The Midsumma Pride March celebrated its 27th annual march on Sunday 6 February, with 10s of thousands people cheering participants along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. There were 220 groups forming a colourful and proud rainbow family, ranging from a badminton teams to scouts, Brazilian drummers, car enthusiasts, various community organisations, other schools and, for the fourth time marching in the event, our Carey Pride and Equality Group. Many new school groups also joined us for the first time this year, including neighbouring Xavier College.
Victoria’s Premier Dan Andrews attended festivities at the newly opened Victorian Pride Centre and marched with the Rainbow Labor Network Victoria, the official LGBTIQ+ association of the Victorian Labor Party.
Some 20 Carey students and staff gathered at the Ian Johnston Oval early on Sunday to join in the celebrations and message of inclusion and diversity for our LGBTIQ+ students and staff, before the long march to the Catani gardens to the sounds of support from the large crowd gathered along Fitzroy Street. The experience of being part of a broader community event such as the Pride March was overwhelmingly supportive and inclusive.
Allies and friends of the LGBTIQ+ community mentioned on the day that being a part of the Carey Pride Group, even though the community is relatively small, is such an eye-opening experience. They felt that after such an event, they can better support fellow family and friends and understand with more clarity the gravity of discriminatory issues some students face and how best to tackle them in a way that is respectful and effective.
Staff member and Pride Group staff ally Jason Ross spoke of a great sense of solidarity and pride among the thousands who either marched or lined the street applauding. The Pride March is an incredibly positive and strong affirmation for our LGBTIQ+ youth community as it offers the opportunity for some of our most vulnerable to be centre stage, celebrated and have their chance to shine. I could hear the crowd shouting, ‘Go Carey, well done Carey,’ and I felt enormously proud to be a member of our Carey community who puts into practice our message – ‘a caring community who acknowledges, welcomes and celebrates diversity.’
The strong message on the day of community and celebration through participation and inclusion most certainly resonated with all involved. We seek to continue to build on our Positive Learner Attributes of connectedness, courage and collaboration through the positive messages being delivered through the students involved in the Carey Pride group.
Carey’s Pride group meets in Week A on a Wednesday lunchtimes in the Carey Library for Middle and Senior School students – our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 23 February – allies, friends and new members welcome. At our next meeting, we will be electing our 2022 Pride Student Captains.
Simon Carver
Carey Pride – teacher liaison
