People from across the country descended on the heart of the central desert for a weekend of glitter, dancing and drag.
Starting as a homage to celebrate 25 years since the making of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the FABalice Festival evolved into what organisers hoped would be an event to celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community.
Now in its third year, familiar faces took centre stage with veteran drag queen Vogue Megaqueen commenting it is a “fabulous way to bring the community together”.
“The diverse community get to come together and have a party and just have a really good time,” she told SBS News.
“We’re able to dress up and just be who we really want to be without any judgement or prejudice.”
The Darwin-based queen said the event has also helped to bring drag out of the clubs and into the streets for people of all ages to enjoy.
“It’s really great to perform for the kids because they’re the next generation coming up in the world, they’ll be our future leaders,” she said.
“So, it’s really good to teach them young that it’s ok to be whoever you want to be and to be able to express yourself.”
First Nations drag queen and FABalice ambassador Miscellaneous says performance and storytelling is already part of her culture.
Aneeta Bhole
For First Nations drag queen and ambassador for the event, Miscellaneous, storytelling and dancing has always been a part of her culture.
“I think with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we’re storytellers. We’ve always had dance and song as a part of our culture for over 80,000 years,” she told SBS News.
“So now as drag queens we’re just adding that element of glitter, big hair, big lips and bringing a contemporary twist on our culture and who we are.”
But as partygoers readied themselves for the weekend, another group raised concerns during the festival’s opening event in which a rainbow flag was raised outside the Alice Springs Police Station.
People from across the country have descended on the heart of the central desert for a weekend of glitter, dancing and drag.
Aneeta Bhole
As uniformed police officers raised the flag, a member of the LGBTIQA+ community was arrested during what protesters called a ‘peaceful demonstration’.
Meret MacDonald was escorted away from the event and handcuffed by police officers before being taken away in a caged paddy wagon.
“It is a spit in the face of the queer community here in Alice Springs to raise the rainbow flag on the cop shop,” Meret told SBS News during police questioning.
Fellow protestor Alice Goddard said she was ‘devastated’ to see her friend arrested.
Organisers hoped the event would be a way to unite emergency services with FABalice.
Aneeta Bhole
She added that the flag raising was an ’empty gesture’ and a direct contradiction to what event planners had said would “symbolise the union of the community”.
“I was protesting peacefully as the flag was being raised. I witnessed one of our fellow protestors being grabbed by the police and arrested,” she told SBS News.
“It felt like an empty gesture from the NT Police. There’s been no policy change, no truth telling, and nothing launched to mark the violence that I and many people in the queer community experience at the hand of the police.
Ms Goddard said that this small protest comes off the back of no communication with the event planners and she hopes organisers will reach out to make next year’s event more inclusive.
Another group raised concerns during the festivals opening event in which a rainbow flag was raised outside the Alice Springs police station.
Aneeta Bhole
“It’s been a dead end with FABalice who have not worked with the local community who have been here for longer since 2018 (when the event began),” she said.
“They do not celebrate what already exists. They do not integrate something that feels empty on many levels.
“We are more than just an economic benefit to this town. Our struggles should be at the forefront of such festivities rather than the money it brings into the town.”
The LGBTIQA + community has had a long history of protest, which has contributed to modern pride celebrations, including Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebrations.
Some protestors felt the events at FABalice were a commercialistion of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Aneeta Bhole
Ms Goddard said she and her fellow protestors had every right to be at the flag raising, even if it was in opposition of the event.
“We were hurt by this programming by Fabalice. When we saw this event, it conflicted with our daily lived experience with police,” she said.
“We showed up to say something which is what queer and gay people have been doing from time immemorial.
“If we don’t stand up for our rights, no one will. The NT Police certainly won’t.”
Northern Territory Assistant Police Commissioner Narelle Beer said she couldn’t comment on the incident but says the police work for the ‘whole community’.
Aneeta Bhole
Chair of the FABalice Festival Committee, Stuart Ord, said he had hoped the flag raising would unite the community.
“We’re trying to get a better link with police and emergency services and the committee, and I think that’s a positive thing,” Mr Ord told SBS News.
“We hoped the event would help people get a better understanding of diversity, the LGBTIQA+ sector and help kids who are dealing with issues related to their sexuality.
Mr Ord said there is an open line of communication between the committee and those who protested the event.
Partygoers say that protest has always been a part of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Aneeta Bhole
“I would love to open a dialogue with them. A couple of years ago when there was a small protest, I invited them to come and talk – and no one came and spoke,” he said.
“No one prior to this protest contacted me personally or anyone from the committee either to my knowledge.”
Northern Territory Police Assistant Commissioner Narelle Beer said she couldn’t comment on the incident but says the police work for the ‘whole community’.
“We have members in the force from the LGBTIQA+ community, so we work for everyone, not just certain parts of the community,” she told SBS News.
People at the event say it’s a great place to be yourself.
Aneeta Bhole
“If anybody doesn’t support respect, inclusivity, support and love – I think that’s really, really sad.
“To be invited to be part of such an amazing event, where it is just about respecting each other and who we are and how we live… to have anybody that would protest that is disappointing.”
Others celebrating FABalice said while they agree there is a long history of protest in the community, they believe the event to be inclusive.
FABalice started as a homage to celebrate 25 years since the making of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Aneeta Bhole
“If people choose to then withdraw and create self-imposed exclusivity that’s up to them, but it’s certainly not the majority of the sentiment I feel from being here,” said one partygoer.
“I mean from my perspective just seeing it and being here, it seems to look like everyone is having a good time,” said another.
The FABalice Festival ran from 12 – 14 March.
