WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED
The Rainbow Community Angels is the community-led safety initiative based in Victoria, launched in May 2023. Your support enables us to train and support LGBTIQA+ people and allies to take part in peaceful actions to support community safety at inclusive events like Drag Storytime and rainbow formals for LGBTIQA+ young people , currently being targeted as part of a broader rise in transphobia and homophobia in Australia and beyond.
WHO WE ARE
Founding project organisers include experienced LGBTIQA+ advocates, drag queens, trans and gender diverse people and rainbow families. Anyone who supports our aims and ways of working will be welcome to join us.
HOW WE WORK
Rainbow Community Angels:
- Train and support LGBTIQA people and allies to take part in our actions.
- Offer our presence to Councils, libraries, cafes etc organising LGBTIQA+ inclusive events.
- Work with their staff to increase event safety through our highly visible, peaceful, supportive community presence.
- Provide safe passage for everyone to participate in these events in their community.
WHAT WE DO AT EVENTS
People can participate in a range of ways:
- Some will wear magnificent angel wings, shielding people entering the event from seeing any hostile protesters who are present.
- Some will act as marshals, assisting with communication and safety for Rainbow Community Angels, event staff and participants.
- Some will liaise as needed with media, event organisers and others.
- Community call outs will be promoted via Facebook when events are under threat and we need more people to build a beautiful rainbow gathering.
WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE
Through our actions we aim to:
- Empower LGBTIQA+ people to stand up for our right to safety, visibility and equality.
- Support the efforts of Councils, small businesses and others to include and celebrate LGBTIQA+ people and our families in their communities.
- Help provide safety for LGBTIQA+ artists, community members and families to take part.
Angels: a proud LGBTIQA+ tradition
Angels have become a proud peaceful LGBTIQA+ tradition.
- The first were classmates of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man murdered in Colorado in 1998. They used their Angel wings to shield his family and community from homophobic protesters at his murderers’ trial.
- In 2016, Angels shielded mourners at the funerals of Orlando nightclub shooting victims, again shielding them from homophobic protesters.
- In 2017 in Melbourne, Angels welcomed LGBTIQA+ youth to the Minus 18 Queer Formal in St Kilda, when homophobes threatened to picket it (they stayed away).