• Williamstown, Altona, Laverton Star

By Mara Pattison-Sowden

9th February 2010 11:05:27 AM

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Proudly gay … Sparklette “Oh La Roo”, above, checks out the mirror while “Bubbles”, right, entertains the crowd. 42420

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THE SPARKLETTES stole the show at the Midsumma Festival’s GOwest forum last week.

More than 100 people attended the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer community forum on Wednesday and brought up a range of issues and ideas that will be presented to Hobsons Bay City Council in a formal report.

Sparklette members - Oh La Roo, Bumpa Love and Bubbles International - enjoyed performing their song and dance routines, but also got to have their say.

Safety and visibility were the top issues for the GLBTIQ community, with some members expressing concern over holding hands with their same-sex partner in public.

Bumpa Love said a “gay-bourhood watch” would be a good idea and it was time to see legislative change in Australia for gay marriage.

“We are so far behind other countries such as England and New Zealand with the acceptance of civil ceremonies for same-sex partners,” Bumpa Love said.

Oh La Roo said as drag queens they can “put the gay presence out there”.

Forum members said they would like to see more awareness in the health system – such as “not assuming we’re all heterosexuals” – and that homophobia should be challenged in schools and aged services.

“We should be normalising younger people and presenting everyone in the community,” said one forum member, who suggested school brochures should include pictures of same-sex couples with their children.

Other suggestions included having gay role models supported at schools, challenging the flippant use of the word “gay” within the younger generations and having age-appropriate activities and events for the GLBTIQ community.

Forum members said GLBTIQ newspapers should be easily accessible in public places, and the council itself should take part in training in GLBTIQ issues.

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