17c起草社区

Melbourne inclusive venues Mollies and Sircuit are celebrating the second anniversary of the day Australia said ‘yes’ this Friday, as Y2YES brings the return of their Equality Hub.

For some, the 15th of November is a day of celebration, while for others it is a day that still carries anxiety or emotional trauma. It鈥檚 the day Australia鈥檚 LGBTIQ+ communities remember that 61. per cent of the nation stood by us in an unnecessary postal vote on equal marriage.

In 2017, Fitzroy LGBTIQ+ venues Sircuit and Mollies created an Equality Hub for our communities; a safe space for anyone to come and seek support, refuge, or simply a space they knew that they were welcome at a time when we were all feeling the collective trauma of the postal vote.

In the lead up to the second anniversary, venue owner Chris Driscoll reflected on how that day meant so much more for our communities than simply the right to marry.

鈥淲e needed to find a way to let those that weren鈥檛 a part of our communities understand what the postal vote was actually doing to us,鈥� he told the 17c起草社区. 鈥淭here was so much miscommunication and misunderstanding, and plenty of people were telling me they didn鈥檛 have an opinion either way. Because it was a postal vote, we had to make them understand why their vote was so important to us.

鈥淣ot all of us wanted to join the crowds at the State Library the morning of the result announcement. So, we did what we could, and made our venue a place that people could come and know they were welcome and safe no matter the outcome.

鈥淚 remember the morning of the vote standing next to a policewoman upstairs at Mollies as we waited for the announcement. I was so on edge and suddenly wondered, was she here because I had done something wrong. I popped over to ask if everything was okay, and she said, 鈥榳e need to get the YES over the line鈥�.

鈥淚 remember looking around after that moment at the diverse community that had come together at Mollies that morning, with all walks of life finding their way to the area. We wanted to create a collective space for those that needed it, and we had done that together.

鈥淲hile I was proud that everyone stood together as a community, we were all still on pause, holding our breath waiting for Australia to speak, and when they did is a moment I will never forget.

鈥淭he release of tension, acceptance and acknowledgment was beaming out of our bodies and I remember thinking how important that moment of acceptance was.鈥�

Not wanting anyone to forget what our communities went through, and how much we came together and supported each other, Driscoll is reopening The Equality Hub all day on Friday 15th November, to acknowledged those we need to continue to support on the further road to equality, and celebrate that Australia had our backs.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot going on in this country this week; from protests and homes burning to transgender week of awareness and so much suffering. Within our own communities, we continue to live lives of anxiety and sadness at times, and I often think to myself, why not celebrate the wins.鈥� Driscoll said.

鈥淐elebration doesn鈥檛 mean disregarding everything else. Two years on, I just want to remind us all that there are times that we can stop for a moment in time, and just have this. Celebrating the good in our lives. We often forget to do that.

鈥淥ur communities should celebrate the achievement of that moment, and of that day collectively, and Y2YES is why we are doing that, celebrating what we all did together.鈥�

From 9am Friday morning Mollies will open with a free breakfast hour and entertainment in the afternoon before their screenings of Drag Race UK. The Y2YES celebrations will continue downstairs at Sircuit, with a Y2YES afterparty.

Australia鈥檚 LGBTI radio station JOY 94.9 will be broadcasting live from Sircuit onto Smith Street all day, with a diverse range of JOYlebrity volunteers interviewing guests, playing uplifting music, and inviting the community to share what the YES vote meant to them.

鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of the safe and inclusive space we all work towards every day with Mollies and Sircuit, and the difference it makes in peoples lives,鈥� Driscoll said, 鈥淏ecause tomorrow, somebody is going to come out; or get in drag, or hold their partners hand, or kiss their partner in public for the first time.鈥�

鈥淔or those of us that have done that 2 years ago, 2 weeks ago, or in my case a while longer, it鈥檚 important to remember that it鈥檚 somebody鈥檚 day today, and that鈥檚 why I love our inclusive space.

鈥淐ome and join us on Y2YES Day, whether it鈥檚 your first day with us or your 50^th, come and be with community. Who acknowledge who you are – who we all are – and know you are accepted.鈥�

The Equality Hub will open at Mollies from 9am on Friday 15^th November, with celebrations continuing in Sircuit all night. If you can鈥檛 make it down, tune into JOY 94.9 all day for their Y2YES Broadcast live from Sircuit.