New Mardi Gras Organisation returns to its origins adopting its former moniker whilst losing the gay and lesbian from the parade and festival… Was it time Mardi Gras went mainstream?
Thursday 17th November marked the start of an exciting new chapter in the history of Sydney’s iconic Mardi Gras. There are two main changes that have taken place:
- The organisation has changed its name back to Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras This is after almost ten years as New Mardi Gras. The move to the old title is recognition that the event and brand remains owned by the city’s gay & lesbian community, even as it embraces involvement from the wider community. Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras’ logo retains the Sydney Opera House image, paying respect to the heritage of the organisation.
- The event we all know and love that takes place in February will be called Sydney Mardi Gras. It is presented by Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
in a statement Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras suggested the shorter name “reflects how most of us talk about the event and what people call it around the world.”
Suggesting that Sydney Mardi Gras is a move inclusive way to refer to the event and to “reflect better the increasing diversity of what we stand for: our city’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer communities as well as the many who do not like to label themselves.”
For the first time, the event will have it own logo. Sydney Mardi Gras’ new symbol is conjoining hearts According to Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras the new logo goes hand in hand with a bold and ambitious new vision for the event: to inspire the world to love each other by celebrating the power and beauty of diversity. “That is what we have always done, but we’re aiming even higher with this ambition.”
