Key Points
- The reopening rate of LGBTQI+bars, venues and events in NSW was 93 per cent
- NSW had the most resilient LGBTQI+ community in the world.
- There is still a need to fund marginalised and regional population
Faux Fur, known as 'Sydney's loudest but not the baddest queen', decided to go into full-time drag shortly before the COVID pandemic hit Australia in 2020.
A drag queen is an entertainer who often identifies as a man, but dresses up and portrays a woman in a flamboyant manner.
Faux said health restrictions hugely impacted Australia's LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex+) community and the entertainment industry.
"But I did not let COVID stop me from doing what I love the most," Faux told SBS.
The Vietnamese drag queen decided to use the lockdown period to hone skills and build a following.
Faux launched a weekly Instagram live show, Faux Mondays, where community members were interviewed and invited to share their stories and art.
"I chose Monday as I knew I would be able to carry on the show even after lockdown lifted and clubs and bars reopened."
Post-COVID, Faux has been able to take their show to all over Oxford Street and the surrounds bars like ARQ, Universal, POOF DOOF and Stonewall to name a few.
A new study showed 93 per cent of the 56 bars, venues, and events that support the gay communities in the Greater Sydney region have reopened.
Only six venues and events, namely Signal, Slide, The Slyfox, Green Park Hotel, Sydney Hellfire Club, and the Wollongong Queer Arts Festival, were permanently closed.
But two new events have opened. They are Far South Coast Rainbow Waves Festival (Bega Valley) and Summer Camp Festival.
The study defined 'gay bar' as an encompassing range of corner bars, piano bars, leather bars and discos, underage gay dances and drag shows.
"Our study revealed Sydney has one of the most resilient LGBTIQ+ communities in the world," said University of Sydney's senior lecturer Dr Chrisris Pepin-Neff.
He led the first phase of the study exploring the impact of COVID-19 on gay communities in NSW.
Dr Chris Pepin-Neff will be parading the Mardi Gras in the Amnesty International float Credit: Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy
Globally, gay bars are struggling, but in Sydney, they are thrivingDr Pepin-Neff
He attributed the slow death of gay and lesbian bars worldwide to the global financial crisis (2007-2008), followed by the pandemic and a shift towards online social engagement.
He said Sydney's LGBTIQ+ community helped gay and gay-related businesses to rebound.
"People decided that they will stick together and support local business."
The Australian government's JobKeeper program and NSW's COVID-19 business grant also helped the businesses to bounce back.
"In the US, communities were not supported the way NSW business communities were supported," Dr Pepin-Neff said.
Slower regrowth
The study, however, showed a slower regrowth for gay bars and events compared to other entertainment and hospitality businesses in NSW.
"Some of this is perhaps attributable to the prevalence of more gay drinking and entertainment venues than restaurants. However, establishments that serve food showed the strongest growth of all three sub-sectors," the study noted.
The study further noted that regional gay communities had fewer resources and were slower to reopen.
But Dr Pepin-Neff expects things to improve with the LGBQTI+ community revitalised.
"The Mardi Gras parade coming back to Oxford Street is a cherry on top," he said
"Losing Mardi Gras was one of the most socially challenging elements of COVID."
'Drag queen' Faux is excitedly preparing for the Mardi Gras parade as it returns to Sydney on 25 February.
Coinciding with , the parade will be the biggest ever, with over 200 floats and 12,500 marchers expressing their passion and advocating for equal rights.
Faux will be in a float with Australia's iconic drag queens.
"For me, who came from nothing to work with these legendary queens, it's insane," Faux said.
While the drag industry is back, Faux said the scene is "still working hard together to bounce back to pre-covid levels".
"We are all working harder than ever, working more closely as a community with a common goal than ever before, and using our creativity more than ever to rebuild the industry and our safe spaces since COVID."
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