The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) Board is facing backlash from members and advocacy groups after choosing not to implement several resolutions passed at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), including those supporting trans rights and reforms to anti-discrimination law.
The controversy has prompted calls for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), with critics accusing the Board of abandoning the trans community during a time of increasing attacks on trans rights in Australia and abroad.
Resolutions Passed, But Not Actioned
In an email sent to members on Tuesday at 5pm, co-chairs Kathy Pavlich and Mits Delisle confirmed the Board would not implement the operational elements of Resolution 2, which had called for:
- A condemnation of the Trump administration
- A discouragement of partnerships with Trump-aligned supporters
- An encouragement for parade participants to highlight trans rights
Resolution 2 passed at the 2025 AGM with 578 votes in favour, 546 against, and 62 abstentions.
The Board also declined to enact Resolutions 5 and 6, which:
- Urged SGLMG to write to federal and state governments demanding urgent anti-discrimination reform
- Called for the exclusion of politicians from Mardi Gras events unless they supported such reforms
- Proposed a fully publicly funded Mardi Gras model
Pavlich and Delisle said the decisions were guided by Mardi Gras’ governance obligations, its strategic priorities, and the need to maintain long-term sustainability.
“This decision reflects the Board’s obligations under ACNC governance standards and the need to ensure all decisions align with Mardi Gras’ values,” they wrote.
They also cited respect for thematic independence of Parade floats, the importance of coalition-building, and avoiding the use of Parade participation as a political bargaining chip.
Pride in Protest Responds: “A Political Betrayal”
The decision has sparked strong criticism from Pride in Protest, an advocacy group with two elected Board members, which has now called for an urgent EGM.
“This is a deliberate choice to abandon the trans community politically,” said Charlie Murphy, former Board Director (2019–2021).
Murphy and others argue that Mardi Gras is shielding politicians—particularly Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns—from accountability.
“Albanese has stated publicly that he does not think I, and all other trans women, are real women,” Murphy said.
“Why is Mardi Gras picking a fight with the trans community instead of him?”
Motions Follow Established Precedent, Critics Say
While resolutions at AGMs are non-binding, former Board members argue that implementing such motions reflects the will of the community and follows organisational precedent.
Luc Velez, Board Director from 2023–2025, referenced the 2023 AGM, where members successfully pushed for the Board to write in support of Alex Greenwich’s Equality Bill and urged politicians to take a stand.
“As a director, I helped draft that letter,” said Velez.
“The current Board is either ignorant of recent history or deliberately misrepresenting member democracy as a ‘governance risk’.”
“Policing, Not Solidarity”: Protect Mardi Gras Responds
Peter Stahel, co-founder of Protect Mardi Gras, defended the Board’s decision, claiming the resolutions represented a threat to Mardi Gras’ mission.
“[Resolution 2] was titled trans rights, but it was also a direction to every parade float about what their float should be about. That’s not solidarity. That’s policing,” he told Star Observer.
Stahel accused Pride in Protest of using “classic entryism” to divide the community and force a political agenda into what should be an inclusive celebration.
“They want to fundamentally change Mardi Gras into a narrow shouting match,” he said.
Accusations of Harassment and Intimidation
In their email to members, the co-chairs also alleged that Board members and staff had been subjected to targeted online abuse, a coordinated email campaign, and harmful misinformation.
“Targeting or attempting to pressure staff or the Board is not acceptable,” Pavlich and Delisle stated.
“Such actions do not align with the values we uphold as a community organisation.”
This comes after Pride in Protest circulated a template email encouraging members to write to the Board demanding stronger public support for trans rights and urgent legislative reform.
“If the Board won’t come to the table because emails from trans people are too ‘intimidating’, then we need to force them to engage,” said Evan Gray, the Pride in Protest spokesperson who moved Resolutions 2 and 5.
Board Reaffirms Support for Trans Communities
Despite the backlash, the Board maintains it has a strong track record of supporting trans and gender-diverse communities.
“Our actions speak clearly: expanded trans-led programming, inclusion of trans and First Nations events in Mardi Gras+, and ongoing advocacy,” Pavlich and Delisle said in a statement to Star Observer.
“Any suggestion that Mardi Gras is transphobic ignores our values, our actions, and our sustained commitment to trans communities.”
The Board has acknowledged the right of members to call an EGM but reiterated that “governance by intimidation or misinformation” will not be tolerated.
