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 Gay and lesbian groups across Australia will go ahead with their plans to rally against the Pope and the Catholic Church’s positions on homosexuality and HIV/AIDS on World Youth Day (WYD), when the Pope holds an evening vigil for an estimated 225,000 pilgrims on Saturday, July 19 at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
The NoToPope Coalition in Sydney will continue to march from Taylor Square to Randwick Racecourse from 12pm, to speak with and hand out condoms to pilgrims camping out to see the Pope. NoToPope will also hold protests on the same day in Lismore, Newcastle and Perth.
Later in the day, from 3pm, a kiss-in will be held at Taylor Square, hosted by queer activist group Pope Alice Xorporation (PAX), and drag personality Vanessa Wagner. Pope Alice, aka Luke Roberts, told SX that the GLBT community, and wider community, should take a stand against the Pope and WYD.
“We’re in one of the gay capitals of the world – wear your Mardi Gras frocks,” Roberts said. “It’s particularly a time for gays and lesbians to show that they’re not going to put up with any kind of homophobia. We are inviting the last dictator of Europe, one of the most bigoted people on the planet, to Australia, and we’re paying for it. I’m not against the young Catholics – I just think they’re very badly misguided.”
Adelaide and Brisbane will also hold kiss-ins. GLBT Catholic support group Acceptance Sydney will hold a special WYD Mass on Friday, July 18 at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Newtown at 8pm.
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