Respected LGBTIQA+ historian, researcher and activist Peter De Waal is hoping the queer communities across Australia can help him make one final trip back to his homeland.
Peter De Waal is a pioneer in the fight for LGBTIQA+ rights in Australia. He’s a 78er, one of the people who marched down Oxford Street in 1978 at the very first Mardi Gras.
He was founding member of CAMP Inc, the Campaign Against Moral Persecution that sparked the gay rights movement in Australia in the 1970’s, and in 1972 he and partner Peter ‘Bon’ Bonsall were featured in the ABC documentary series Chequerboard one of the first depictions of a same-sex couple on Australian television.
Both Bon and Peter played a prominent role in the campaign for marriage equality, with couple pleading with then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take action of the issue. Sadly, Bon passed away before the laws were changed.
For WorldPride in 2023 Peter De Waal was one of the first ‘Rainbow Heroes’ recognised for their contributions to the LGBTIQA+ communities.
De Waal wants to make one last trip back to his homeland The Netherlands, and he’s hoping people will help him on his journey.
“Today, at 85, time is catching up with me. My once strong stride is now hindered by mobility issues, urging me to seek assistance in my twilight years.” De Waal said.
“The call of my homeland beckons louder with each passing day. A yearning to bid farewell and lay to rest the echoes of past traumas and spiritual quests tugs at my heart. Yet, the challenges are many. My frailty demands the comfort and support of a business class ticket and additional aid during travel. For an aged pensioner like me, this dream feels like a distant horizon.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Peter De Waal achieve his goal. Thanks to the generosity of many people, he’s already well on the way to achieving his goal.
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