This article was originally published by the Star Observer. You can find the original article here.
The committee from Pride Adelaide have put out a statement calling out online hate and bigotry, after they organisation and its supporters have faced a flurry of “deeply disturbing and vitriolic” hate comments in response to South Australia’s annual Pride celebrations over the weekend.
Over the weekend, Adelaide celebrated their annual Pride March and a post-march street party called Poppin Out (in collaboration with iconic Adelaide LGBTQIA+ venue Mary’s Poppin), which made history as South Australia’s largest-ever single-day Pride event.
On social media, the South Australian pride group posted a formal statement calling out the hate they’ve been facing, reading:
“Following the enormous success of Pride March this past Saturday, we are deeply concerned to witness the surge of online bigotry and blatant homophobia.
“Pride Marches are a powerful reminder of our right to live authentically and without fear, honouring the progress made while standing resolute against ongoing discrimination. They exist because our community has faced—and still faces— immense challenges that should never be ignored or dismissed…
You can read the full statement here:
Committee agreed they ‘had to speak up’ about LGBT hate comments
Pride Adelaide, speaking to Star Observer, said that they unanimously agreed to make a formal statement about surge in online hate they were facing.
“Our recent statement was prompted by an alarming increase in hateful and homophobic comments that surfaced online following Pride March this past Saturday,” they said.
“The language in some of these comments has been deeply disturbing and vitriolic. For example, we’ve received messages referring to our community as “filthy” and accusing us of promoting a ‘pedophile parade’. Others have suggested that children ‘shouldn’t have to see this shit’.”
“This wasn’t something we were prepared to stand for, and the committee unanimously agreed we needed to speak up.
The committee explained that they’d witnessed a rise in ‘vitriolic’ anti-LGBTQIA+ comments not only on their own social media, but on the pages of a number of organisations and companies that were supporters the Pride March.
“Not only have other organisations had to restrict comments or remove them entirely (SA Government Facebook) but other organisations such as RAA, SA Ambulance and many others have been targeted also for their commitment to equality. Just today, we’ve been contacted by two event organisers who were fearful of the backlash and the impact or affect it would have on their event,” Pride Adelaide told Star Observer.
Pride Adelaide calls for South Australia’s LGBT community to stand together
The group said that the hate comments highlight the reason we still need Pride marches, and they’re calling for the South Australian LGBTQIA+ community and its allies to stand together in the face of this.
“This kind of hate speech is not just offensive; it’s a clear reflection of the prejudice and dangerous misconceptions that the LGBTQIASB+ community still faces,” Pride Adelaide spokesperson Dave Newman explained to Star Observer.
“These comments illustrate exactly why Pride events are essential—because they allow us to stand tall and proud in the face of hate, affirming our right to exist openly and without fear. The visibility created by Pride March is vital to challenging these toxic beliefs and showing that our community deserves respect, inclusion, and love.
“We think this needs to be highlighted and we’re really calling on the community to stand together. For 51 years our community has fought for the right to exist, and to live our lives here in South Australia and it’s moments like this that make you really wonder how much longer do we have to fight to be treated equal.”
