BWS has launched its BWYASSS & PROUD campaign, stepping beyond the single-minded stereotype to celebrate the diversity of pride within the LGBTQIA+ community.
With 10 stores around Australia now permanently branded BWYASSS, the liquor retailer is celebrating four individuals and their stories this February - those who don’t currently feel seen or catered to by the big pride campaigns.
BWS general manager of marketing Josie Brown said it was amazing to see the momentum behind BWYASSS just five years after renaming the first of its stores on Oxford Street in Darlinghurst.
“It is an incredibly special movement we have created with this little tongue-in-cheek brand tweak,” Brown said.
“Our customers love it, and it challenges us to always think of new ways to celebrate diversity, and promote inclusion. And with the launch of this year’s campaign we’re louder and prouder than ever on behalf of those that sometimes don’t feel represented in pride culture.”
BWYASSS & PROUD features Georgie Hooper (they/them), a non-binary middle school and special needs teacher. On BWYASSS & PROUD, Georgie said: "What I love about the queer community is for myself within it, I feel like I have a really unshakable sense of identity, and I think that's because as a queer person within a community, you sort of get to define yourself.
“And in that way, I feel like that's a gift. That's a gift to the world. I think that's what the queer community gives the world, just this idea that you sort of get to choose who you are, and that's really powerful."
Bettie Bombshell (she/they), a burlesque performer and 2019 Miss Burlesque Australia said she was proud to be part of BWYASSS & PROUD.
"There's never a right answer, there's never a wrong answer. It's just your answer in this community, which I think is a really beautiful thing.
"I'm proud to be loud and proud and queer. And I'm a plus sized performer in an industry that doesn't really want us to be. And I'm proud to do things that I'm not expected to do. And I'm proud to be me. I'm proud to exist in the way that I do."
Sunny Parker (they/them) is a LGBTQIA+ housing and homelessness support worker. On being part of BWYASSS & PROUD Sunny said: "My favourite part of the LGBTQIA+ community, is the diversity and intersectionality of it all when we see ourselves beyond just this queer lens, but you know who we are as trans and gender diverse folk, people from culturally and spiritually diverse backgrounds, the spectrum of neurodiversity and lived experience. I just think it's such a rich woven web of community that's so much more than one homogeneous experience."
Josh (they/them) is a hairdresser and rollerskater, and said: “I think being part of the community means creating enough space for people to be exactly who they want to be, no matter how scary that seems for them.”
To celebrate all the identities of the LGBTQIA+ community, BWS is also partnering with Pedestrian Group to present the BWYASSS House of Pride: an event featuring different spaces curated for all people, so no matter how you express yourself, this is one celebration you won’t want to miss.
To win a double pass to the BWYASSS House of Pride event head to the competition page and tell us why you’re proud of who you are. Hurry as there are only a limited number of tickets up for grabs! ENTER NOW
The celebration continues with the LOUD & PROUD range back in BWS stores this week, with 100% of the profits* being donated to the Pride Foundation Australia. A life-changing philanthropic non-profit organisation, Pride Foundation supports the LGBTQIA+ and allied communities across Australia, championing equality, diversity and inclusion.
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