The service of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in the Australian military
SERVING IN SILENCE, POP-UP MUSEUM EXHIBITION
In the lead up to the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, this exhibition was staged in Sydney. "Serving in Silence" reveals the rich history of LGBTI service within the Australian armed forces. Objects lent by former and current service members included medals, uniforms and documents, along with projections, provided an immersive and evocative history of LGBTI service. This exhibition was curated by Noah Riseman, Shirleene Robinson and Graham Willett and initially debuted in Melbourne in January 2018 as part of the city’s Midsumma LGBTI pride festival.
Volunteers during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and early 1990s
Victorian AIDS Council volunteer training weekend, Kyneton, Victoria, 1987 (Image courtesy Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives)
Tess Ziems with Shirleene at ABC Radio National sharing her experiences of volunteering
recognising the unsung heroes
Australia's response to HIV and AIDS in the 1980s and early 1990s is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. A critical element of this was the involvement of volunteers, who stepped up and helped out when they were desperately needed. Yet these individuals have not yet received the credit they deserve. This project explores their experiences and what can be learnt from this time in Australia's past.
With thanks to the City of Sydney and a partnership with ACON, I was able to curate a physical exhibition held at M2 Gallery in December 2018. The exhibition is now available online.
VIEW OUR ONLINE EXHIBITION HERE
Australian lesbian and gay life stories
BUILDING A NATIONAL lesbian and gay ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION
Life has changed significantly for lesbian and gay Australians over the past decades. It has been a social revolution perhaps without parallel in Australian history. But what have been the experiences of the men and women at the heart of this change? What has it been like to live a gay or lesbian life as broader social attitudes have undergone such an evolution? How has change been experienced by those from different generations? What has been gained and what remains to be achieved?
These were some of the questions we hoped to answer when we embarked on recording the lives of sixty gay and lesbian Australians from around the country, in collaboration with the National Library of Australia.
We wanted to understand how the past was remembered today, and how different or similar the experiences of young lesbians and gay men are to those of previous generations.
