Happy Photography Friday folx.

Usually for PF I upload a landscape or two, however today I share with you three amazing queer humans from the recent Daylesford Chill Out Festival Pride March.

I've had the pleasure of hanging out with two of them on numerous occasions - Sally Goldner and Dolly Diamond and have been enriched by their humour and humanity. I am sure that the 78er I have photographed would be no exception.

As many of you in Naarm (and across so called Australia) would know, Sally is a tireless freedom fighter for trans rights and human equality. Yet she is tired, she is asking, like all trans people, that humans outside the trans experience step up not by saying you're an ally, but by doing.

Doing the writing to local, state and federal politicians; doing the marches when and where you can; doing the community involvement; doing the hard yards by talking to colleagues and friends and maybe having uncomfortable conversations. Doing anything and everything that needs to be done.

Because it's the right thing to do. Because we're all human beings on this big beautiful planet. Because to do less would be to deny yourself of meaningful human experiences. Because we're all different, and that's wonderful.

#LGBTQIASB+ #Pride #disabledArtist #artistWithADisability #TLWVision #ChillOutFestival #daylesford #EventPhotography #photographer #PhotographyFriday #StandUpToFascism

Daylesford's Chill Out Festival was a lot of fun, despite me having pneumonia.

It was Michael's first time and I hadn't been for 12yrs when my gf at the time fought all the time because I was not meeting her expectations and I was embarrassing her in front of her friends or something (this is the same ex who threw autism at me - prior to my diagnosis - like it was a filthy accusation).

This trip with my loving supportive partner rewrote a lot of dialogue for me. The Daylesford community is extremely welcoming, the LGBTQIA+ community were united and even the boys who wouldn't normally look twice at you in the city were ready to have a chat.

However, the reason I looked up Daylesford fascists on google this morning was because when we got to the fountain to stake our position for the March we discovered a cow's tongue hanging from it.

We took this as a warning and given the area's history with neo-nazis, especially coming out of the primordial soup around Chill Out, we were alert to abuse, despite the overwhelming community love and support.

A lot of people think, especially since marriage equality was won, that the Rainbow Community in Australia have it a lot better now and are largely accepted. However, we still need to be vigilant because there are those that want to eradicate us.

Once again I say to our allies: speak out, speak often.

@littleelfman #daylesford #ChillOutFestival #LGBTQIASB+

Tonight's dusk before Thick n Juicy in Hepburn for the last night of Chill Out.

Fun to dance but once the air got too thick with sweat and I was finding it hard to breathe again we had to call it a night.

**first image is a selfie with eye contact

#MobilePhotography #TLWVision #ChillOutFestival #daylesford

Took images of the March this morning. Went back to the bnb for a disco nap. Spent the afternoon in the sun at Carnivale where Kate Miller-Heidke was the headline 😍 and I cried. Doing OK. A little sunkissed. I limited my dancing and we caught buses everywhere so I'm feeling only a smidge breathless.

**eye contact in images (first image taken by Michael's friend who marched)

#MobilePhotography #TLWVision #ChillOutFestival #daylesford

@littleelfman

Last night, before it went pear shaped for me. Actually, if I'm honest and with hindsight, I wasn't feeling that great here either...

#MobilePhotography #TLWVision #ChillOutFestival #daylesford

@littleelfman

Turns out I haven't kicked pneumonia's butt and the 45mins walk and hit of cold night air has meant I've had to leave the Bush Dance roughly 90mins after getting there. 😭

#ChillOutFestival #daylesford

Last night I got to speak to and then dance to DJ DuJour; chat with Jackie who used to sing with Melbourne lesbian band Bluehouse (her current band, Lost Girls, performed last night) who remembered me from a couple of years back when I took her photo at a Melbourne Queer Film Festival event as an official photographer; and got invited to a house party that we did indeed go to today.

After a nap I'm feeling short of breathe but doing OK, I think I've nailed this pneumonia thing and am ready for the Bush Dance tonight.

#MobilePhotography #TLWVision #music #DJDuJour #ChillOutFestival #daylesford #LGBTQIASB+

Look, I know that when you have pneumonia you're meant to be bed ridden till recovery BUT it's Chill Out in Daylesford and @littleelfman has never been, so who am I to deny them. 😈

#ChillOutFestival #TLWVision #MobilePhotography #LGBTQIASB+

Great first day at #LGBTIQA+ #ChilloutFestival #Daylesford