Step Back in Time!A literary talk with historian Graham Willettwho is visiting from Melbourne.In conversation with Dr. Shirleene Robinson about his new book Before Mardi Gras: Lesbian and Gay Activism in Australia 1969-1978 Presented by The Bookshop Darlinghurst, Qtopia Sydney and publisher Interventions.

Monday 10 March 6.30pm  Loading Dock Theatre Qtopia Sydney, 301 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst  Please arrive no later than by 6.20pm to claim your free beverage and take your seat. Seating is unallocated. You are also welcome to arrive earlier and browse the Qtopia Sydney exhibitions prior to the event.

The ticket price is $10 and includes a glass of wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic beverage. 

Interventions publisher representative - Phillip Whitefield

About the Speakers: Graham Willett is a recovering academic, a socialist and a historian. He has been involved in groups as diverse as the Gay Community News collective, ACTUP and the Australian Queer Archives. He is the author of Before Mardi Gras: Lesbian and Gay Activism in Australia 1969-1978 and many articles. He has edited a number of collections. He has a particular interest in bringing Australian queer history to broad audiences and has been a volunteer with the Australian Queer Archives since the 1980s. He has been involved in history walks and talks, exhibitions and displays, publishing, and organising conferences. He is series editor for Queer Oz Folk publications for Interventions.

Dr Shirleene Robinson AM is President of the Sydney Pride History Group and the author and co-author of many books on LGBTIQA+ histories, including Pride in Defence: The Australian Military and LGBTI Service Since 1945,Gay and Lesbian, Then and Now: Australian Stories from a Social Revolution and In the Eye of the Storm: Volunteers and Australia's Response to the HIV/AIDS Crisis. She is currently a Visiting Fellow in the School of Communication and an Honorary Associate Professor at Sydney University of Technology and a leading Australian oral historian and historian of LGBTIQ+ histories and is working on a project that will highlight the contribution of Australia's first LGBTIQ+ rights group from 1969, the Daughters of Bilitis. Following the conversation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions of our two speakers. This will in turn be followed by a book signing session and an opportunity to have another glass of wine and mingle with the other attendees.  The event has been organised by The Bookshop Darlinghurst and they are delighted to be partnering again with Qtopia Sydney on this special LGBTIQ+ history talk event.