‘Courage on display’ in Qtopian ideals at new Sydney museum
HIV/AIDS survivor David Polson committed to making Qtopia a reality ever since he learnt of the vision of his late doctor, David Cooper AC, to launch an AIDS museum in Sydney.
Rebbell Barnes, the youngest person to be thrown into the old Darlinghurst police station during the 1978 protests, says the new queer history museum that has taken its place is exactly where it should be.
“Some 78ers don’t agree that’s where (the museum) should have been put. I believe it should have been … We’ve now taken over your police station and turned it into a museum for gay communities,” Mr Barnes told The Weekend Australian.
Reclaiming Darlinghurst police station for Qtopia, the largest home of queer history and culture in the world, was a sentiment shared by many others including retired swimmer Ian Thorpe.
“To be able to reclaim a space that was filled with hate towards the gay community is wonderful, to be able to restore it to something we can celebrate,” he said.
Three levels of government – Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore – posed together on a red carpet rolled out for the occasion. They stood beside Sarah Murdoch, who with her husband, News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch, donated $1m through their foundation.
Almost 400 other guests happily crammed into a theatre space at the National Art School for the official opening ceremony.
“Today, as I went through the magnificent Qtopia facilities, my thoughts went back to the 78ers … but also to people who I grew up with politically. People like Paul O’Grady, the first ‘out’ politician in Australia … (which) took enormous courage at that time,” the Prime Minister said on Friday.
“I pay tribute to those in the community who went out there and showed leadership. Who gave practical, real examples of just celebrating who they were, and suffered because of it.”
Mr Minns lauded the “courage on display” among the 17 immersive exhibits, including a memorial to those who died during the AIDS epidemic, and exhibitions on transgender history and queer media.
“(It’s) a chance to tell one of the great Australian stories … it’s the story of the underdog. People who fought against the system, took on all of the odds and, in the process, somehow changed the world,” the Premier said.
HIV/AIDS survivor David Polson committed to making Qtopia a reality since he learned of the vision of his late doctor, David Cooper AC, to launch an AIDS museum in Sydney.
“I had my next mission. David would get his AIDS memorial,” Mr Polson said. “(And) here we all are, at the opening of Qtopia Sydney. A place of memory, celebration and education. Something far more ambitious than David would imagine but I think he would approve.”
Among others, Mr Polson thanked “David Cooper, for saving my life, and his wife, Dorrie, for telling me about his vision”.
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