Congratulations to Misty and the crew at Rainbow Futures WA and the amazing people at Edith Cowan University (ECU) City Campus for inaugural IDAHOBIT lecture last night in the new Playhouse Theatre.
Featuring keynote speaker Nerelda Jacobs and Professor Braden Hill, Tanesha Bennell and Kurtis Makuru they discussed LGBTQIA+ First Nations advocacy to impact through personal stories.
Pride WA was represented by Board Chair Peter Foster, and Board Members Nicole Corbett and Greg Helleren. Great also catching up with our friend and ally, Hannah Beazley MLA as well 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Pride WA today announces that Chief Executive Officer Dr Laurie Butterly will step down from her role at the end of May, after three years of significant growth and major organisational achievements.
During Laurie’s tenure, Pride WA has expanded its programs, deepened its engagement across the community, secured ongoing multi-year grant funding, and delivered the organisation’s largest Pridefest celebrations to date. Under her leadership, Perth also secured the Gay Games 2030, a milestone that will bring global LGBTQIA+ sport and culture to Western Australia for the first time.
While these achievements have shaped Pride WA’s recent trajectory, Laurie is best known for the relationships she has built across the community — relationships grounded in trust, visibility, and genuine care. Her leadership has been marked by a commitment to ensuring LGBTQIA+ people feel seen, valued, and connected.
Pride WA Chair, Peter Foster, thanked Laurie for her contribution:
“On behalf of the Board, I want to sincerely thank Laurie for her extraordinary leadership over the past three years. She has strengthened Pride WA, delivered major outcomes for our community, and helped secure a historic win with the Gay Games 2030.
We are grateful that Laurie will continue her involvement with Pride WA in a volunteer capacity following her departure. She has been offered a new professional opportunity that builds on the skills and experience she has demonstrated in this role, and we look forward to continuing to work with her in her new capacity.
Laurie’s journey is a reminder of how vital LGBTQIA+ community roles are in developing the next generation of leaders who continue to give back to our community.”
The Board is delighted that Laurie will continue her association with Pride WA in a volunteer capacity following her return from a well earned holiday. During her holiday, she will be competing in open water swimming at the Gay Games 2026 in Valencia, Spain — a fitting continuation of her long standing commitment to LGBTQIA+ sport and community. We look forward to her ongoing involvement and the continuity she brings to Pride WA’s next chapter.
Join us at The Royal Hotel, on the corner of William & Wellington Streets. The Royal Hotel was the original heart and soul of Perth and now will host our Autumn 2026 Edition of Pride WA Networking!
Continuing on the legacy of the Perth LGBTI Professionals Networking Group, Pride WA Networking is a place where you can experience a sense of belonging and community. Whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, a straight ally – or just don’t want to be labelled, you will be welcomed here. The network was created to address the need for a socially inclusive professional network, catering to individuals of diverse orientations and identities. Including the neurodiverse community and those living with disabilities.
The Pride WA Networking events are open to anyone in a profession (or aiming to enter a profession) and are not limited to those with a particular education or career background.
Registration is free, and helps us with catering: see link in bio for registration.
Well, this is exciting - do you want to be part of the Perth Gay Games 2030 team?
Perth will host Gay Games XIII in 2030, bringing thousands of athletes, artists and supporters from around the world to Western Australia for a global celebration of sport, culture and inclusion.
Perth Gay Games 2030 Ltd has been established to deliver this major international sporting and cultural event, working with community organisations, government and the Federation of Gay Games. We are seeking a Project Officer to support the early planning and coordination of this landmark event.
This role offers a rare opportunity to contribute to the delivery of a globally significant LGBTQIA+ sporting and cultural event that will showcase Western Australia to the world.
Location: Perth / Boorloo, Western Australia – this role requires on-site attendance
FTE: Four days a week – 0.8 FTE
Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract for 12 months
Applications close: 19 April 2026, 5pm
For further information on how to apply see link in our bio.
