A Reflection following Pride March
As we finish the Midsumma season, we acknowledge the important role LGBTIQA+ community festivals play in uplifting and celebrating the rich diversity of our communities. They also make space for meaningful dialogue about the issues faced by our communities – issues that impact our health, wellbeing and ability to participate fully in society. In particular, Pride March has always been an important platform for starting conversations, taking action, and raising awareness of issues faced by our communities.
16 Feb 2024
Like Pride March, Thorne Harbour Health is borne out of a legacy of LGBTIQA+ activism and community mobilisation. This year we’ve celebrated 40 years since our founding by a generation of community activists forged in the fires of gay and lesbian liberation as they sought to address the emerging epidemic of HIV and AIDS. In fact, several of those founding figures joined us for this year’s Pride March. We have a deep respect for the history of collective action that has seen our communities progress to where we are today. We also uphold the legacy of activism in the streets together with advocacy of those working within the systems of power.
However, at this year’s Pride March we saw a confrontation. We do not condone violence of any kind, directed at anyone, and are committed to defending the wellbeing of all our LGBTIQA+ communities and people living with HIV. This includes lateral violence within our communities as well as inappropriate police conduct.
Our communities have had a long and complicated relationship with police going back almost to colonisation. While we have made several advances in Victoria towards improving this relationship, the incident at this year’s Pride March is a stark and upsetting reminder that we have a long way to go. We will be engaging with Victoria Police around addressing these issues.
There is no pride in violence. We are committed to seeing a future where our communities can exist peacefully and in good health – and where peaceful direct action can continue to be taken.
First and foremost though, we are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities. We encourage anyone seeking support to contact us on 03 9865 6700 or QLife on 1800 184 527.
Furthermore, if any member of our LGBTIQA+ communities has issues or concerns with any public officer, we can assist and support you in making a complaint to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/.
In other news
08 Aug 2025
Lessons in Leather from Thorne Harbour Health
Keen on kink? Here’s how to build your leather collectionLeather is everywhere – at the club, at Pride, and in your treasured collection of Tom of Finland work. Most recently, you could find racks full of leather at The Laird in celebration of A Week of Leather (AWOL) 2025, where dozens of people donated leather gear to fundraise for Thorne Harbour Health. In honour of leather and the people who love it, we’ve created a guide for those interested in exploring their kinky side, complete with a brief history of leather subculture, expert styling tips for beginners, and info on how you can score cheaper leather gear while supporting a good cause. Read on to learn more!
22 Jul 2025
Introducing Medicare-Subsidised Counselling
Thorne Harbour Health is proud to launch Under the Rainbow, our new Medicare-subsidised counselling service. At just $50 per session, this new offering expands on our existing free mental health counselling, helping us support more members of our LGBTIQA+ communities. We have a new dedicated psychologist available for this program.