Pride Month
Ms SHING (Eastern Victoria) (09:54): I want to put on the record that Pride Month is a really important opportunity for members of our Parliament, as well as our community at large, to come together in support, love, friendship and solidarity with LGBTIQ+ people everywhere. The pride movement and Pride Month were not born out of a desire to celebrate being queer, they were born out of the need to reinforce that we as LGBTIQ+ people have the right to live our lives free from persecution. And we see in various changes around the world and more recently attempted changes in Australia voices that have threatened to drown out our dignity, our respect and our access to basic equality. We also see allies coming over the hill—a cavalry of people who gather around us and share their voices in maintaining and building upon our dignity. Happy Pride Month, everybody. I hope that you feel the love, and I hope that you know that you are supported.