Blog Posts - Sydney Queer Atheists

Parliament on a ute!

9/2/2015

Hi everyone, we have less than a month to go!

Parliament House on a Ute is coming along, we're designing some tshirts and collecting slogans for a whole lot of placards.
All the finer details are available at https://www.facebook.com/events/841847839211131/, which should be accessible even if you don't do facebook.
Tickets are at https://www.stickytickets.com.au/23325. If you have any questions, say hi!

No Exemption from Anti-discrimination!

14/1/2015

Hi everyone, we had a very productive day at the workshop today.
The idea as it stands:
- dress the ute up as parliament house, with boards along the side in the image of the building and the pyramid-shaped flagpole structure on top made of plywood. The flag will probably say "no exemption". The house will probably be overlaid with the slogan and the website. noone will be dressed as priests etc, so we will be relying on words to convey that it's exemptions for religions that we're particularly concerned about.
- people standing on the ute (in parliament house) will be handing out big placards to others on the ground - free passes do discriminate, styled like monopoly 'get out of jail free' cards. these can be shown to the crowd, then slid onto the back of the ute to be given again.
- the rest of us will be protesters, with placards to wave in a very simple routine. We will demonstrate the routine and put it on youtube so people can see and learn it.
- we may make small leaflets to give out, so we can engage the crowd and explain ourselves more clearly.
- we will print tshirts so everyone can wear them. the people on the ute can put a suit jacket over the top.
- behind the protesters, we will end the float with another big banner.
- we may have LED light strips outlining the house, and/or spotlights up to the flag
- we won't have music unless someone thinks of something relevant, very soon. we may have someone with a drum or something beating time for the choreography.

We are going to need:
- attendees
- helpers at working bees
- a driver

How exciting!

MG ideas

21/12/2014

So far, we've heard:

- No abuse / No excuse / No exemption from antidiscrimination

- Abolish religions' permanent exemption to the antidiscrimination laws. Change the law.

- people dressed as closets hugging teachers to show how religious schools make teachers and teaching students stay closeted

- Pash n Dash - kiss religion goodbye. with Kate Cebrano's 'Pash'

- Kiss discrimination goodbye

- Abbott's head on a platter

- Something about the world congress of families, religion in politics

- Flowering of knowledge, blossoming, polination

...what do you think?

Mardi Gras 2015

25/3/2014

Yes, now that we've recovered from this year's float, it's time to start thinking about next year's. Let us know if you have any ideas!

Mardi Gras photos!

25/3/2014

Check out our new displays of Mardi Gras photos on the Previous floats tab!
Let us know if you have any to add, too. We're always keen to see more!

Debrief 2014

3/3/2014

It's done! Mardi Gras is over for another year... but we still have a debrief to come!

Join us to see the footage and have a chat about how it went and how we could improve for next year:

This Sunday, the 9th of March, 1pm at the Friend in Hand Hotel, 85 Cowper St, Glebe.

Everyone is welcome, whether you were part of the parade or you're just interested!

This event is listed at facebook.com/events/233156620201375

Intersectionality float attendance form

8/2/2014

Fill in this form to participate in our Mardi Gras float on March 1, 2014 - Intersectionality: Find out what it means to me!
Get in early to help us plan! http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/1538460/SQA-Intersectionality-float-at-Mardi-Gras-2014

Also, look out on Facebook or the Meetup for our working bee next week, Saturday February 15!

Mardi Gras meeting tonight!

3/2/2014

Wow, this page needed a bit of an overhaul... hopefully everything's here now! We're meeting 8pm tonight (4/2/14) at Green Palace, 182 King St, Newtown to discuss mardi gras stuff and whatever else we wish. Come along if you happen to see this in time!

Intersectionality: Find out what it means to me!

What do you think? So much trouble in both atheist and queer communities, with people not respecting other groups within them - and we know we're in that situation in both groups. So Aretha Franklin, and... maypoles!

Yes, it looks like we're building a few maypoles, with ribbons of LED rope, to illustrate us having different strands of identity woven into our personalities.

We're going to need more people to help out with ideas, building and all the other little things that go into a float. Get involved at facebook.com/events/118468884994953, check out our events at meetup.com/Sydney-Queer-Atheists/ or show up tonight at Green Palace and meet us in person!

Sydney Queer Atheists on Meetup.com!

3/2/2014

We have just started up a Meetup - join us at meetup.com/Sydney-Queer-Atheists to hear about all our events! It's a non-autonomous group, for everyone who is queer-friendly and atheist-friendly.

Meetup isn't a free service. We have bought a six month membership to try it out, and will continue if it proves its worth, so let us know if it's better than just facebook-email-website!

Our mardi gras float event is at meetup.com/Sydney-Queer-Atheists/events/160516392/, and assorted meetings, working bees and debriefs will appear there as they're organised, as well as anything else we do!

Intersectionality: Find out what it means to me!

3/12/2013

Intersectionality: Find out what it means to me!

What do you think? So much trouble in both atheist and queer communities, with people not respecting other groups within them - and we know we're in that situation in both groups. So Aretha Franklin, maybe protest signs? "Intersectionality is the belief that oppressions are all interlinked and cannot be solved alone", "Heteronormativity x Religionormativity = (haven't quite thought that far yet)", "Atheist Feminist', "Oppressions are not isolated", "Intersectionality Now" - as careful or as agressive as we like.

What do you imagine a float like this to look like? Is there an excuse for costumes, lighting or choreography? Are you keen?