Decision details

Minute by the Lord Mayor

To Council:

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras adopted the Progress Pride Flag during the Mardi Gras Festival 2021 to better represent the diversity of the LGBTQI+ community. It will continue to adopt the Progress Pride Flag for the Mardi Gras Festival 2022 and into the future.

Feedback on this move was overwhelmingly positive.

The Progress Flag was designed by non-binary artist and graphic designer Daniel Quasar in 2018 and incorporates:

·                the existing six-coloured Rainbow Flag, widely recognised as the symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities, designed by Gilbert Baker for the 1978 San Francisco Freedom Day Parade; and

·                a chevron (a V shaped element) comprising black and brown for Indigenous people and people of colour and white, pink and blue, the colours of the Trans Pride Flag designed by American trans woman Monica Helms in 1999 - to represent trans, non-binary and gender diverse people.

The City has flown rainbow banners along Oxford Street every Mardi Gras since 2006 and at other times of the year. The City has held a rainbow flag raising ceremony at Sydney Town Hall since 2010. This event also marks the beginning of the Mardi Gras Festival. A rainbow flag is also permanently flown at Taylor Square.

I am now proposing that the City use the Progress Pride Flag to visually celebrate the gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, queer, intersex and sexually and gender diverse communities. In doing so, the City of Sydney would continue to demonstrate that its precincts are inclusive and safe and that the City supports all within the LGBTQI+ community.

I am also proposing that the existing flag and banners be recycled as we have done with other banners.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE

Lord Mayor

Moved by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) –

It is resolved that Council:

(A)      fly the Progress Pride Flag instead of the Rainbow Flag at Sydney Town Hall during Mardi Gras Festival (February/March) and Pride Week (June) annually and at other times significant to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as required or requested;

(B)      replace the Rainbow Flag with the Progress Pride Flag at Taylor Square and at other locations within the City of Sydney where the Rainbow Flag is flown;

(C)      replace the existing Rainbow Banners with banners incorporating the Progress Pride Flag;

(D)      recycle the existing Rainbow Flags and Banners so they may have an ongoing use; and

(E)      note that the costs to replace and recycle these flags will be absorbed within the 2021/22 City Life operational budget.

Carried unanimously.

S051491