A GUARD of honour made up of elders from Bendigo’s LGBTIQ community will welcome attendees to the city’s first Rainbow Ball on Friday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
People aged 16 to 25 who identify as LGBTIQ, along with their allies, will converge on Ulumbarra Theatre to create an environment where all are welcome and everyone is free to be themselves.
Organiser and headspace LGBTIQ diversity worker Maree Dixon said the drug and alcohol free event would be a celebration of diversity and inclusion in Bendigo.
“We are hoping to achieve a night that young people will remember, a night that will create positive memories and experiences for the young people who attend,” she said.
“The excitement for me will be seeing the young people enjoying themselves, the smiles and the experience of going to a social event where they can be their true selves and attend with their partners.”
A grant from the ANZ and Sydney Mardi Gras was awarded to headspace Bendigo to run the Rainbow Ball, which organisers hope will become an annual event.
It was organised in conjunction with Bendigo police.
Pre-ticket sales have been described as strong, but Ms Dixon said the event would be a milestone for Bendigo regardless of how many people attended.
“The night is cross generational and inclusive of allies, it will bridge the gap between the different generations,” she said.
“Also the guard of honour of LGBTIQ elders in the Bendigo community [will provide] a safe passage into the event.
“Being the first of it’s kind in Bendigo we would like to see it continue into the future and create a safe space where young people can celebrate diversity and inclusivity.”
Headspace in Bendigo is a partner with Healthy Equal Youth, a state government-funded initiative working across suicide prevention and social inclusion for LGBTIQ young people who remain at risk of poor mental health outcomes.
The Rainbow Ball will be held from 6.30pm this Friday at Ulumbarra Theatre. To buy a ticket, contact Capital Venues and Events on 5434 6100.