Ahead to his new show "THEY TOOK ME TO A QUEER BAR", Tommy Misa writes about gentrification and queer nightlife through his own experience since he moved to Sydney from Canberra when he was 18 years old.

"I gained a reputation at long-running community parties as the new guy who would end up naked in a drunken twirl on the dance floor taking up ALL the space physically and energetically. Through time I learned about the importance of my own body in queer space."

An article that becomes a self-discovery journey of Misa from when he discover what Sydney and Oxford Street has to offer to a newbie, to a time where apps and social media are challenging the spaces of LGBTQIA+ venues to adapt to what that community needs.

"At times I walk down Oxford Street saddened by drunken backpackers stumbling out of clubs that used to be ours. However, we must also acknowledge that before Oxford Street was camp, it was a thriving ‘ghetto’ for migrant communities, and before that the area was a walking trail for First Nations people. We should feel honoured that for a small point in time we were lucky to be its inhabitants and add to its rich history."

Our difference is our greatest power!

Tommy writes about some of the most significant moments that shape the LGBTQIA+ community and their venues, and remarks on the vital importance of keeping alive the voice of anyone who is different.

"I hope in the future that even if the LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t have a brick and mortar venue to call our own, we continue to carry legacy of these sacred spaces in the way we engage with each other: allowing voice for those who still don’t have one, and resisting the forces who wish to silence anyone who is different."

Tommy's show "THEY TOOK ME TO A QUEER BAR" has been completely sold out. But you can follow him on FACEBOOK and find out what he is up to.

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