nkoli

nkoli • Home • Investigations ◦ • News & Analysis ◦ • Features ◦ • Newsletters • Newspaper ◦ Hi there Thank you for your continued support. We wouldn't be here without you. Your Account • Edit Profile • Manage Membership • Log out Your Content • Newsletter Preferences • Ad Preferences • Saved Articles Maverick Life THEATRE Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera — it’s fierce, fabulous … and freaking fantastic Simbone Qonya as Simon Nkoli in 'Nkoli – The Vogue Opera', (Photo by Oscar O'Ryan) By Keith Bain Follow 15 Oct 2024 0 Philip Miller’s opera about gay Struggle icon Simon Nkoli is not only an artistic milestone, it is a fever dream of passionate storytelling, powerful activism and exhilarating music, singing and dancing. And it is 100% intent on dragging you along for the ride of your life. Listen to this article 8 min There are choral songs protesting against homophobia and powerful arias that’ll make your spine tingle. There are masterful melodies and fast-paced rapping rhythms that’ll make your head spin. A veritable whirlwind of lush music and uncontainable lyrics. And then there are the large-scale videos projected across the stage, the photos and newspaper cuttings, the soundbites seemingly broadcast from another era, and costumes that will blow your mind no matter how many drag shows you’ve seen. There are oodles of fine flesh, there are thrusting hips, there are the skimpiest skirts you’ve ever seen (paraded about by a trio of lads with covetable legs and endless energy), not to mention all the badass wigs, the crazy headgear, the masks and make-up, and the scene with a big rubber dildo wielded as a weapon. And there are, of course, those lyrics that every so often make you cock your head in disbelief. Nokuthula Magubane as activist Bev Ditsie leading a protest in a scene from ‘Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera’. (Photo: Oscar O’Ryan) There is the unwaveringly cool and sassy choreography of Llewellyn Mnguni, executed tirelessly by a bevy of ripped and toned dancers who seem not only to possess the energy of Olympic athletes but also the mind-boggling ability to dance up a storm wearing heels. These dancers transform regularly, too, easing their way through a rich repertoire of erotic fantasy characters. One moment they’re prison guards in leather chaps, the next they’re ripped male “nurses” in tight, white underpants adorned with a big red cross. There are clandestine hook-ups at Emmarentia Dam and illicit M2M encounters in parked cars, and there are people hiding — literally — in a closet. And there is the bold, defiant Simon Nkoli who refuses to spend his life in any kind of closet, metaphorical or otherwise. It’s Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera, and it’s naughty, sexy and fierce. Wondrous rhythms It is, first, an opera, with a score by Philip Miller that at moments makes you want to jump on your chair and dance along, swing your hips, thrust your fist into the air and toyi-toyi with the cast. It is enormously vibey at times, heart-stirringly upbeat and energetic, then understated and so beautifully controlled and intimate. It’s all done with a compact orchestra that rocks out to the challenging and wondrous rhythms that Miller has concocted to create an opera score unlike anything you’ve experienced. And then there are the voices, all of them immaculate, at times so heartfelt and honest, rich and tinged by truth, that I was moist around the eyes. Simbone Qonya as Simon Nkoli, with dancers, in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) Ann Masina as Simon Nkoli’s mother, Elizabeth, with dancers, in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) There is the simple, straightforward mechanism of the narrative, which is to convey the life story of Simon Nkoli, an under-remembered human rights activist who was born in Sebokeng in 1957 and spent his life crusading against apartheid and defying a system that made homosexuality illegal. His life is the backbone of the unfolding story; from his childhood, through his first flutterings of illicit romance, his imprisonment after the mid-1980s Delmas Treason Trial, organising South Africa’s first Pride march in Johannesburg, the part he played in getting gay rights enshrined in our Constitution, and his descent into hedonism and selfish self-destruction in the face of harrowing HIV. Played by the petite and powerful Simbone Qonya, what comes across most strongly is Nkoli’s fierce humanity and his humanness, his desire to live an unrestricted life. He is not some huge, monolithic warrior, he is an out-and-out human being with a man’s needs and wants, desires and faults. Nkoli is not portrayed as a saint and the storyline is as forthcoming about the chinks in his flesh-and-blood armour as it is about the almost random manner in which heroes are made, fashioned in response to the hurdles they’re faced with. As a tantalising foil for Qonya’s Nkoli, there’s the show’s vogue ballroom emcee, played by Niza Jay, who struts and preens, flutters eyelids, dons luscious outfits, sings, narrates and holds the storyline together by battle-rapping purest poetry (lyrics are by the rapper S’bo Gyre and are sharp as nails). All the while, Jay throws shade, slyly tilts a head at a just-so angle, cautions and questions with