“In 2018, being a member of Russ Gluyas’s LOVE Project and a Committee Member (later in 2018 became Treasurer) of Mature Age Gays (MAG), I became aware of ACON’s considerable and determined work for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the Gay and Transgender Hate Crimes over the decades. I was a victim of a violent four-hour crime in January 1972, which has left me with a debilitating fear of heights. I did not report the crime to the police, and only admitted what had happened to me in January 1999.
I made a submission to the above-mentioned inquiry in 2018, and at the time ACON’s Michael Atkinson gave me very valuable and thoughtful assistance in making that submission. Previously in 2017, I had told Duncan McNab my story over meetings at Tropicana on Victoria Street, and my story became a chapter in his book on these Hate Crimes.
In 2019, LOVE Club’s Russ Gluyas had informed attendees at his meeting that a theatre director Shane Anthony wished to present a theatre work about the Gay and Transgender Hate Crimes, and those who had been victims were given the opportunity to participate in the creating of this work. I participated, and it was a truly memorable experience of being in one of ACON’s congenial Meeting Rooms talking to Shane.
Shane Anthony’s theatre work ‘Our Blood Runs in the Streets’ was presented over a number of performances at the Old Fitz Theatre during the 2020 Mardi Gras Festival. I vividly remember being at a Sunday performance with others who had participated in the creating of this work, and for me it was so cathartic to hear my words which had saved my life, spoken by an actor, whom I had the privilege to meet over dinner after the performance. I express considerable appreciation to Russ Gluyas’s LOVE Club and ACON for that opportunity to see my young self on stage which has helped me so much in dealing with what happened to me when I was 20.
In 2022, LOVE Club’s Russ Gluyas had informed attendees that Milk Crate Theatre wished to work with the older LGBTQ+ community and the trauma suffered by simply being who you are. The resultant work was created by a duo, Wierdnest. This was a project of bi-monthly get togethers from March until early August, with the presentation being in August. I am able to share my story with others – gay, lesbian and transgender. For all of us, an opportunity that was given by ACON’s LOVE Club.”
