Hi and Happy Mardi Gras everyone 
......Please share your experience of the day/evening, it would be awesome to hear about it all. 
All the best and have a fantabulous time
here are some pics on Shanes facebook. I'm sure there will be more to follow soon.
This is an event that I will always remember. It's Monday lunchtime and I'm still very emotional about it, I find myself feeling low because at the end of the march, it suddenly just stops, and I didn't want it to. Sharing this experience with a group of people that mean so much to me has moved me to tears (not in public though). So much of my attension was focused on the night that to go back to my normal routine seems small somehow, and will take a bit of time.
Nothing could have prepared me for this march. The atmosphere was so charged with celebration, all I could think of to do was shout "We love you" to the sea of Sydney faces lining the street, and I saw many expressions change...I don't think alot of them were used to hearing that. It will be a long wait until next year, but I know it will be worth it.
I think it is not unusual shane to have such a variety of emotions.....leading up to....during ....and for several days afterwards. Being so involved in the organisation as you were.....brings added stresses and feelings. It becomes such a focus for many days leading up to the event.
As I said on Friday night........participating in the parade can be a profound spiritual experience. I dont think we are the same people at the end of the parade that we were at the beginning.
Here is a link to my photos of F2b at Mardi Gras 09.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018898&id=1105830196&saved#/album...
I had a fabulous time - thanks to all who marched.
Thanks for sharing all these great photos. I loved looking through them all.
i think there are more to come
when you are looking and you know how to tag....please do so....this increases Freedom 2 b[e]s visibility in the public space.......awareness creating is important.
thanks
For years I longed to be in the Mardi Gras parade. Seeing all the floats
with people having fun and coming together as one to celebrate a common
theme. But for a young gay boy growing up in the Western Suburbs of
Sydney, this was never to become reality. I was not close to this
community, and I was ashamed of the feelings that I had. Granted, when
coming out I was one of the lucky ones. I could have not asked for more
support from my family and friends, and without their encouragement for
me to be who I am, I would most likely be a different person
Today, as a gay man, I am proud to be who I am. I am in a relationship
with the most wonderful man I could ever hope for. He truly is a
blessing from God. My choice to march this year was to not only be with
my partner, but to stand by him. I have never been a religious person,
however his journey is also my journey and I wanted to show my support
for equality and acceptance. There were points when times were tough for
him, but I didn't want to turn my back. If this was a path which we were
going to take, I wanted to take it together.
So it is ironic that the path that was walked was right up the middle of
Oxford Street. What other way to say "I am a gay person, I choose to
love God, so love me"? Marching with my partner made me feel as though
we were taking another step together in the right direction.
Before, during and after the parade I felt one emotion - proud. Proud
for many reasons. Proud to be marching with my partner, proud to be
marching with a fantastic group of people, and proud to be marching for
such a worthwhile cause.
Yes, I am a gay man, but that doesn't change what I want out of life. I
want to be seen as an equal, do my best to succeed and I want to be in a
monogamous relationship. I want to grow old with the one I love and
share many more experiences together.
I feel as though I am on my way to achieving all the above. Freedom
2b[e] is a part of the journey and I will embrace what it stands for.
Not only for what it can teach me, but for how it can provide support
for the one I love.
Phillip Broughton
13th March 2009
i'm glad you posted Phillops testimonial Nick.....it was very moving.
I just wanted to thank all of you for Mardi Gras
Like Phillip I had never marched before, but I've seen the parade a few times.
I knew that this time I wanted to be on the other side of the fence, being proud and being cheered at. And since Penny and Natasha saw my question at gaychristian.net I got a spot with all of you.
I have seldom had so much fun. You are all a great group of ppl and I'm sure that God is proud of all of us for being there that day, showing his amazing grace...
I wanna fly down next year and join you all agian then. (the flights looks like they are getting cheaper even...)
God Bless you all
Howie
it was great to meet you Howie and have you with us......anytime.
One of these days, one of these days...... I will get to mardi gra and would love to march with the freedom crowd.
hey Tez......look at this last post....hehe
Dear all at Freedom2B[e].
Have a great pre-meeting tonight and the most wonderful experience in the parade tomorrow. I cannot make it this year, and I know that I will miss it very much.
AVB is spot-on when he says what you are before the parade is not what you are at the end.
I marched last year for the first time, and I have retrieved my comment as a newbie, which I did not post at the time as I was not in the forum yet.
So here it is, for all, but especially for the people marching for the first time. It's an experience not to be missed:
'I participated in the parade because I wanted to affirm my life, to be among friends and to feel that I belonged.
Coming up to the day, I started to feel nervous and anxious, did not know what to expect.
This was my first time and it has been an awesome experience. There was a lot of love, happiness and peace and I felt that there should be more of this in the world. I was not prepared for the impact of the crowd. There was love and goodwill flowing between the different groups, and to and from the marchers and the crowd, and the welcome and the cheers acted as validation and empowerment. It has been an experience of recognition, validation and celebration of diversity'.
Lots of love to all of you!
Sounds fantastic.
Does anyone know if any of the 100Revs marched?
I hope so.
Being a first timer marching in the 2009 Mardi Gras, the 2 words that would best describe the experience are Celebration and Affirmation
I was overwhelmed by the crowd lining the streets - OMG - most of these people were cheering and showing their support for everyone marching, including Freedom2b[e] 
The camaradre between us was fantastic, and it was just awesome to see everyone enjoying the atmosphere. The sign that I was carrying throughout the parade said I Choose Life - for me a potent reminder that not so long ago I was very depressed and had actually considered suicide. Let us hope that message, and other messages proudly carried by other Freedom2brs last night reach those in need of our encouragement and support. Definitely one of the most (if not the most) affirming and accepting experiences of my life.
I bring you the gift of these 4 words: I believe in you
Blaise Pascal - French Scientist and Philosopher
You must look into other people as well as at them
Lord Chesterfield - British Peer and Statesman
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