A group of fans have come together to pay tribute to UK singer George Michael with a float at the Mardi Gras Parade. 

In 1998, George Michael made international headlines when he was arrested for lewd conduct in a public toilet. The scandalous news pushed his then suppressed homosexuality into the limelight, causing public uproar around the world. Sydney woman Shona Tough still remembers her anger at the sexual discrimination both Michael and other homosexual people suffered at the time.

This year, Shona and her legion of George Michael fans from all over Australia are banding together to celebrate his contribution to the GBLT community with their float ‘George Michael: Throughout the Years’, at the Mardi Gras Parade.

“Mardi Gras is a time to celebrate everyone coming together, putting aside all prejudice no matter who you are or where you've come from,” Shona tells SX.

“We want to dedicate our float to George's uncle Colin, who took his life the day that George was born in 1963, due to problems coming to terms with his sexuality.  Sadly he didn't experience the tolerance and freedom that we have today and his life ended too soon.”

The float began after Shona and fellow lifelong fan, Andy Burton, posted messages on a George Michael fan site. Two weeks later and the pair had recruited over 140 marchers.

“Our marchers will be dancing to an amazing mega-mix of George Michael's most famous songs.” Each section will be in costume to represent the various stages in George’s career.

Shona has also enlisted a whole range of people to take part, including parade veteran Ethan Carter, who has been the costume designer and choreographer for past iconic floats such as ‘Kylie: The Impossible Princess’ and ‘Divas Through the Decades’.

All members of the float, which Shona calls ‘Team Freedom’, are eagerly anticipating George Michael’s arrival to Sydney, the day before the parade.

“We hope that he will be watching and will enjoy our interpretation of his music through our sexy dancers and costumes,” Shona says.

Pictured: Shona and Ethan, inset, to pay tribute to singer George Michael, main, with a float at Mardi Gras.

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