Tonight, the PBA attended a powerful and deeply personal conversation with LGBTQIA+ advocate Anthony Venn-Brown OAM, joined by the ABC’s Noel Debien as part of Qtopia’s Pride Fest 2025.
Pride Fest is Qtopia Sydney’s month-long celebration of queer creativity and culture. A cornerstone of Sydney’s Pride Month calendar, Pride Fest offers a month of dazzling works and moving stories that celebrate the astounding talent of the LGBTQIA+ community. The event finishes up at the end of June, but you can learn more about the festival here.
Venn-Brown, whose autobiography A Life of Unlearning has touched countless lives, held nothing back as he discussed everything from faith and sexuality to the ongoing fight for acceptance.
Click here learn more or purchase Venn-Brown’s A Life Of Unlearning.
From “Gay Christian” to “Queer Muslim”: A Shifting Landscape
The conversation then delved into the evolving landscape of faith and sexuality. Venn-Brown recalled a time when finding books for “gay Christians” was nearly impossible; now, it’s an entire genre. He highlighted the more recent emergence of “queer Muslims,” noting they’re about “40 years back” from where the gay Christian movement started, facing “very high risk” even today.
Despite the hurdles, Venn-Brown remains optimistic, believing a “tipping point” for LGBTQIA+ acceptance is within reach.
Saving Lives Beyond Church Walls
The talk quickly moved to the tangible impact of advocacy. Venn-Brown openly discussed his work on New South Wales’ anti-conversion therapy laws alongside figures like Alex Greenwich. For him, the ultimate goal isn’t just “making happy, happy churches,” but saving lives and reducing trauma.
A Life of Unlearning author Anthony Venn-Brown with PBA Vice President Ricky Hamilton
He painted a stark picture of young LGBTQIA+ individuals in non-affirming religious families, often exposed to negativity that leads to mental health issues and even suicidal thoughts.
“The enemy is ignorance,” Venn-Brown passionately declared, stressing that his work focuses on tackling misinformation rather than attacking individuals. While he acknowledged the conservative pushback and attempts to roll back legislation, he maintains a strong faith in Australian society’s checks and balances. Yet, he warned against complacency, reminding the audience that “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
Conversion therapy, he noted, is “still going on in churches all around New South Wales and other states right now.”
The interview also offered a glimpse into Venn-Brown’s personal journey. He admitted his lowest moments often came from “attack” from “someone in your tribe” while trying to make a difference. But the highs? They were equally profound. Receiving his OAM (Order of Australia Medal) was “surreal,” a completely unexpected honour. He also found immense joy in seeing his book become a bestseller and, more recently, discovering a New York artist wrote a beautiful song inspired by A Life of Unlearning.
A Life of Unlearning author Anthony Venn-Brown with PBA Engagement Director Immy Abdullah
In a touching moment, Venn-Brown described his first Mardi Gras march in 1995 with the “Locker Room Boys” as a “spiritual experience.” He spoke of the “amazing roar from the crowd” on Oxford Street, leading to a feeling of pride, love, and acceptance “you’ve never felt before.”
The evening concluded with a heartfelt call to action, encouraging support for Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI) – the quiet, behind-the-scenes work that’s truly changing attitudes within religious organizations.
It was a night of raw honesty, powerful insights, and a reminder that while the fight for equality continues, so does the profound impact of those dedicated to making a difference.
To donate to ABBI visit: https://abbi.org.au
In recognition of his work, Venn-Brown was twice voted one of The 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians (2007 & 2009) and was one of four finalists for the 2011 ACON Community Hero Award.
In 2015 he was the winner of ACON’s Health and Wellbeing Award for over 20 years of providing leadership and support for LGBTI people of faith and working to bring ex-gay/reparative/conversion therapy practices and organisations to an end in Australia.
In June 2020 Venn-Brown was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Venn-Brown has been a life-member of the Pride Business Association since 2002.
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