Sistagirls do Mardi Gras: Indigenous trans community crowdfunds for pride parade
Imagining a world without diversity, culture and the full rainbow of gender identities is a very dull prospect. Recognising and celebrating the expression these human values makes us healthier and stronger.
A world without the colourful and ecstatic celebration that is Australia's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras? No thanks.
Cue the Tiwi Sistagirls. A transgender community of around 40 who reside in the Tiwi Islands, a small group of islands around 100km north of Darwin and officially part of the Northern Territory.
The Sistagirls -- who have given themselves this name, as a sign of self-respect and the desire to shun a western label -- have overcome many challenges to create for themselves a vibrant and supportive network where they now feel confident and safe.
Now they've have set themselves a new challenge: Making a 3,212 kilometre (that's 1195 miles) journey to Sydney, joining LGBTQ communities from all around Australia in the 2017 Sydney Mardi Gras – one of the world's biggest pride parades. The Sistas crowdfunded. Now they're here.
Though relatively close to the mainland of Australia, the Tiwi Islands have a unique Indigenous culture in comparison to the Aboriginal cultures and traditions of their closest neighbours. You can see it in their art and within their Dreaming.
Growing up in such a close-knit community of around 3,000 people -- who hold not only their own culture close, but also Catholicism -- coming out as a Sistagirl was never going to be easy.
Senior Sistagirl Sean Kerinainua, who lives in the community of Wurrumiyanga, recalls the experience of coming out as tough.
Above: A scene featuring senior Sistagirl, Crystal Love, from the documentary Sistagirl.
"My experience coming out to my family first was challenging until they were educated. We are all Catholic on the island, so that made it harder, they say it's taboo to be gay if you are Catholic," Sean told Mashable.
"My Mum, knowing that she has a transgender child in her family went on to seek education and pass it on to my father, who was strictly the dominant male in my family line. My family now embrace the LGBTQI community."
Sadly, this acceptance did not come as easy for other members of the Sistagirl community. Due to consistent verbal abuse and prejudice, several Sistagirls took their own lives in 2003 to 2004.
"It is the priority in our life that culture is a must for us," said Sean.
Knowing that there was a desperate need for education and acceptance within the Tiwi community, and to prevent any more similar tragedies, the Sistagirls organised a special ceremony in 2008 to both honour the lives and the struggles of those who had passed on, and also let the community know that enough was enough.
"The main focus was saying that for too long we have been discriminated against and not accepted in community. We said 'The more we don't stand together, the more family members you will lose who identify as Sistagirl, gay or lesbian.' Since that time, the main thing that is good is that there have been no suicides," Sean said.
Since that time, there has been a wider acceptance of what it means to be a Sistagirl living in a traditional society. Culture still comes first. "It is the priority in our life that culture is a must for us, if we don't have our culture, we don't identity ourselves within the community itself," said Sean.
And when it comes time to dance at ceremony, Sistagirls are able to choose whether they dance a male or female part. It's a change that they would like to see extend further in to their everyday lives, especially in the area of healthcare.
"There is still stigma towards us receiving health services. It's very hard to access. If girls want to transition, it's hard to access hormone treatment. Having STI screenings we still have to use the male side. In the future we would like there to be services for all. Especially for the young ones coming up. We want them to have physical and emotional well-being," said Sean.
More senior Sistagirls take on a nurturing role now. "The most important thing that we do to keep ourselves strong as Sistagirls is coming together every Thursday, Sunday and Monday at the beach, we gather round, we bring food, we come and share it amongst each other. We sing traditional songs, we have traditional dancing, this kind of bonding strengthens us to empower ourselves within the wider community as well."
The Sistagirls will now experience this bond beyond their own community by travelling to Sydney for the 2017 Mardi Gras, where they will celebrate with pride of place among the country’s wider LGBTQ groups.
"Mardi Gras is such an inclusive place. I think it will be overwhelming and a culture shock for us, coming from a really small community … to thousands and thousands of people in Oxford Street!" Kerinainua says, "[Being involved] will give us confidence in ourselves."
What many of us take for granted, the Sistagirls will experience for the first time
"Our ideal life would one day be for one of the girls to walk in the community with their partner, to be able to walk down the road holding hands with their partner. Our community have accepted us for who we are but that other part is missing, that connection with a soul mate."
UPDATE: March 3, 2017, 2:33 p.m. AEDT Updated to reflect the Sistagirls's successful crowdfunding campaign.
Topics LGBTQ
Jerico Mandybur is the editor of Mashable Australia. Previously, she worked as a digital editor at SBS, Oyster Mag, MTV and ASOS. Tweet her at @jerico_m.
