RAINBOW SHINES OUT

CONSIDERING it’s still illegal to be gay in 37 of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth – two punishable by death – it has been important for the Gold Coast to fly a rainbow flag over these two weeks.

Sparkle in the Sand, a celebration of the LGBTI community starring Courtney Act, Marcia Hines, Beccy Cole and more, drew one of the largest crowds so far to any Festival 2018 event.

Headline act Hines said she took part because she feels “strongly about justice” and thought it was important to be fair to everyone.

“If someone loves someone, I think it’s important that if they want to marry, they can get married because at the end of the day you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends,” she said.

“This community has been my friend from the very beginning.

“Be open and learn, it won’t be quick, but it’ll happen.”

Pride House, located at Rise Bar in Cavill Avenue, is another initiative taken with equality in mind.

“Pride House is modelled on the traditional hospitality house, so when you go to a big sporting event like this there will be hospitality houses based on country,” volunteer project manager Matt Hall said.

“So we thought of the idea of having a gay friendly pride house, a place that was inclusive for the LGBTI community to come and watch sport together.

“This is the first Pride House we’ve had in Australia.”

With ambassadors including athletes Matthew Mitcham, Natalie Cook and Ji Wallace and sponsored by The Star Gold Coast, Queensland Government and Price Waterhouse Coopers, Pride House is strongly supported.

“I think it just reinforces that the LGBTI community have equal rights and we want to feel included so that’s why inclusiveness and equality are so important,” Mr Hall said.

“I think the recent marriage equality debate was the turning point in Australian society.’’

Pride House has an Exhibition of Human Rights until the end of the Games, with walls displaying a narrative of human rights in each country in relation to LGBTI rights.