Major LGBTQ+ Pride organisation accused of silencing board members over trans rights

Two Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras members have accused the organisation of silencing them for supporting trans rights.

SGLMG directors, Luna Choo and Damien Nguyen, claimed its Board of Directors “completely stripped” the pair of their administrative accounts after they criticised its decision to reject a motion on trans rights.

The Pride organisation faced widespread criticism after announcing it would not uphold a set of resolutions proposed in November 2025 by members of the public during its annual general meeting.

One of the resolutions rejected by the Board of Directors called for the main focus of the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival to be the rights of transgender and non-binary people by “encouraging parade floats to show support for the trans community.”

Directors argued in a statement last Tuesday that the motion would restrict the “creative direction” of the parade’s participants and, it said, was “inconsistent with our standard application process.”

Days after the announcement, Nguyen and Choo claimed the Board had allegedly locked their official Mardi Gras email accounts after they expressed support for the member resolutions.

The pair had previously responded to a request from an individual urging the organisation to reaffirm its support for trans rights as several Australian provinces, including Queensland, have begun banning puberty blockers for trans youth.

In a set of emails sent on 16 January, seen by PinkNews, both Choo and Nguyen said that, while they could not speak “on behalf of the Board,” they unequivocally supported highlighting injustices against the community, while expressing personal support in implementing the member resolutions.

In her own email on the request, Choo wrote: “I agree with you that these resolutions are especially important now that the Northern Territory government has ceased public health access to puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones for people under the age of 18.”

In a joint email on Friday (23 January), both Choo and Nguyen again responded to the concerned individual, claiming they could not see replies because their administrative rights had been allegedly removed.

The pair added that they were “not permitted to disclose confidential board discussions” but that they would continue to “push and vote in support of agreed upon members’ resolutions on transgender rights.”

“Our Mardi Gras accounts have been unjustly locked just minutes after our last response to you,” they wrote. “We will keep you in the loop on whatever we believe we are allowed to when it comes to trans justice and equal rights.”

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras denies allegations as ‘completely false’

A spokesperson for the organisation’s Board of Directors denied the allegations in a comment to PinkNews, adding: “Any suggestion that access to official Mardi Gras email accounts may be restricted on the basis of views on trans rights is completely false.”

They added: “Access to email accounts is governed by directors’ obligations and established governances processes, not political or ideological positions. It is disappointing that internal governance matters are being misrepresented and politicised.”

The Board of Directors faced similar allegations by trans woman and former director, Charlie Murphy, who claimed she and other members faced “disciplinary action” for joining a queer rights protest in 2021.

Another former director, Skip Blofield, made similar accusations, claiming they were stood down in 2022, allegedly alongside other trans people and people of colour.

Luc Velez, a former Board director who stepped down in 2025, accused current directors of “suppressing dissent” and caving to Australian politicians who, he argued, have “no interest in standing up for the community.”

“The Mardi Gras Board has refused to use their platform to advocate for our community,” he added. “The Parade is the time of year when so many people are looking to and thinking about us queer folk.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to send a strong message to politicians – yet this Board is instead mobilising its resources to punish those directors who refuse to comprimise on trans rights.”