The ABC is proud to be the host broadcaster of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney WorldPride, having always championed on-screen representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in Australia, including being the first broadcaster to televise the Mardi Gras parade in 1994. 

In June 2020, the ABC released its Five-Year Plan reaffirming its commitment to LGBTQIA+ Australians as part of its diversity strategy, including people from diverse cultural, geographical, and Indigenous backgrounds, and people with disability. The corporation’s Diversity and Inclusion Commissioning Guidelines, released in 2021, also support the increase of under-represented people and perspectives, including those of the LGBTQIA+ community, for the ABC’s screen content. 

In 2021, the ABC achieved coveted Gold Employer status and Most Improved Employer award at the Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards in recognition of its outstanding steps towards increasing the visibility of people of diverse sexualities and genders, on and off screen. 

These achievements have been largely due to the work of the ABC’s active, national Pride Committee which was established in 2017. Made up of individuals passionate about inclusion and diversity, ABC Pride has representatives across Australia and aims to build a workplace where everyone belongs and can feel safe and welcome. ABC Pride is currently launching its second three-year plan, building on the successes of its first strategy and is supported by the organisation’s leadership, including the Managing Director who is Pride Executive Sponsor.  

The ABC also launched its first LGBTQIA+ Instagram channel  ABCQueer  for young, queer Australians in 2020 which has already won multiple awards.