Supermum Set to Lead the Parade

Our favourite Supermum to her gay son Shelley Argent has just been announced as this year’s Sydney Mardi Gras’ Chief of Parade.

The tireless campaigner for marriage equality will lead all the glittering floats down Oxford Street on March 3. Our photoshopped picture above shows how the proud mum and her son James might look on the night.

Argent is the national spokesperson for PFLAG – Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays – and has been awarded an Order of Australia and QLD Senior Australian of the Year for her work in campaigning for LGBT equality.

The lovely Brisbane mum says she’s enormously proud to be leading the world-famous parade this year.

“This is an acknowledgement of all those parents and families who are supportive of their gay and lesbian loved ones,” she says. “It also shows me that the community supports and appreciates the work I do.”

Argent began her journey in advocating gay and lesbian rights in 1998 when her son first came out to her. She soon felt that there were very few resources or materials for the families of LGBTQI people and began writing a series of educational booklets to enable them to support their family members.

Each year the Board of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras choose at last one Chief of Parade who represents the values and spirit of Mardi Gras. This has previously included Ian Roberts, Don Baxter, Peter Tatchell, Bev Lange, Matthew Mitcham and Lily Tomlin to name a few.

SGLMG Chair Peter Urmson says Shelley is “the obvious choice” for this year’s Chief of Parade because of the current national debate around marriage equality and the reoccurring debate on same sex parenting.

“Shelley has been a tireless supporter of other parents and a persuasive advocate for full equality,” he explains. “Her dedication to the rights of her gay son is an inspiration to LGBTQI Australians, their families and the nation as a whole.

“Shelley Argent is helping lead Australia to a fairer and more inclusive future,” he adds. “We are immensely proud to honour Shelly’s tireless work in showing that families come in many different forms, all bound by love.”

Fittingly, Shelley will lead the section of the Parade that is about families and marriage.

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Mardi Gras? Life Ball!

While Sydney gears up for the newly degayified Sydney Mardi Gras, the biggest tourism revenue generator on its annual calendar of events, there are plans in the making for another big party on the other side of the world. In Vienna—famous for genteel waltzes and passionate opera, less so for its avant-garde art and contemporary culture—a committee has already been at work for months preparing for Europe's biggest and most glamorous charity event, Life Ball, this year taking place on Saturday 19 May.

While the Sydney Mardi Gras of 2012 has eliminated any remaining social significance it had as a spotlight on gay and lesbian issues in favour of mainstreaming itself for the masses, Life Ball takes a different approach, keeping true to itself without sacrificing its principal reason for existence, i.e., serving as a fundraising event that helps provide millions of dollars in funding for myriad international organisations working in the fight against HIV and AIDS, perhaps now flying under the radar in Western countries with advanced medicines available but still a threat to the health and livelihoods of millions throughout the world who don't...and not every so-called advanced country has advanced policies with regard to HIV and AIDS. Thirty years after its first diagnosis, AIDS is still, unfortunately, a subject shyly discussed in public. Not at Life Ball.

There is nothing mainstream about Life Ball; on the contrary, Vienna's night of nights is an extraordinary experience not to be missed, a special event that lights up the Viennese social scene. That guests are having the time of their lives in the company of the famous celebrities invited each year as the voice of amfAR—Janet Jackson, Brooke Shields, Sharon Stone, Eva Longoria, Ivana Trump, and perennial presenter Bill Clinton, to name a few—is merely the means to an end.

Life Ball takes partying to a higher level by raising both funds and the profile of a variety of charitable organisations. In typically Austrian fashion, Life Ball is very transparent about its activities and funding; visit the Life Ball page on international projects it has assisted to have an idea about the extent and effect one party in one city can have all over the world.

The main event at Life Ball is the fashion parade featuring the work of one designer each year; past luminaries selected have been Thierry Mugler, Jean-Paul Gautier, Gianfranco Ferrè, and Patricia Field. Vienna is a city where dressing well is part of life, so it comes as no surprise that Life Ball, the ultimate costume ball, sees some astonishing efforts in the wardrobe department. From elaborate to outlandish, sometimes both, the sartorial creations at Life Ball are masterpieces of creativity and imagination that complement the grand venue, Vienna's enormous City Hall, where the entire building is taken over for the event, with salons, ballrooms, and corridors alike themselves costumed in their best attire for the night's festivities.

Travellers interested in attending Life Ball—and agents interested in knowing more about it—have the services of deluxe gay tour operator Hautes Vacances at their disposal. Hautes Vacances organises every detail for travellers, from the air travel to accommodation to the costumes for the Ball. With both Life Ball and Hautes Vacances enjoying a loyal following, the company has much experience in arranging the details and leaving the fun to its clients.

Check out its Life Ball page and well as Life Ball's own website at lifeball.org and increase your understanding of how well a party can be an instrumental experience for a higher cause.

Gay Travel: Ten Things to Do at Sydney Mardi Gras

The incredible thing about Australia during the months of February and March is that this Aussie summer season makes for one hot Mardi Gras celebration! Thousands of people come together Down Under to mingle and meet for one special Sydney Mardi Gras. Events span over two weeks and will shake you to the core of your being with plenty of festivities to go around.

Whatever your celebratory style may be, you'll be sure to find many events that are just right for you. Start by checking out our Sydney Mardi Gras 2012 Top Ten List; we might even see you there!

Fair Day- February 12th

Fair Day is the ultimate way to kick off the official Mardi Gras season. Fill February 12th with a fun and relaxed day out in the park with friends, family, and pets too! Up to 70 000 people routinely show up to sit on the grass, browse the stalls, enjoy the wide range of delicacies available at food stands, and have a few drinks. Fair Day runs from 10am until 8pm, so you'll have plenty of time to get the whole family out and about to celebrate!
Homage- February 18th, 25th, and March 10th

Join local GLBTQI musicians as they pay Homage to their queer musical heroes in this cabaret tribute to our community's trailblazers. Top-notch young talent from Sydney's music scene will cover KD Lang, Antony & the Johnsons, Melissa Etheridge, Ricky Martin, Ani DiFranco, Gossip, the Village People, Dusty Springfield and so many more amazing queer artists. Come together in this musical celebration to record our history, celebrate our heroes, and reflect on the songs which are etched into the queer memory bank.

Every Saturday night 5 different bands will be featured at the Blackcat Lounge at the Sidetrack Theater for a different collection of tunes and talent, classic hits and few undiscovered gems.

Full Story from GayTravel.com