the merest of vocal inflections, adds mystique, irony and heavy dollops of sarcasm, and uses sing-song interjections to encourage the audience to engage more critically with the story that’s unfolding. Niza Jay as the emcee in yet another wig in ‘Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera’. (Photo: Oscar O’Ryan) Niza Jay as the Emcee in ‘Nkoli – The Vogue Opera’. (Photo by Oscar O’Ryan) Not only a narrator who helps the plot to move forward, this emcee is also a never-tongue-tied battle-crier who introduces each new scene like it’s a category in a ballroom battle or a new season at some wayward fashion show. We are gathered in the auditorium to witness ‘bitches’ slay, and there to help get the medicine down is a troupe of fearless dancers in delectably sexy, sassy outfits that deserve a show of their own. Even the corrupt apartheid-era cops and prison wardens are dolled up in the spiciest S&M-inspired leather-and-rubber gear, so you know that what you’re seeing is camp outrageousness, deployed as a way of revisiting history through a defiantly queer lens. No sacred cows There is no holding back, either. There are no sacred cows, no stones left unturned. Directors Rikki Beadle Blair and John Trengove have gone all-out to create an aura of anything goes — the effect being to make the very atoms in the theatre shimmer and shake so that it feels like you’re in an environment where absolutely anything can happen. And often it does. No one is censoring, moralising or otherwise standing in the way of these moffies, sissies, fairies, homos, pansies, queens and allies… It is a veritable orgy of sashaying, of glorious ballroom swagger, big dick energy and radical queer alchemy in all its sexy, sequinned splendour. Not only is it a wildly entertaining and boldly norm-defying show, but it is in many ways revolutionary, a work of theatrical extravagance that is both a tribute to one man and a celebration of gay life itself. It is a show that wants to dance and sing its way into your heart, and then have you scream its message from the rooftops, making you rise and go back into the world as an activist for the cause. And it urges you to resist complacency. Being staged during Pride Month, Nkoli also points fingers at the gay community’s own amnesia and refers to the transformation of Pride from what was once a protest action into what is today little more than a party and a parade. It is a reminder that the cause that Simon Nkoli and his comrades fought for remains relevant today, that we should never forget, and must never give up. Whatever its ambitions to change the world, it is like an enormous jolt of electricity, a show that crosses over from the realm of performance into a kind of transgressive ritual space where, by virtue of its very existence, it alters the fabric of reality. You will feel its power as you dance out of the theatre with your heart soaring, the blood in your veins on fire. DM Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera is at the Baxter’s Flipside Theatre until 19 October. Tickets are available on WebTickets. • drag show • Homophobia • Keith Bain • Llewellyn Mnguni • Opera • Philip Miller • queerness • reviews • Simon Nkoli • Theatre • theatre review You might also be interested in... 1 month ago THEATRE REVIEW Mthuthuzeli November — driven to create and push the boundaries of ballet Keith Bain 2 months ago THEATRE ‘Metamorphoses’ – A potent, playful reminder of the enduring wisdom of ancient myths Keith Bain 1 month ago FROM THE VAULT Michaela DePrince – ballet star who rose from the chaos of civil war in Sierra Leone – dies at 29 J Brooks Spector Comments - As a security precaution, please login in order to comment. No Comments, yet advertisement Don't want to see this? 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Bill Whittaker

Support Star Observer Fund Australia’s home of LGBTQ+ journalism News What’s on Arts & Entertainment Pride Directory Scene Photos In Print Advertise News Arts & Entertainment What’s on Trending Pride Directory About Advertise Scene Photos In Print Contact Terms & Conditions CLEAR HIV Advocate & Former Mardi Gras President Bill Whittaker Has Passed Away Community Heroes National News New South Wales News News Chloe Sargeant September 12, 2024 HIV Advocate & Former Mardi Gras President Bill Whittaker Has Passed Away Image: Images: Supplied & Powerhouse Museum / Youtube. Bill Whittaker, who was a longtime and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV, the first CEO of ACON, and the President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis, has sadly passed away. Whittaker’s determined work in the space of HIV and AIDS helped dictate Australia’s response to the AIDS crisis to this day, including how those with HIV can access lifesaving treatment. In the 1980s he helped pioneer harm minimisation strategies for the LGBTQIA+ community, which have “since become a cornerstone of Australia’s public health approach to HIV prevention. “His early work laid the foundation for many of the progressive policies that followed,” said Health Equity Matters and National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA). He also played a pivotal role in access to retroviral and lifesaving treatment for HIV in the 1990s, and in recent years he was instrumental in efforts to increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). HIV/AIDS community organisations honour legacy of Bill Whittaker Health Equity Matters and NAPWHA, the latter of which Whittaker was Special Representative on the Board of, released a statement this morning, expressing their deep sadness at the loss of Whittaker, “a visionary leader and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV”. “Bill Whittaker‘s journey with HIV began in the earliest days of the epidemic, before effective treatments were available. His personal experience fueled a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of those affected by HIV and shaping policy responses both in Australia and internationally. “Throughout his distinguished career, Bill held pivotal leadership roles in key organisations. He served as the first CEO of ACON (AIDS Council of New South Wales), a member organisation of Health Equity Matters, from 1986 to 1990. Upon stepping down from this position, Bill took on the role of President of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (now Health Equity Matters) from 1990 to 1992, and again from 2000 to 2003. He also served as a NAPWHA special representative from 2013 until the present day. These positions allowed him to drive significant advancements in HIV policy, treatment access, and community support.” “Bill Whittaker‘s passing is a profound loss to the HIV community in Australia and around the world. His legacy of compassion, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to health equity will continue to inspire and guide our work. From his early days as ACON’s first CEO to his later roles in national leadership, Bill’s impact on HIV policy and community support has been immeasurable.” Current CEO of ACON, Nicolas Parkhill, also gave a statement expressing his sadness at the passing of his organisation’s first CEO. “It is with great sadness that ACON notes the passing of Bill Whittaker – ACON’s first CEO and a giant in Australia’s HIV response. “Bill Whittaker was one of the key architects of Australia’s response to HIV/AIDS who worked in HIV community development, policy and strategy locally and internationally for nearly 40 years.He was also a prominent, passionate and pioneering gay activist who worked tirelessly to promote the health and human rights of LGBTQ communities,” said Parkhill. “Bill began his activism as a volunteer and then President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, where he acted to strengthen the organisation’s role in fighting for gay and lesbian rights and countering homophobia. He was President of Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis in Australia in the mid-1980s, which saw unrelenting attacks on LGBTQ communities and on the Mardi Gras itself… “In 1992, Bill was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to community health through HIV/AIDS organisations. “Bill was a fearless, devoted, brave and bold advocate. His work has improved the lives of tens of thousands of people here in Australia and around the world. He will be dearly missed, but never, ever, forgotten.” Whittaker was interviewed by the Powerhouse in Sydney in 2012, which outlines just some of his incredible work and impact: Whittaker‘s endlessly persevering work was pivotal in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and his contributions to Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community has spanned decades. His legacy of working to save LGBTQIA+ lives will stand the test of time, and our community owes him an enormous debt. The team at Star Observer express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Bill Whittaker. He and his significant impact on our community will be remembered for generations to come. Vale, Bill Whittaker. You May Also Like DesiQ: Bollywood Queer Dance Party To Rock Melbourne In November Read More » Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus The Rise Of Pride With The Melbourne Gay And Lesbian Chorus Read More » Gender revel Gala line up Gender Revel Gala with Transgender Victoria Read More » Sporties_ Join The Sportsman Hotel for Sporties Spooktacular In Brisbane This Month Read More » Thick N Juicy Santa Party Join The Thick ‘N’ Juicy Hunky Santa Party In Brisbane Read More » Over 45 years of history The Star Observer’s archives are the most important publicly available record of Australian LGBTQ+ history, but they cost us a lot to maintain every year. Your support can help make the difference in keeping this integral part of queer Australian journalism alive. Support us today from just $9 a month. 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Phillip Carswell

Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later. Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. 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Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. 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Skip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer • • Log in The Sydney Morning Herald Log in • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ◦ • • • • • Advertisement • National • Obituaries This was published 5 months ago Unforgettable leader born with a natural curiosity April 16, 2024 — 2.23pm Advertisement Listen to this article 8 min PHILLIP JAMES CARSWELL October 20, 1953-March 17, 2024 The death of Phillip James Carswell OAM was noted with profound sorrow by his family, friends, and the gay community to whom he dedicated his life’s work. Phil was an extraordinary person, a powerful advocate, and an unforgettable leader whose legacy will forever be intertwined with the future of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities. Phil was born to Russ and Joan Carswell at Mercy Hospital Albury in NSW in October 1953. He was the beloved younger brother of Julian, Timmy, and Ann. As a child, Phil enjoyed summers in regional NSW, riding his bike, swimming, and attending tap dancing classes. He was born with a natural curiosity, always interested in how things worked and taking time to learn from others. From an early age, Phil’s mother instilled in him a strong sense of justice. She was a local activist who fought to establish the local kindergarten and for many other causes throughout Phil’s youth. In 1972, Phil began his studies at the State College of Victoria, Rusden, where he trained to become a teacher. Here, Phil began cementing his reputation as a unionist, serving as a member of the national executive of the Australian Union of Students. While still a student, Phil helped to launch the inaugural National Homosexual Conference at Melbourne University in 1975, which centred on the oppression of gay and lesbian Australians and explored pathways to liberation. His first teaching assignments were in the Western suburbs, including Tottenham Technical School, where he taught science. Although most children towered over him, Phil was never fazed. He had a remarkable knack for winning over his students, a skill he would sharpen throughout his lifetime. As a teacher, Phil became a member of the state executive of the Victorian Technical Teachers’ Union, acting as the union’s editor from 1983 to 1984. Jude Munro AO co-convened the National Homosexual Conference with Phil and recalled one of his projects as a union member. Phillip Carswell: unforgettable leader. Advertisement “He energetically pursued human sexuality education and galvanised a small group to write and publish the seminal booklet, Young, Gay and Proud.” His dedication to achieving equality for all drove him to continue advocating for the gay and lesbian liberation movement. Throughout his lifelong advocacy, Phil contributed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, the exoneration of those criminalised for their sexuality, and the abolition of conversion therapy. Phil experienced the fruits of his liberation efforts when homosexuality was decriminalised in 1980, describing the freedom of living authentically as “pure joy”. A year later, he would be forced to return to advocating for his community with a greater urgency than ever before. The AIDS epidemic, as we now recognise it, began in 1981. By 1982, Phil was working with the ALSO Foundation, gathering information about gay related immune deficiency (GRID), which would come to be named acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Just a few years into his career as an educator, Phil felt compelled to leave teaching and joined the Department of Health in Victoria to do his part in the fight against AIDS. In 1983, Phil convened the Victorian AIDS Action Committee, bringing together some of the community’s brightest minds with backgrounds in law, medicine, marketing, and activism to form a united front against AIDS. He would later serve as the organisation’s first president when it became the Victorian AIDS Council in 1984. Phil believed people were the organisation’s heartbeat and attributed the Victorian AIDS Council’s ultimate success to the hardworking volunteers who fought tirelessly alongside him. David Menadue OAM was one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in Australia and worked closely with Phil throughout the epidemic. “What really impressed me about Phil was he was always ahead of the story – in the early ’80s he and friend Tom Carter took candles to Melbourne’s City Square to raise consciousness about an epidemic that hardly any of us knew much about. He never gave up that dedication to caring and advocating for those of us who discovered we were HIV-positive,” Menadue said. Phil and Tom’s activism was the basis for Australia’s first AIDS Candlelight Vigil – a tradition that continues to this day. Like in his teaching days, Phil’s indomitable personality allowed him to forge relationships and act as a much-needed bridge between the government and the gay community. In 1984, Phil became a liaison officer for the Health Commission of Victoria and a representative for the gay community on the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. Fellow former VAC president and friend of more than 50 years, Dr Adam Carr, recalls Phil’s ability to bridge these gaps. “His real leadership gift was that he was able to work very closely with people of all different political orientations or social backgrounds and get us working together as a team,” Carr said. Phil participated in Australia’s first National AIDS Conference in 1985. The following year, he travelled to the US and Europe to collect information and produce a report on AIDS education resources. Clarity and education, rather than the vilification of the gay community, were the cornerstones