Image credit: Gay Pride Week March, photograph by Frank Prain, Melbourne, 1973, courtesy Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives  

The first LGBTI+ History month was held in October 2016 in Australia.

Yarra libraries will screen Out of the Closets, Into the Streets and this will be followed by a panel discussion. The panel will provide a contemporary context and discuss the impact of contemporary debates on the wellbeing of LGBTI+ communities. 
This will be presented as part of Mental Health Week from October 8 to 14.

A brief description of the film:
In 1970s Melbourne a group of students made a stand for gay pride at a time when homosexuality was criminalised and discrimination and abuse was widespread. When being gay meant hiding your true self. Where the act of coming out was a radical form of protest.
Out of the Closets, Into the Streets explores the moment Melbourne’s gay and lesbian people found their voice through the Gay Liberation Movement. The story documents the moment gay and lesbian people took to the streets, coming out and proud and challenging the status quo.

The panel members are:-

Peter McEwan
As a foundation member of Gay Liberation in Melbourne in 1971, Peter was actively involved in running regular GayLib dances and helped establish the Gay & Lesbian Counselling Service at the Gay Liberation Centre in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Peter now chairs the Property Committee building the new Victorian Pride Centre.

Andy Hanson 
His life changed dramatically in 1972 when he attended the inaugural meeting of the Gay Liberation Front at Monash University. As a proud gay man he has been active with the GLF, ACT-UP and the HIV AIDS political life of Australia. Gay Liberation lead Andrew to a 45 year career in the theatre - in puppetry with Handspan Theatre and in the box office at fortyfivedownstairs. He cherishes the social and random networks of gay life.

Barb Creed 
Barb Creed is a professor of film studies at the University of Melbourne. She was a founding member of gay liberation in Melbourne in the 70s. In 1975 she directed ‘Homosexuality: a film for discussion’ – a personal documentary on the lives and political activities of members of the lesbian and gay liberation movement. She is currently director of the Human Rights and Animal Ethics research network (HRAE) at Melbourne University. Her recent book, Stray, (Power Publications, Sydney, 2017) explores the shared plight of human and animal in the age of the Anthropocene.

This event is sponsored by the Thomas, Samuel & George Ewing Trust.

Register for the event.