Scouts NSW sparkle at Mardi Gras
Published Mon 04 Mar 2024
As Sydney put on a show at the most glittering and sequin-filled night of the year, adult members across Scouts NSW were ready to celebrate.
This year, 40 members danced their way along Oxford St in the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on 2 March.
For many, it was an opportunity to represent the diversity of Scouts NSW. Our members come from all walks of life – all ethnicities, abilities, genders, faiths and backgrounds. We’re diverse and inclusive and proud of it.
From not fitting in to belonging
Maddison has been organising Scouts NSW’s participation in Mardi Gras since 2021, with the event a highlight on her calendar.
The Leader first joined Scouts as a six-year-old Joey. She said she has always found her fellow members to be inclusive and welcoming.
“I knew from a young age that I didn’t fit into the ‘heterosexual norm’, but it took many years for me to have confidence and be comfortable identifying myself as queer and part of the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said.
Reactions from others, especially initially, have been dismissive and invalidating, with many people telling me ‘it’s just a phase’, ‘you’ll grow out of it’, or even ‘have you seen a doctor about that, something must be wrong with you’. Thankfully, these reactions are becoming less common and people are more likely to take me at face value.”
Learning to live authentically
For Rover Scout Taya, the negative interactions they have encountered through their gender journey have resulted in the need to continue to hide their true identity and pronouns in some facets of their life.
“I have been met with a lot of backlash around my gender representation, but most interaction with my sexuality has been misunderstandings,” they said.
“Ever since I was young, I have felt uncomfortable with gender as a concept and as a way to express myself, so I began my gender journey where I finally settled on identifying as agender, which means I do not identify with any gender representation.”
Joining the community
Elise is excited to take part in her first Mardi Gras this year.
The Rover Scout has been eager to get involved for a couple of years.
“I think it’s really valuable for Scouts to be involved to represent a positive attitude to everyone in our community and it’s an awesome opportunity for youth and adult members to be involved in,” she said.
“I came to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community slowly as I realised I wasn’t developing the same interests as my peers. As my relationship with my partner developed, I came to more strongly identify as part of the community.”
Feeling included in Scouts
For many participants, Mardi Gras is an opportunity to publicly celebrate two important parts of their lives, as well as showing Scouts NSW as a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community.
When Maddison first heard about Scouts NSW participating in the 2017 Mardi Gras, it was an affirming moment.
That this organisation that had been part of my life for so long would be openly accepting and celebrating of the LGBTQIA+ community certainly made me feel seen and heard,” she said.
“While I had found acceptance from members previously, this was what made me feel as though the wider organisation was also accepting. Since then, I participated in the 2019 Parade, before taking over the organisation of the event for Scouts NSW in 2020.
“I knew from experience how important this event is to youth members, adult members, parents, family and the public, and want to ensure that our LGBTQIA+ members and allies are able to feel that same sense of belonging and acceptance as I did and continue to do so.
"Having a visible presence lends strength to the work that is going on behind the scenes to embed diversity and inclusion in effective and meaningful ways.”
Taya, who has been part of Scouts since 2008 when they joined as a Cub Scout, marches in Mardi Gras because they are proud to be part of their community.
“It’s important to show both members and the wider community that there is no room for hate and everyone needs to be afforded the right to feel safe,” they said.
“I use my involvement in Mardi Gras as a way to show other young people it is ok to stand out and be 100 per cent true to yourself and it’s not ok for others to pick on you for that.
"I am also involved in another Pride event my Unit founded because of the importance of showing solidarity and looking out for each other.”
Support from others
For Scouts NSW to take part in Mardi Gras also requires the support of members with specific skillsets.
Enter Region Leader Rob.
While Rob is not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, he has a long history in helping people, traditionally with a focus on the disabilities sector.
“I have always been open for all humans to prosper without discrimination of any kind,” he said.
Rob is a long-term member of Scouts, having been a member for about 14 years from 1980, before returning after a 20-year break when his children reached Joey Scout age.
This is Rob’s first time volunteering to support Scouts at Mardi Gras, as he has the necessary qualifications to ensure anyone standing on the back of the Scouts truck is properly harnessed in – including mascot Kym!
“I have lived my life by the Scout Promise and Law. They needed help and so I just put my hand up to serve them accordingly,” he said.
“I was recently asked outside of Scouts ‘why help Mardi Gras?’ It’s got me thinking. We all have the capacity to be good society-contributing humans. Who we love, who we pray to, what our culture is, who we associate with is all irrelevant as long as we are law-abiding citizens contributing to the fullest of our capacity.
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating Scouts NSW as an inclusive organisation.”
Demonstrating inclusivity
Scouts NSW Deputy Chief Commissioner – Frontline Strategy Niamh Hitchman said she was honoured to represent the State Leadership Team at Mardi Gras.
Scouts NSW's participation in this event is a visible demonstration of our unwavering commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and acceptance. We are proud to showcase our values of respect, integrity, and self-belief which lie at the heart of our Movement and are embedded into our Promise and Law,” she said.
“Mardi Gras provides us with an amazing opportunity to amplify our message of unity and solidarity, demonstrating to the world that Scouts NSW is a safe and welcoming space for all individuals to express their true selves. We strive to ensure that our organisation is a place where all our people can feel safe to be who they are, and where everyone can feel they belong.