🌈 PRIDEFEST 2026: Save the Dates & New Fairday Location 🌈
Get ready to celebrate, connect and sparkle — Pridefest is back for 2026!
✨ Fairday – 8 November 2026
Your favourite day of community connection and celebration! Join us for an unforgettable experience filled with LGBTQIA+ community stallholders, entertainment and the famous Fairday Dog Show! Your favourite day – by community, for community returns – bigger, brighter and prouder than ever…and at a new location!
🌈 Fairday is moving to Moort-ak Waadiny / Wellington Square
This year, Fairday will take place at Moort‑ak Waadiny / Wellington Square.
Moort‑ak Waadiny is a place of family gathering – a perfect place for our community, our chosen family, to come together. Moort‑ak Waadiny offers the space, accessibility, and community‑centred environment that Fairday deserves. It allows us to welcome our community in a setting that reflects connection and belonging.
As you may have seen, Supreme Court Gardens is undergoing important renovations, but we’ve also listened to our community — with calls for more shade, closer access to a playground (check out the amazing Koolangka Koolangka Waabiny at Moort‑ak Waadiny!), and room for more stalls — moving to Moort‑ak Waadiny gives Fairday the space it needs to keep growing with our community. There are also plenty of public transport and parking options which we will provide more information on in coming months.
We’d like to thank the City of Perth for their collaboration and support in helping us find a Fairday home where our community, our family, can come together and grow.
🎉 Parade – 28 November 2026
Get ready to march, dance, and celebrate at the historic Pridefest Parade! Join us as we come together in solidarity and celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community, parading through the streets of Northbridge with pride and joy. Then, Russell Square will come alive for our FREE PrideFest Parade After Party, proudly presented by the City of Perth.
Further information on registrations for Fairday and Parade will be coming soon — keep your eyes peeled on our socials!
TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY
Today we celebrate our trans and gender diverse communities — your courage, creativity, joy, and leadership make our whole community stronger.
At a time when trans people are facing increasing scrutiny and harm, it’s more important than ever for our broader LGBTQIA+ community to show up with solidarity, visibility, and care. Pride WA stands with you in the fight for safety, dignity, and inclusion every day of the year.
Thank you to the trans and gender diverse people who shape our present, and our future. We see you, we honour you, and we’re proud to walk alongside you.
International Women’s Day 2026 — Balance the Scales
Pride WA honour the incredible women across our LGBTQIA+ communities — cis, trans, non‑binary, Sistergirls, and everyone whose lived experience expands our understanding of women’s strength, care, and leadership.
To the women who shape Pride WA every day — our staff, our board, and especially our volunteers — thank you. Your courage and your commitment to community keep us moving forward.
To all the women who make Pridefest what it is — event hosts and planners, performers, DJs, stallholders, sponsors and those who march proudly in the Parade — thank you for bringing your creativity, energy, heart and lived experience to Pridefest every year.
And to the allies who stand with us as we work to balance the scales for all women and girls: we see you.
As we mark this year’s theme, Balance the Scales, we recognise the work still ahead to ensure every woman in our LGBTQIA+ communities is valued, safe, and able to thrive. We are stronger together; when we all focus on ensuring that no woman is left behind.
This Thursday, our CEO, Dr Laurie Butterly (she/her), will take part in an important Balance the Scales panel discussion with our valued sponsor MinterEllison — a vital conversation about equity, representation, and the work still ahead for women across our LGBTQIA+ communities.
Here’s to a future where equity isn’t aspirational — it’s lived.
#IWD2026 #BalanceTheScales #LGBTQIA
You may have read reports in Out in Perth, The West Australian and Perth Now about flyers targeting our community members and distributed in parts of Perth.
We want to acknowledge the real impact this has had on members of our LGBTIQA+ community, including members of Pride WA. Targeted harassment and misinformation causes fear, distress and harm - no one in our community should have to face that. We stand in solidarity with everyone affected, and with our community more broadly.
