InterAction: InterAction Made Its Mardi Gras Debut: Swimming Proudly in the Ecsta‑Sea!
Michael Barnett OAM
InterAction Made Its Mardi Gras Debut: Swimming Proudly in the Ecsta‑Sea!
The 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras pulsed with the festival theme “ECSTATICA” and was a celebration of collective joy, connection, and the power of community.
And this year, something special happened.
For the first time, InterAction for Health and Human Rights marched and danced its way down Oxford Street, joining the vibrant wave of LGBTQIA+ communities, allies, and advocates who transform the city each year. While IPSA has proudly marched in previous Mardi Gras parades, 2026 marked InterAction’s debut… and what a debut it was.
“Swim in Ecsta‑sea!” — A Wave for Change
InterAction’s take on the ECSTATICA theme was bold, joyful, and unmistakably intersex‑led:
“Swim in Ecsta‑sea! Where every wave is unique, fierce and free!
Be a wave for change — Support Intersex Rights!”
The intersex community invited everyone to join them in the Ecsta‑sea: a wondrous, imagined world where all bodies are celebrated as unique, fierce, and free. A world where bodily autonomy is respected, and where individuals give consent for any non‑urgent surgeries or medical interventions.
It was a message of pride, resistance, and hope, carried not just in words, but in movement, colour, and collective energy.
A Sea of Colour, Motion and Pride
InterAction’s enthusiastic group were instantly recognisable with their large banner, intersex flag and with each person wearing a light blue cap printed with “I’m a wave for change for intersex rights”, a purple t‑shirts emblazoned with the intersex flag and trailing blue and silver ribbon wristbands that shimmered under the parade lights as they danced, shimmied and waved at the crowds.
Their choreography flowed with wave‑like motions, creating a rolling sea of movement as the group danced their hearts out down Oxford Street. The effect was joyful, powerful, and deeply symbolic of a living, moving ocean of intersex pride.
Small handheld signs added another layer of advocacy, thanking the ACT and Victoria for their legislative reforms on intersex rights, and calling on other states to join the wave of change.
Community, Collaboration and Gratitude
Behind the scenes, the InterAction float was a true community effort. Special thanks go to:
- Kylie, Margie and Mira for organising and bringing the vision to life
- Margie for crafting choreography that was accessible, meaningful, and full of joy
- Bonnie for organising dance practices
- Morgan for capturing the magic through photography
- Each participant who travelled by road, air and rail to join in the fun!
Everyone involved helped create a moment that was not only visually striking, but emotionally resonant for marchers and spectators alike.
A Milestone Moment
InterAction’s first Mardi Gras appearance was more than a parade entry, it was a declaration. A celebration of intersex people. A call for bodily autonomy. A reminder that joy itself can be a form of acceptance and connection. A declaration of existence and persistence in the quest for health and human rights for people with innate variations of sex characteristics.
As Mardi Gras moves toward its 50th anniversary in 2028, InterAction’s presence in 2026 marks an important step in ensuring intersex voices, rights, and stories are visible at the heart of Australia’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration.
And if InterAction’s dive into Ecsta‑sea taught us anything, it’s this:
When we move together, we become a wave… and waves create change.