"Rise" Print Page

The artwork "Rise" is memorial to victims and survivors of homophobic and transphobic attacks in Sydney. Rise commemorates all women and men who have been murdered, tortured and persecuted because of their sexuality.

The artwork comprises a six-level stone terrace representing the bands in the pride flag and is informed . A series of plaques that honour the lives of the victims are embedded in the artwork. The memorial to honour the victims was a long standing demand of the community and ACON worked with Waverley Council to make it a reality.

From the 1970s to 1990s, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people were the target of hate crimes in Sydney with many gay men and transwomen losing their lives along the Bondi coastline. The cliff top park Marks Park, with its isolated location and thick shrubs and trees was a popular ‘gay beat’ where gay men and trans women used to meet. The area was also known as “Bondi Badlands” for being the site of hate murders of gay men and trans women – many were hurled off the cliffs with their clothes the only clue to the horrific crimes.

At least 88 gay men and transgender women in NSW were killed in the three decades from 1970s-1990s. Around 30 cases remain unsolved. 

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