If you’ve been impacted, or if this behaviour has made you feel unsafe, distressed, or targeted, please reach out for support. Talking to someone you trust — a friend, family member, or a peer supporter — can make a real difference. You can also reach out to the following services:
QLife: 1800 184 527 / qlife.org.au
QLife are a counselling and referral service for LGBTQIA+ people.
DISCHARGED: [email protected] / discharged.asn.au
Discharged is a trans-led support service with peer support groups for trans and gender diverse folks.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 / lifeline.org.au
Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 / .au
WA Police are investigating these flyers through the State Security Investigation Group Hate Crime Team. If you have received a flyer, or have information about the distribution of these flyers, you can make a report to Crime Stoppers (for attention of the Hate Crime Team). Reports can be made anonymously. If you need any assistance in making a report, you can contact Pride WA and we can assist you.
Our community deserves safety, dignity and respect. We support advocacy by @rainbowfutureswa for amendments to WA laws to protect our community from hate crimes.
Pride WA is hiring! 🌈
We’re looking for a part‑time Administrative Assistant to support our CEO and keep our busy office running smoothly. If you’re organised, community‑minded, and passionate about celebrating LGBTQIA+ diversity, we’d love to hear from you. Flexible work arrangements, a supportive team, and the chance to make a real impact await.
For further information, and details on how to apply: see link in our bio.
Applications close 6 March 2026 at 12pm.
Join the Board of Pride WA
Pride WA is seeking expressions of interest from passionate and skilled individuals to join its Board of Directors in a voluntary, non-executive capacity. The Board is aware of areas that are lacking and, therefore, is particularly keen to hear from individuals who bring diverse lived experience and perspectives. Board members play a vital role in shaping Pride WA’s strategic direction and ensuring the organisation continues to represent and advocate for the full diversity of our communities. This is a unique opportunity to contribute your skills and experience to one of Western Australia’s most vibrant and visible community organisations.
Pride WA is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and actively encourages applications from people of underrepresented groups, including:
- trans and gender-diverse people;
- women;
- non-binary people;
- intersex people;
- Sistergirls and Brotherboys;
- First Nations people;
- people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
- people from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds;
- people of diverse faiths and spiritual traditions;
- people with disabilities;
- neurodivergent people;
- young people; and
- people living in regional Western Australia.
We also invite applications from allies of the LGBTQIA+ community who share our values.
For information on how to apply, please see link in our bio.
EOI close date: 2 April 2026
Pridefest is about you, our community; our fabulously diverse and vibrant community - LGBTQIA+ and allies. Everyone experiences Pridefest differently, and your voice helps shape what it becomes next. We’re listening.
Share your Pridefest experience by filling out our survey and help us build a Pridefest that feels right, welcoming, and truly good for you. See link in our bio. This survey will take 5-15 minutes.
Pride WA is very keen to hear from as many community members as possible. If you are having trouble accessing this survey, or have further feedback, we strongly encourage you to email us at [email protected] or call 0411 444 785.
Join us at The Royal Hotel, on the corner of William & Wellington Streets. The Royal Hotel was the original heart and soul of Perth and will host our Summer 2026 edition of the Pride WA Networking event!
Continuing the legacy of the Perth LGBTI Professionals Networking Group, Pride WA Networking is a place where you can experience a sense of belonging and community. Whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, a straight ally - or just don't want to be labelled, you will be welcomed here. The network was created to address the need for a socially inclusive professional network, catering to individuals of diverse orientations and identities - including the neurodiverse community and those living with disability.
The Pride WA Networking events are open to anyone in a profession, or aiming to enter a profession, and are not limited to those with a particular education or career background.
Food and beverage specials to be announced at the event.
Event Starts 5:30pm and runs till 8:30pm
Event Date: 18th February 2026
Event Location: The Royal Hotel, 531 Wellington St, Perth WA 6000
RSVPs are encouraged - see link in our bio.
RSVPs enable us to provide catering, manage name tags, and track attendance numbers.
See you there!
