on鈥檛 just sponsor WorldPride鈥� what are you going to do the rest of the year?鈥澛