Every November, Western Australia celebrates Pride Month, recognising the LGBTQIA+ community and its journey towards equality.
Pride in WA has its roots in the early gay rights movement, beginning with the establishment of the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP) in 1971. The movement gained momentum with the historic '89ers' march to Parliament House in 1989, followed by the decriminalisation of homosexuality in WA in 1990, further law reforms in 2002 and the legalisation of same-sex marriage across Australia in 2017.
Behind these milestones are the people, places and experiences that have shaped WA's LGBTQIA+ community.
This Pride Month, discover how the State Library of Western Australia's collections capture and preserve these stories and discover more about the people that are part of Western Australia' history.
The beginnings of Pride in Perth
Pride in Perth began in 1990 with a daytime march organised by the Stonewall Union of Students. What started as a small community event soon grew into a colourful nighttime parade, bringing thousands of people together to celebrate and show their pride.
The State Library's oral history collection holds an interview with Gavin McGuren, a former teacher and the founder of the Westside Observer, an early newsletter/magazine for the gay community in Perth.
Recalling how quickly Pride grew in Perth, in his interview Gavin tells us:
"The first year, I think there was 500 of us. The second year, there was 1,500, and the third year the police were absolutely astounded because 3,000 people marched, and it just grew from there, so it was a really vibrant, exciting time."
But Pride was more than a celebration. For many, marching openly was an important statement of identity, courage and acceptance. In Gavin's words, taking part in the Pride Parade meant:
"This is me and here's my friends and yes, we are gay, but we're proud of that. We're not ashamed. We're not going to hide."
Watch, listen to or read the full interview with Gavin McGuren to hear more recollections.
Voices from the community
What was life like for LGBTQIA+ Western Australians during the early years of activism, and where did they find acceptance and belonging?
Community and Connections: LGBTQIA+ stories in Western Australia is a collection of 16 video interviews recorded between 2021 and 2023, marking 50 years since the establishment of CAMP in WA. Developed in consultation with Connections Nightclub's Tim Brown, the project connected with leading figures and contributors involved in LGBTQIA+ activism in WA.
Their interviews explore experiences of identity, activism, discrimination, friendship and community life, offering an insight into how life has changed for LGBTQIA+ Western Australians over the years. Their collective experiences span industries, races, states and countries.
Here are just a few voices from this rich collection, sharing what Pride, finding themselves and being part of a community have meant to them.
"It isn't that I'm proud to be a lesbian. It is just how I am. It's not a choice. But Pride is about refusal to feel shame." - Maxine Drake
"I came out, I was finding myself, I was finding my tribe." - Brian Greig
"What I noticed the difference was, here in WA, all the Aboriginal, lesbian, gay, and transgender hung out together. We were all loving and embracing of each other and supported each other, because that's all we had." - Esther Montgomery
Explore the full suite of interviews from the Community and Connections: LGBTQIA+ stories in Western Australia collection on our catalogue.
Singing with Pride
Perth Pride Choir began in 1993 as Perth Rainbow Chorus, with around 14 singers coming together during the HIV/AIDS crisis. In a trying time, the choir offered a place for LGBTQIA+ people to connect, sing and support one another.
Outlined in Perth Pride Choir: A history of the first thirty years, a publication by Jude Comfort from Collections WA, one of the choirs first performances was at an AIDS candlelight vigil at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth. In 1995, it became the Gay and Lesbian Singers of Western Australia (GALSWA), before adopting the name Perth Pride Choir in 2021.
Over the years, the choir has performed at Pride events, community celebrations and concerts, continuing its tradition of bringing people together through music. More than just a choir, it continues to be true to its conception, a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ people and their allies to sing, make friends and feel part of a community.
Discover personal stories of love, friendship, challenges and finding a place to belong in Singing for Our True Heart, a collection of 16 video interviews with members of Perth Pride Choir (and its other iterations).
Here are just two moments from the stories in this collection, reflecting on the freedom to be yourself and the importance of finding your community.
Chris Massey shares:
"We were together for five years, closeted, just thinking that this was a very special friendship. Then we met the first person that defined themselves as gay and in a relationship with a woman. They introduced us to the gay community. That was amazing! It felt like we’d met our family. It was such a freeing feeling – there’s more of us! It made us feel almost ‘normal’."
Carole de Barre recalls:
"I’d felt trapped for so long but then it felt like I catapulted into a whole different life. I met new people and was on top of the world for about two years. I had to give up my job as my world felt like it was spinning too fast for me to focus on work. I was on a roller coaster of joy. I felt like a teenager again but more so as I was being who I was for the first time in my life; no more secrets."
Explore the full Singing for Our True Heart collection on our catalogue.
Connections Nightclub: more than a gathering place
For many LGBTQIA+ Western Australians, finding somewhere they could feel accepted and free to express themselves was an important part of community life. Connections Nightclub in Northbridge became one of those places.
Opening in 1975, Connections was more than a nightclub. It offered a place of refuge, friendship and belonging, where people could meet, enjoy music and entertainment, and be themselves. Over the years, the venue became an important part of Perth's nightlife and LGBTQIA+ community.
The State Library holds a collection of 270 Connections Nightclub posters, documenting decades of performances, dance parties, drag shows and other events.
From hand-drawn illustrations to colourful digital designs, the posters reflect the changing music, fashion and entertainment of the times. They also provide a record of the events and people who made Connections such a significant part of Perth's social history.
Dive deeper into past events at Connections with a look through the poster collection.
Memories of Connections
What was it like to walk into Connections for the first time?
In a 2019 oral history recorded with long-time manager and owner Tim Brown recalls his first visit to the nightclub as a young gay man and his journey from patron to staff member, manager and eventually owner.
He talks about the music, entertainment and people who shaped the club, as well as the changes he introduced to make Connections a more welcoming and inclusive place.
His interview offers a personal account of the nightclub's history and its place in Perth's LGBTQIA+ community. Tim Brown reflects on what made Connections such a special place for the community.
"There was a value in Connections, a place that made you feel inclusive, and it made you feel - - sorry, made you feel included, but made you feel even more included if you were different. The difference was - - the difference was the important thing, and in fact our tagline for many years in the '90s was unity in diversity."
Listen to Tim Brown's oral history to hear more about Connections.
Connections on screen
Connections is also the subject of Connies (2023), a short documentary made as part of WA Reflections, an initiative supported by the State Library and Screenwest.
The WA Reflections project invites applicants to transform archival content from the State Library's heritage collection into compelling short documentaries.
The film looks at the nightclub's history and its place in Perth's LGBTQIA+ community, bringing together the people and memories associated with this well-known Northbridge venue.
Watch the short documentary Connies on YouTube.
Happy Pride Month!
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