Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:36a.m.
By Philip Patston
One of the great things about hitting 40 was the realisation that I no longer had to do stuff young people do. So it was with great relief that I found out that Shaun and Anna, members of our Peer Support Network, had decided to go to Mardi Gras. Far better they wave the gay disabled flag than me, because mine’s a little thread bare.
I caught up with the unique pair a few days after they arrived back.
From what I know, there's a bit of a party at Auckland International Airport as the Pink Flight boards. How was that?
Anna: A bit of a party? Hahaha! It was full on, about 6 to 8 girls doing makeup, spray on tattoos, drinks, drinks, big hair, nibbles, did I say drinks? Music, disco ball, boys with no tops and huge white afros. Breathtaking, fantastic, amazing, and we hadn't even left NZ!
Shaun: Fantastic party at the departure lounge before the flight. Everything blacked out to give a nightclub feel. Plenty of drinks!
Were you the only disabled/functionally unique people on the flight?
Shaun: No, we met some Deaf people who Anna knew.
Anna: By the end of the flight nobody was functioning in quite the same way they were before.
How were the attitude of airline staff and passengers towards you? Did you feel included in the pinkness and festivities?
Anna: Oh yes! The staff were amazing and the the queens were faultless. Even though they had a whole flight to entertain they took time to check in, talk and throw drinks our way! I even ended up part of the in-flight parade!
How about Sydney-side – any noticeable difference in treatment as you disembarked and made your way through customs?
Anna: We disembarked? Yes, we must have. It's a little blurry. From memory it was pretty 'straight' forward.
How was the parade? Highlights? Lowlights? What was viewing like? Any other uniques? How was the crowd in general towards you?
Anna: It was great! Perfect weather! A little too warm actually. We arrived on the parade route at about 2pm, which was probably way too early. We were at the front, could see plenty, the parade officials and volunteers were great. We did see two others using wheelchairs go past us, I guess looking for a spot to view. Other than that I saw more uniques in the parade compared to those watching (gotta be in it).
Shaun: Highlights were the dykes on bikes starting the parade, the life savers and water polo players in Speedos and seeing my friends Craig and Duncan from NZ in the Freedom 2 Be group in the parade.
From what you know of the Auckland gay community, how would you compare it to the Sydney scene?
Anna: Fish bowl vs small ocean! NZ has plenty to learn.
Gay pride and disability pride – any comparison?
Anna: I felt very comfortable and accepted mixing with most of the Gay community in Sydney. I may be projecting but the feeling was like a mutual acceptance and understanding.
Shaun: It really made me feel comfortable with my sexuality, I have experienced events on a smaller scale in NZ that made me appreciate my disability, but again Mardi Gras was just wow.
In last weeks blog I said that, unlike Tiger Woods, I was pretty sure you wouldn’t be deeply sorry for the irresponsible behaviour you engaged in. So, come on, give us the juicy details!!!
Anna: Well ....... I don't kiss and tell ...... oops!
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Katy Perry eat your heart out!
Meanwhile, as Sydney embraced NZ’s uniqueness, Brian Tamaki embraced himself. “I kind of like me,” he said. “I figured really early in life I better get to like me first of all otherwise it’s going to be an ugly situation.”
It’s lucky that he realised early in life that if even he didn’t like himself, things would be really dire.
I’m sure I’ve always left Christians in a slightly uneasy place. Love the sinner, hate the sin and there but for the grace of God go I.
Actually, I blame religion for my sexual orientation. When I was twelve I went to an Assembly of God service. They called people down to the stage to be healed and I thought, hell...I mean heaven...why not? Three male pastors descended upon me, laying their hands all over my legs and speaking in tongues like their lives depended on it.
I didn’t have the heart to tell them my impairment was a result of brain damage and that my legs were fine. I was too busy enjoying being felt up.