Celebrating LGBTQI+ rising heroes

Zaac d’Almedia, Strategic Partner Manager, Instagram – March 3, 2021

Everyday the LGBTQI+ community and their allies come to Facebook and Instagram to create connection, celebrate their identities, and share support. As a long-standing major partner of Sydney Mardi Gras, Facebook Australia’s 2021 ‘Rising Heroes’ campaign shows how digital platforms such as Facebook and Instagram support our vibrant queer community and invest in the sustainability of LGBTIQ+ small businesses and artists.

Elevating rising heroes

We’re spotlighting the new generation of LGBTQ+ creators with five street art murals popping up in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Melbourne. These creators represent the ‘Rising Heroes’ of the queer community, including musicians Troye Sivan and Cub Sport, Olympian Michelle Heyman, Indigenous drag performer Felicia Foxx, trans model AJ Clementine, non-binary beauty creator Roshan Nausad, comedian Jeff van de Zandt and more. Full details and where to find them below.

Facebook mural in Melbourne

Facebook mural in Melbourne featuring (L-R) Jeff van de Zandt, Roshan Nausad and AJ Clementine.

Investing in the community

After a tough year, LGBTQ+ small businesses and performers need the support of Mardi Gras more than ever. To help, Facebook Australia launched the $100,000 Mardi Gras Grants program, which is going directly to 30 venues across the country to fund their Parade viewing events and employ queer performers. We are also supporting the capacity building of queer businesses, working in partnership with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Small Business Association to provide free education on how to grow a small businesses on Facebook and Instagram.

Keeping your experience on social media safe and positive place is always important, and we’ve partnered with Black Rainbow, Trans Pride Australia, ACON, Twenty10 and Minus18 to create a new Safe and Strong guide. Featuring tips on safety tools, advice from experts, and inspiration from your favourite queer creators, this LGBTQ+ Guide To Facebook and Instagram is available online for everyone to download here.

Celebrating Pride online

Instagram is launching another new feature to bring the community together on parade night, especially since celebrating Mardi Gras together in person may be more challenging this year. On Saturday 6 March, all Instagram Stories that share an LGBTQI+ hashtag or feature a Pride sticker will feature in a special collective ‘Mardi Gras’ story that will sit at the top of your stories tray.

You can also celebrate queer expression and connection with a suite of new Mardi Gras features across Facebook and Instagram. Hashtags now transform into a sparkling rainbow when you use #SydneyMardiGras, #MardiGras2021, #MardiGras, and #WeRiseFor in a Facebook post, and more than 60 others on Instagram. Using them in Instagram Stories will also turn your story ring rainbow.