I honestly don't know why it was supposedly practice "at the time" to publish the full list of the 53 people arrested at the first Sydney Mardi Gras. Now fairfax has apologised for doing so; 38 years later.
On June 24, 1978, more than 500 activists took to Taylor Square in Darlinghurst in support and celebration of New York's Stonewall movement and to call for an end to criminalisation of homosexual acts and discrimination against homosexuals. The peaceful movement ended in violence, mass arrests and public shaming at the hands of the police, government and media.
Three days after the melee, Fairfax Media newspapers including the Herald publicly outed 53 people involved in the pro-equality march, publishing their names, addresses and occupations in the newspaper. Subsequent editions published the details of more protesters, including the names of 104 people facing charges resulting from a homosexual rights march the previous weekend in Sydney.
As was common practice at the time, the press routinely published the full details of people who appeared in court, regardless of the nature of the offence with which they had been charged.
The public lists saw many protesters further discriminated against, in some instances causing the loss of jobs and homes.
Apologising to the 78ers, Darren Goodsir, editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald, said: "In 1978, The Sydney Morning Herald reported the names, addresses and professions of people arrested during public protests to advance gay rights. The paper at the time was following the custom and practice of the day.
"We acknowledge and apologise for the hurt and suffering that reporting caused. It would never happen today." Sydney Morning Herald
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