Oxford Street Precinct Business Pride Charter Aims To Bring The Community Together
Image: Image: Matt Akersten
A new pride business charter has been launched in Sydney in an effort to ensure Sydney’s Oxford Street maintains its queer image and rich history.
In collaboration with the City of Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Independent Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich and representatives from the Oxford Street Pride Steering Committee (OSPSC), the charter aims to ensure the visibility of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people and increase awareness of any issues that are important to the community.
On Tuesday, June 6, Moore and Greenwich met with local businesses, community members and OSPSC representatives as they officially launched the Oxford Street Precinct Business Pride Charter.
Moore hopes that this charter will “serve to safeguard the identity and culture of the precinct.”
“Oxford Street is unique to Sydney and has long been recognised as the heart of Sydney’s LGBTIQA+ culture and communities,” she told the Star Observer.
“In order to maintain this status, the charter has been developed as a united voice against homophobia and transphobia – a grassroots, community approach to keeping the precinct safe and inclusive.”
“It outlines the expectations of the communities, to current and future operators, that Oxford Street should remain lively, diverse and inclusive.”
Charter Is Essential
CEO BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, Shane Sturgiss has hailed the charter as essential with the ongoing rise of attacks against the LGBTQ+ community, along with the “racial profiling of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
“After the glamour and excitement of WorldPride coming to Sydney, the fallout and decline in acceptance is heartbreaking,” Sturgiss said.
“As a community, we need to ensure that the same WorldPride feeling of excitement and acceptance is felt every day of the year – we start by building safe spaces and we don’t stop until we have created safe communities.”
“A small gesture from businesses in this precinct can have a significant effect on people’s lives, acknowledge their worth, create a feeling of safety and bring [the] community together.”
The charter’s membership is open to all businesses, arts and community organisations, educational institutions and property owners operating out of and servicing Oxford Street.
