Last Thursday night the ABC played a new documentary ‘Between a Frock and a Hard Place’ about the creation of the film ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’.
The film also provided a thorough insight into the long fight for LGBTIQ rights in Australia. One section that caught many viewers attention was a program filmed in 1976.
‘Monday Conference’ a show that discussed politics and social issues, headed to Mount Isa in regional Queensland. Gay rights activist Lex Watson faced a large audience who had a barrage of questions an opinions.
Early in the discussion a woman asks Watson is there should be provisions to protect children from homosexuals, and things get really fired up when a man asks Watson why he doesn’t identify as a pervert.
“Why don’t you call yourself a straight out poofter and pervert, and why are perverts allowed to run around the streets and rape and murder, and kill little babies…” the man shouted at Watson, who answered in a restrained manner stating that he didn’t mind being called the first name, bit found the second insulting.
Later in the show another audience member from Townsville tells Watson that God had told him a recent cyclone was sent because of homosexuals, dropouts and druggies. While another lady asks if the advice she’s been given about pink dye making affecting boy’s hormones is true, she’s been very carefully to avoid pink dye so her son does not become a homosexual.
Revisiting this program 39 years after it was filmed is an eye opening viewing experience, as a society we’ve come so far.
Lex Watson, who was originally from Perth, passed away last year. He was a central figure in the creation of several gay rights groups and was at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS. He was posthumously awarded the Medal Order of Australia.
Watch Monday Conference on the ABC iView service.
OIP Staff
