2017 was a momentous year for LGBTQI Australians. With the passing of the marriage equality bill, it felt like Australia, at last, moved from a position of tolerance to acceptance.

But have we?

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, we explored the recent history of the Australian queer community, and just how deep our newfound acceptance runs.

Benjamin Riley, our guide for this journey, is a freelance writer and journalist. Through publications like The Lifted Brow, Archerand his podcast Queers — co-hosted with Simon Copland — Benjamin explores the territory between queer culture, politics and the media at large.