Frolic Festival 2023

Directors Choice Award

Queer and displaced in regional Victoria

A reflection on Martin John Lees Selfie Pride Project, “What does Pride mean to me?”

I moved to Ballarat towards the end of 1999. There was an acceptance of homophobia. With the 2017 plebiscite council voted against flying the Pride Flag supporting marriage equality. The question “What does Pride mean to me?” Made me realise that seeing that tiny Pride sticker in shop windows and on the backs of car windows provided a sense of safety and a reminder that I was not alone during some difficult times in regional. Victoria