of Phil’s response to the AIDS epidemic. In 1987, Phil became one of the first trustees of the AIDS Trust of Australia and organised the creation of an AIDS memorial quilt to honour those who had died. The quilt is now recognised and protected by the Victorian Heritage Register. After over a decade with the Victorian Department of Health, Phil moved to Brisbane in 1993, where he continued his work for the Queensland Department of Health for the next 20 years. In June 2015, Phil was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his outstanding service to community health and response to the HIV and AIDS crisis. Phil’s peers reflected on his legacy and long-lasting community impact. “Phil was able to harness everybody’s energies and acknowledge the hurt in the community, the bereavement and sense of loss that we were all suffering at that time and turn it to positive effect. I don’t think anybody has been as good at that as he was,” Carr said. “Phil was a warrior for those of us living with HIV – he saw the epidemic coming before the rest of us and helped set up the community organisations to deal with it. We owe him a great debt for his compassion and conviction,” David Menadue said. Even after undergoing dialysis and an eventual kidney transplant, Phil’s drive for advocacy carried on. He championed for those with chronic kidney disease, campaigning for all patients to receive equitable care and be allowed active involvement in their own care. A truly incredible activist, Phil achieved his dream of creating a community controlled organisation that would outlast him. The Victorian AIDS Council, now known as Thorne Harbour Health, offers invaluable services to the gay community, from the gay community. Phil’s legacy and vision will remain a guiding force for Thorne Harbour’s future, never to be forgotten. Phil is survived by his partner of 40 years, Ian Cherry, whom he married on Stonewall Day in 2013 in New York City. Phil’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 22, from 3pm at The Edge in Federation Square. To RSVP, send an email to rsvp@thorneharbour.org with your name and any accessibility requirements. Phillip Carswell’s friends and colleagues at Thorne Harbour Health contributed to this tribute. License this article • Obituaries • LGBTQ Most Viewed in National A global conwoman’s wild lies and the victims she’s left behind ‘Unethical cowboys’: RSL NSW president accused of ‘exploiting’ veterans by overcharging for legal advice Goldman Sachs, Mumm scrap events after restaurateur charged with displaying Nazi symbol at rally ‘Most important thing in my life’: O’Keefe’s emotional courtroom confession Accountants in Epping, solicitors in Newtown: The most popular job in each Sydney suburb Opinion The $3 Dutch household item every person needs in the cost-of-living crisis SMH RECOMMENDS Lifestyle King Charles eats half an avocado for lunch every day. That’s nuts Why is it that the people with the most access to the world’s bounty, like Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston, have whittled their diets down to minimalist meals? National Whistleblower sacked over ambulance rollover picture Andrew Bishop went to the aid of a paramedic who tipped his van after an 18-hour shift. The picture he took caused a public backlash for Ambulance Victoria. He’s now been sacked. World ‘More hideous than a seniors’ trip to a hot spring’: Japanese cabinet mocked for edited photo After careful observers noticed subtle changes in official photographs, the government conceded on Monday that “minor editing was made”. Promoted Live Smart Save Money Electricians agree: Solar is only worthwhile if your house has... Health Insurance Comparison Little-Known Hack For Seniors With Private Health Cover RSL Art Union $5 could win you a $3.5M Palm Beach luxury lifestyle, with over $300K of gold included National Mobile phone data placed Rebelo at his mother’s house around the time she died, prosecutors tell court Sport Tennis star Badosa in racism storm after ‘imitating Asian people’ in chopsticks photo National A lesbian friend has asked me to donate sperm, but my new girlfriend’s not happy nuubu.com Discover The Secret Remedy Everyone's Talking About Health Insurance Comparison Why Seniors with private health cover are losing money Lottery Office Could the AU$ 540 Million Jackpot be yours? SMH Impersonating Donald Trump is a losing proposition, but Sebastian Stan nails it National An Airbnb, kidnapping, and two days of torture: How an extortion plan unravelled in Perth’s suburbs National WFH is being replaced by a less welcome acronym. Perth, we must fight back From our partners Advertisement The Sydney Morning Herald • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • RSS • The Sydney Morning Herald • The Age • Brisbane Times • WAtoday • The Australian Financial Review • Domain • Drive • Tributes • Celebrations • Place your ad • Commercial Real Estate • Contact & support • Advertise with us • Newsletters • Accessibility guide • Sitemap • Photo sales • Purchase front pages • Content licensing • Work with us • Terms of use • Privacy policy • Press Council • Charter of Editorial Independence • Subscription packages • My account • Subscriber FAQs • Delivery status • Today’s Paper • Good Food Guide • Daily Puzzles Copyright © 2024 Subscribe