American Express has withdrawn sponsorship of the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, leaving Australia’s most prominent queer organisation with no principal sponsor for 2026 and exposing the cash-strapped non-profit to an estimated $500,000 to $1 million shortfall to fill yearly for future festivals.

Sydney’s soon-to-launch gay bar Pink Pony has changed its Instagram handle to “new.name.coming” following online backlash that accused the venue of culturally appropriating a song by a lesbian artist about inclusivity while at the same time marketing itself primarily towards gay men.

Pink Pony, the new Sydney club set to take over management of Flash’s former Oxford Street venue Two 3 One, will “unashamedly” position itself as being for gay men aged 18-35, feature dance pop and harder house/tech style music, and undergo a revamp before opening at the start of summer.

If you choose to have your name put on our supporter wall, payments will include 10% GST, as required by the ATO. Contributions are not tax-deductible, as GSN is not a charity. No goods or services will be provided in exchange for your contribution, other than the display of your name on our supporter wall if you selected this option.