Sydney’s rally in support of same-sex marriage was the largest demonstration in favour of marriage equality the country has ever seen, with organisers saying more than 30,000 people attended.
Crowds spilled out of Town Hall Square in central Sydney, out across George Street and made exiting Town Hall station difficult for a time.
The atmosphere at the rally was one of celebration, despite the seriousness of the subject and the pain and anger being expressed by some of the speakers and attendees.
What a turn out for love in Sydney today! Amazing effort folks #marriageequality #chooselove #voteyes #greens #lovewillwin pic.twitter.com/q5o7Dir9eX
— Jenny Leong MP (@jennyleong) September 10, 2017
It's time for #MarriageEquality pic.twitter.com/GiwmhNH1Co
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) September 10, 2017
Before the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, and the deputy opposition leader, Tanya Plibersek, took to the podium, the audience was wowed by Tim Blackman, a young Indigenous teacher from a school in Mount Druitt.
“We are here to say the message of equality and acceptance is centred around a very simple, very easy 13-letter word: ‘yaaaaaaaaaaas’,” he said to laughter and applause from the audience.
As a member of the NSW Teachers Federation, he said thousands of teachers around the country were fighting for the rights of their LGBTI+ students – “your right to be who you are, your right to attend a safe school and your right to be fabulous”.
Sally McManus, the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, spoke of union branches opening their doors to marriage equality campaigners to run phone campaigns and of unionised tradies covering over homophobic graffiti with rainbows.
“We do this because our hearts beat with equality,” McManus said. “It’s what we believe in. We believe in a simple thing – an injury to one of us is an injury to all of us. When one part of our human family hurts, when one part of our human family is not equal it diminishes every single one of us.”
Before the speeches began, the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Choir entertained the waiting crowds with songs about marriage.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian choir at the Marriage Equality Rally. 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/CPopxIEsIe
— Michael Slezak (@MikeySlezak) September 10, 2017
During the speeches, the crowd appeared determined but jovial, with serious points interspersed with jokes, and throughout the speeches a large rainbow beach ball bounced around the audience.
There's one hell of a party atmosphere here at the rally. 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/S4fPHNmT1p
— Michael Slezak (@MikeySlezak) September 10, 2017
Michelle D’Croix and Tammy Ward attended the rally with Michelle’s dog, Guapa.
“My best friend, who is a gay male, has two children with a female couple and they’re marching today – I think their parents should be recognised,” Ward said. She said she was attending also for the “good atmosphere” and for people to “gain awareness that you don’t have to be gay to be marching today”.
“There’s enough hate – just be nice to people,” Ward said.
Michelle, Tammy and Guapa (the doggo) attending the rally today. 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/XtTWvydX1E
— Michael Slezak (@MikeySlezak) September 10, 2017
Paige Murphy, 24, and Benjamin Derome, 25, attended the rally together, both saying they were there to “support friends and community”.
“It is quite overwhelming – a great turnout,” Murphy said.
She said she was worried that not all marriage equality supporters would return their survey forms.
“I think with a lot of young people we need to encourage everyone to send their votes back. Because it’s not a compulsory vote, not everyone might send their vote back and get a say at all.”
Paige (24) and Benjamin (25) came to the rally today and say they're worried other young people won't post their ballots. 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/3fUo3Jxp4p
— Michael Slezak (@MikeySlezak) September 10, 2017
Standing room only @ Coalition 4 Marriage event in Melbourne on now @LyleShelton @kevinandrewsmp #auspol #voteNO pic.twitter.com/YYZYslyVg9
— Dan Flynn (@DFlynnVic1) September 9, 2017
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