Eskilstuna Pride

“What’s your name? Are you German or something?”, I was asked by the bloke who sat down beside me offering me a beer. He was part of a larger group of men and women sitting at the adjoining table at Eskilstuna Pride.

When planning my travel to Sweden, Eskilstuna was very much an afterthought. I’d been here once before, in 2008, but with only vague memories of what it was like, almost a decade later. When looking around online for excursions outside of Stockholm, I was attracted in seeing the town/city has a Pride Festival.… Read the rest “Eskilstuna Pride”

Tropical Fruits Parade and Launch

If I think about all of the things which have happened in terms of gay life in Lismore during my lifetime, there’s a lot to reflect upon.

Jim Brigginshaw (Northern Star Editor), Sue Bazzana, Anthony Baker
As a teenager, I remember the homophobic editorials of Jim Brigginshaw, Editor of “The Northern Star”. I remember doing a school project, aged 16, where I was part of a group that interviewed him, and I was terrified.
Lismore's Big Log
Lismore’s Big Log: As a teenager, I also remember the social scene was very much based around “the beats”, and in particular, the log outside the City Hall.
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Stockholm Pride – Chinese Queer Film

Sadly, my “Swedish” is not sophisticated enough to understand the complexities of some of the discussions you might encounter at an event like Stockholm Pride. While it won’t be too much of an issue at events like the Schlagerkväll (the pop music night), I’m still very interested in going to talks and events, especially since Stockholm Pride usually has a very “global” outlook. I remember a few years ago there was a talk given about LGBTQI rights in Australia, for example.… Read the rest “Stockholm Pride – Chinese Queer Film”