Attachments
Campaign, Aug. 1985
Metadata
Name
Graeme Donkin
Biography
First openly gay man to stand for Parliament on the issue of gay rights 1978. Co-founder of Acceptance, Metropolitan Community Church and Chutzpah.
"On June 10, 1985, Graeme Donkin died peacefully of AIDS in St. Vincent's Hospital. Graeme is remembered as one of the co-founders of the Catholic gay group Acceptance, co-founder of Metropolitan Community Church in Australia, and also of the Jewish group Chutzpah. Graeme was the first homosexual man to stand on the issue of gay rights in the NSW State Elections, when, in 1978, he ran for the seat of Bligh (Paddington), in which he polled 4.8% of the vote. Following that Graeme spent some time in New York, where he reported the scene there for Campaign. When he returned to Australia he joined the Department of TAFE as a lecturer in Food Technology at Sydney Technical College. Graeme will be remembered for his kindly love and his willingness to assist his fellow gay people in Sydney. Only a week before he died did Graeme speak of his death. He was not afraid to die, as his faith had sustained him all his life. He will be missed by his many friends."
Campaign Australia, Issue 116, August, 1985, p. 11
"On June 10, 1985, Graeme Donkin died peacefully of AIDS in St. Vincent's Hospital. Graeme is remembered as one of the co-founders of the Catholic gay group Acceptance, co-founder of Metropolitan Community Church in Australia, and also of the Jewish group Chutzpah. Graeme was the first homosexual man to stand on the issue of gay rights in the NSW State Elections, when, in 1978, he ran for the seat of Bligh (Paddington), in which he polled 4.8% of the vote. Following that Graeme spent some time in New York, where he reported the scene there for Campaign. When he returned to Australia he joined the Department of TAFE as a lecturer in Food Technology at Sydney Technical College. Graeme will be remembered for his kindly love and his willingness to assist his fellow gay people in Sydney. Only a week before he died did Graeme speak of his death. He was not afraid to die, as his faith had sustained him all his life. He will be missed by his many friends."
Campaign Australia, Issue 116, August, 1985, p. 11
Year of Death
10/06/1985