Capricornia LGBTQIA+ Collective to hold pride celebrations in Yeppoon

A Central Queensland woman and her friends have been inspired to organise pride celebrations on the Capricorn Coast and bring the LGBTQIA+ community together following Rainbow on the Reef’s celebrations in Gladstone. Full details.

While sharing a coffee with a friend in Yeppoon and discussing Rainbow on the Reef’s pride celebrations in Gladstone, a Central Queensland woman and her friends were inspired to organise pride celebrations of their own on the Capricorn Coast.

Lauren Beecroft, along with Jules Holland and Rachel Bycroft, started a Facebook page about a week ago called Capricornia LGBTQIA+ Collective.

“We are trying to bring people together in Yeppoon and Rockhampton to celebrate their community and let them know they are not alone,” Lauren said.

“When I first moved to Central Queensland there wasn’t really anywhere to go or events happening where you could meet other people.

Lauren Beecroft and Jules Holland at The Alley in Yeppoon. picture: Contributed

“We thought we need to do something since nothing was happening in Yeppoon.

“You can either wait around for something to happen or go and start doing it.”

Lauren, who identifies as lesbian, said she moved to Yeppoon about four years ago and found it “isolating” being part of the LGBTQIA+ community in Central Queensland.

“I didn’t really start my self-identity journey until I moved here,” she said.

“I really wanted to be able to meet other people in the community and have that support network and I didn’t find that very easily.

“(Coming out) was pretty difficult but it was a lot easier knowing I had supportive friends and family. I know some people don’t have that.

“If we can create a safe place for people that maybe don’t have that support and be a bit more visible then hopefully that can make someone else’s journey a little bit easier and less isolating.”

Pride celebrations will be held at The Alley in Yeppoon on Friday from 5pm.

“We are going to have some drinks, music and catch up as a community,” Lauren said.

“Anyone that identifies or is an ally is welcome to come along.

“Just show up and meet some other people.

“We are right at the beginning stages of figuring out what we want the collective to be and what it will look like moving forward.

“We just want to create a space for the community to come together and help us decide what we want to do moving forward and what the community needs.”

For more information, go to the Capricornia LGBTQIA+ Collective Facebook page.

Originally published as Capricornia LGBTQIA+ Collective to hold pride celebrations in Yeppoon