Celebrating Pride, visibility and inclusion: Lex Tan to represent Afford at Mardi Gras
The countdown to the glittering spectacle of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is on and this year Afford will be proudly walking alongside the team from People with Disability Australia (PWDA). Representing Afford on the night will be one of our fantastic ADE supported employees, Lex Tan – and they couldn’t be more excited.
Lex will be flying the Afford flag as part of the PWDA float when it rolls down Oxford Street, celebrating diversity, inclusion and the power of community.
“I am looking forward to representing Afford,” said Lex.
“I feel great. I’m non-binary. My pronouns are they/them … being a part of Mardi Gras makes me more famous and a star.”
Lex Tan, Afford assisted employee, is honoured to be representing his community in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Visibility matters
For many people with disability, conversations about identity, relationships and sexuality are often overlooked or ignored. Society has historically struggled to recognise that people with disability experience the same rich diversity of identity, love and self-expression as anyone else.
But the reality is clear: many people with disability proudly identify as LGBTQIA+, and their voices, identities and stories deserve to be seen, respected and celebrated.
Events such as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras play a powerful role in creating that visibility. They not only celebrate pride and diversity but also challenge outdated assumptions about disability and identity.
Alongside strong advocates
Afford is proud to be joining the float of People with Disability Australia, one of Australia’s leading disability advocacy organisations. PWDA has long championed the rights of people with disability, including the right to identity, relationships, sexuality and self-determination.
As an organisation that places human rights at the centre of everything we do, Afford strongly believes that every person has the right to express who they are, feel safe in their identity and participate fully in community life.
Standing alongside PWDA at Mardi Gras is a celebration of those shared values – inclusion, visibility and respect.
Afford employees and clients loved strutting their stuff in the Mardi Gras parade in 2024.
Pride in every form
Mardi Gras is many things: a celebration, a protest, a joyful explosion of colour and creativity. But at its heart, it is about people – their identities, their stories and their right to live openly and proudly.
For Lex, being part of that moment means everything.
And for Afford, it’s a reminder that true inclusion means recognising and celebrating every aspect of who people are.
