Bayley House celebrating Midsumma

Bayley House supports the rights of all people who identify as LGBTIQA+, the queer community, to be safe, included and supported in all our activities, either as clients, members of staff or part of the extended Bayley House family. We understand that, as the result of decades of sexuality and gendered bias, misunderstanding and at times violence towards people who identify as LGBTIQA+, we need to actively assert our commitment to addressing this imbalance.

Midsumma is Melbourne’s LGBTQIA+/queer festival and celebrates all things LGBTIQA+, embracing the wonderful diversity of interests and experience which the community embodies, and brings to the broader community. Pride March is one of the many events during Midsumma. But Pride has its roots in protest, when even in Australia such rights were denied and discrimination was the standard rather than the exception. We appreciate that many wonderful ‘success stories’ start out with protest as a necessary means to effect desperately needed change. The challenge is to find the balance between moving forward and celebrating that success but remembering the struggle and challenge required to achieve progress. This year’s Pride commemorates 40 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Victoria.

Bayley House wishes the queer community a wonderful, vibrant and inclusive Pride. Bayley House not just welcomes but celebrates the positives which our queer staff and clients bring to our family. We acknowledge we have more to do to ensure everyone in the queer community feels safe and welcome in our family and as one small step in this direction we are delighted to take this opportunity to confirm that our new and exciting Arts Hub facility, to be opened mid 2022, will include unisex toilets to ensure that everyone is comfortable and safe when using our space, regardless of their ability, gender or sexual identity.

Warwick Cavanagh

CEO Bayley House