Pride Culture Club is a social gathering of LGBTQIA+ staff, students, and allies who meet to share their passion for queer culture. We meet every two months to exchange recommendations, hear short presentations from members and invited guests, and attend cultural events in Sydney. We aim to platform works of art, film, music, and literature which depict and explore the diverse experiences of LGBTQIA+ people, as well as works by queer creators.
A joint initiative of the Pride Network and the Library’s LGBTQIA+ Ally Group, Pride Culture Club is free to join, and participation is open to all staff and students across the University.
Join our mailing list to receive updates or express interest in presenting at upcoming events.
Please note that all items on this list are derived from the recommendations of our members. The University of Sydney Library can only provide access to resources held in our collections.
Date: Thursday 27 April 2023
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Julie Sommerfeldt presented a selection of queer treasures from Rare Books and Special Collections.
Jeremy Smith talked us through his artwork Queer Sydney: A History, which was commissioned by the University Library in 2022 and now hangs proudly in the main stairwell of Fisher Library.
Professor Lee Wallace spoke about lesbian visibility and the Wachowskis' 1996 neo-noir crime thriller Bound.
Date: Thursday 29 June 2023
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PhD candidate Sasha Bailey took us on a tour of the glamour and drama of the television series Pose.
Acclaimed photographer William Yang presented a selection of his body of work chronicling the LGBTQIA+ subculture of Sydney in the 1970s and 1980s. Following his Pride Culture Club appearance, Yang generously gifted signed copies of his books to the Rare Books and Special Collections Library.
Date: Thursday 31 August 2023
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Kade Fenwick spoke about Chrissy Amphlett, the legendary frontwoman of Australian rock band Divinyls, and her impact on their own coming out journey.
Dominic Hearne spoke about the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, which is often credited with launching the LGBTQIA+ choral movement.
Levent Sahin spoke about Schitt's Creek, Heartstopper, and the power of depicting queer joy on television.
Chris Pepin-Neff spoke about their podcast Shark Bites and Gay Rights, which delves into the role of emotion in public policymaking.
Date: Thursday 26 October 2023
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Ren Kotapati spoke about androgynous and non-binary gender presentation in ancient icons and artefacts. After visiting the “Feared and Revered” exhibition at the Australian National Museum in Canberra, she was inspired to learn more about how LGBTQIA+ representation has changed over the years in historical art.
Anderson Chang presented a review of queer podcasts, including his own podcast We Have No Shame.
Daniel Smith spoke about the power of representation in storytelling, discussing some of the book titles that accompanied his coming out journey.
Date: Thursday 28 March 2024
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Joanna Lamb and Ali Asghar Shah shared their experiences as co-founders and directors of EnQueer, Sydney's only writers' festival dedicated to queer voices. After a highly successful virtual debut in 2021, EnQueer has showcased over 120 queer writers at in-person festivals and events, including Sydney WorldPride in 2023.
Hugh O'Keefe shared stories from his two memoirs, Palely Loitering and Telling Tales. Hugh is a legend of the LGBTQIA+ community of 1960s-80s Sydney, during which time he juggled two careers: primary school teacher and entertainer. He is perhaps most well known as the resident pianist at the iconic Albury Hotel's cocktail lounge. Following his Pride Culture Club appearance, Hugh generously gifted signed copies of his books to the Rare Books and Special Collections Library.
Date: Thursday 24 April 2024
Theme: Lesbian Day of Visibility poetry salon
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Pride Network co-chair Lily Stokes opened the evening with a reading of Sappho's Fragment 31, sometimes known as the Ode to Anactoria.
PhD candidate Alexandra Pinkham delivered a presentation on "lesbian poetry's OG" Sappho, including a close analysis of Fragments 1 and 31.
Fiona Lawrence gave a touching reading of a poem that they read at their wedding to spouse Liz Kenna.
Phoebe Adams recited three of Emily Dickinson's poems from memory.
Sally Chik shared an original poem exploring her coming out journey.
We were treated to a variety of impromptu readings (including original compositions) during the open mic segment of the evening.
Date: Thursday 30 May 2024
Theme: Qtopia excursion
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Spanning four distinct sites, Qtopia is the largest centre for queer history and culture anywhere in the world. Following its much-anticipated opening in February 2024, Qtopia Sydney launched a series of exhibitions guided by five major themes: HIV/AIDS, human rights, sexuality and identity, media representation, and First Nations stories. Pride Culture Club members were treated to a private tour of Qtopia Sydney’s inaugural exhibition program conducted by Curatorial Director George Savoulis and visual artist and curator Jeremy Smith.