The legacy of Sydney WorldPride

Sydney WorldPride was an opportunity to celebrate progress, and to define the next frontier for inclusion of LGBTQIA+ communities in Australia and Asia Pacific.

The event was an important vehicle by which to support belonging, safety and pride among the LGBTQIA+ community, showcase Sydney as a safe and welcoming city, celebrate intersectional experiences, and advocate for the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA+ people in Asia Pacific.

“Sydney WorldPride exemplified how our beautifully diverse LGBTQIA+ community and its allies can unite, celebrate and advocate for equality, through art, performance and meaningful discussion. Sydney was the perfect backdrop to host this once in a lifetime, party with purpose.”

– Kate Wickett, CEO WorldPride

The festival gathered hundreds of thousands of LGBTQIA+ people and their allies, making community visible on a global stage.

The 200-float parade up Oxford Street, the first post-pandemic, saw record attendance and participation, and was a visible signal of Sydney as an inclusive, vibrant and open city.

A suite of First Nations-led events signified a renewed intent to centre Australian First Nations voices when showcasing Sydney’s culture and creativity on an international stage, the Marri Madung Butbut gathering space a key example.

Sydney WorldPride invited attendees to dream of a better future and strengthened advocacy around marginalised communities.

The Festival’s landmark Humans Rights Conference brought together thousands of attendees from more than 60 countries and a range of LGBTQIA+ experiences to place a spotlight on progress and challenges in Asia Pacific. Lasting collaborations across communities, governments and business were established.

A focus on LGBTQIA+ inclusion across the region also saw a spotlight on the need for domestic investment. During Sydney WorldPride, the Federal Government announced a $26 million investment in healthcare and medical research to support LGBTQIA+ people, and at the State level, a bipartisan commitment was made to end gay ‘conversion’ therapy.

Sydney WorldPride amplified the contributions of community leaders, minority groups and small businesses.

Pride Amplified provided an opportunity for businesses and organisations to independently deliver events under the Sydney WorldPride banner, which, alongside official events delivered by WorldPride and Mardi Gras, contributed $168.6 million in total value added to the NSW economy.

The festival also amplified the voices of support for LGBTQIA+ communities, with survey results indicating a marked increase in attendees’ acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ people in Sydney and understanding of the issues facing the Asia Pacific community. 3 in 4 attendees – both LGBTQIA+ people and allies – said they learned something new about a community under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella.

The legacy of WorldPride is continued through advocacy and allyship.

Tackling norms and assumptions about gender and sexuality is necessary to continue to drive positive outcomes for individuals and communities, and to ensure that the progress made at WorldPride is not lost.

“It’s really important that we safeguard what we have achieved because if we lose them, it’s going to take a long time to get back again.“

The connections made between advocates, allies and community members will continue to build on the legacy of WorldPride 2023, well after the Progress Shark is taken down and the glitter is packed away.