Thanks Tom - you have posted the 1000^th image to This Is Oz!

And what a fantastic Warhol inspired message it is to mark this occasion. You represent all the people on This Is Oz who have gone before you and all who will come after. Thank you and congratulations!

And because you are the 1000^th person to submit an image to This Is Oz, we are offering you the T-shirt of your choice from the fabulous Wear It With Pride campaign - www.wearitwithpride.com.au

We also want to thank all the other thousands of people who have supported This Is Oz in so many ways. We salute and thank you all. You have challenged homophobia and transphobia, highlighted human rights issues and celebrated diversity from Tasmania to the Kimberleys, Wagga Wagga to the Alice, Kangaroo Island to Sydney, and even Alaska to China.

This Is Oz is for all the people of Australia. We are so proud at how far this site has come and the extraordinary things it has achieved. It has impacted on people’s lives, been supported by prominent and everyday Australians and been seen in almost every corner of the country. This is huge!

However we also know we still have a long way to go and we are committed to many more Australians knowing about This Is Oz and having the opportunity to stand up for an inclusive Australia. We believe that until Australia is a place where everyone belongs there will be work to do.

You can be proud today because we've reached a milestone, together we have made and changed history.

When This Is Oz was launched just over a year ago we ambitiously hoped for a few hundred images and maybe some comments. Well, that now seems such a long time ago. We have now been visited by over 150,000 people, been seen on Channel Ten by over 5 million Australians, have over 7,500 Facebook fans and been supported by politicians, TV and film celebrities, royalty, activists, artists, Olympians and sports champions, prominent Australians, authors and Lord Mayors...

…as well as teachers, parents, friends, doctors, secretaries, farmers, actors, surfers, designers, dancers, accountants, Christians, students, aunts, CEOs, corporations, tattooists, lovers, builders, news readers, drag queens, cooks, makeup artists, business persons, council workers, lawyers, grandparents and their pets.

Most importantly we want to thank you, the people of This Is Oz - the people of Oz. Thank you for your support, your passion, your outrage, your commitment, and your sometimes extraordinary courage. For some people, contributing to a site like this is very challenging. We salute your courage in particular.

However this site is challenging in other ways too. Some people see lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people as not deserving of human rights, as not equal, as unacceptable, sick, sinful, disgusting, wrong, or offensive. This site has highlighted these issues and also reminded us how important it is to continue our work. Some people have learnt from this site and some have thought more about their held values or beliefs. Some of this has happened through conversations on threads or emails to us. We want to offer our thanks to all these people also.

This is all a part of Tom’s message of change which states: “They say that time changes things, but actually you have to change them yourself”. It recognises that change is a personal as well as collective responsibility and that it doesn’t happen by mistake, default or if we wait for it.

The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) for instance was started by a French activist just over 5 years ago. Today it is recognised in over 70 countries from Africa, Asia, South America and beyond. Several European countries have officially endorsed it and Sydney City Council has given it its stamp of approval.

IDAHO has changed people’s lives, shifted the global political landscape and has given millions of people a platform for change. This would NOT have happened if we waited for ‘time’ to be ready.

IDAHO also falls on the 1990 date when the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. This change happened because we recognised this classification was not correct and changed it. Today it’s difficult to believe that homosexuality was ever on this list at all.

Laws have also changed. In 1902, Australia's new Commonwealth Parliament paved the way for a new form of democracy by granting women the vote and the right to be elected on a national basis. Then in 1962 indigenous women were able to vote in federal elections thus enabling all Australian women to right to go to the polling booths.

The law also changed to decriminalise homosexuality. As recently as 1994, Tasmania repealed its sodomy laws. This law criminalised all forms of sexual contact between consenting adult men in private and Tasmania was the last state to repeal this law.  As a result Australians are no longer arrested and jailed in for just being who they are and loving who they love.

However these changes would not have happened if we had waited, if we had trusted the law, if we had forgotten about human rights, and sometimes if we had not fought long and hard for change. Indeed, This Is Oz would not have been visited by over 150,000 people, seen by over 5 million Australians, have over 7,500 Facebook fans, or reached over 1000 images without some people making it happen.

And these people are you.

In Australia, we have come a long way. However unjust laws and unfriendly attitudes mean that discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is still widespread. Most LGBT people have to deal with homophobic or transphobic harassment or verbal abuse and many have been physically attacked just for being themselves. LGBT people in Australia are still fighting for equal rights, like the right to get married, or the right to adopt children, and some churches, schools and institutions can still legally discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The effects of all this can be devastating. Some of these impacts include higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicide, drug and alcohol use and high levels of social isolation.

In 20 years we may look back (as we look back on the WHO decision to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders) and be amazed that people of different sexualities or gender identities were ever outlawed from getting married, stopped from adopting children, were ever considered second class citizens under the law…and maybe were ever attacked or murdered just for being who they were.

So, like Tom’s message says, change is our responsibility. It rarely happens if we wait. This is why we need IDAHO, this is why we need This Is Oz and this is why we need you. You can be proud today because we have reached a milestone. Together we have made and changed history.

Here is a snap shot of what your This Is Oz history looks like:

Rebecca
Thankyou for creating this web site. As a heterosexual, I have never experienced the pain of taunts or discrimination based on my sexuality, so I can only imagine what such comments must do to the soul. Thankyou for showing Australia that it is not ok to hate or discriminate against anyone, especially minority groups who are already struggling to feel a legitimate identity (I feel sick to say that, because they should have always felt legitimate... but even the government isn't recognising that!)This is an amazing initiative and I commend everyone who has contributed.

Christy
I just wanted to let you know how wonderful I think this campaign is and that I am thankful that my children may get the opportunity to grow up in a society that accepts all people regardless of their gender, sexuality or race. Keep up the good work, it makes me proud to be Australian.

Aileen
As a heterosexual Australian, it saddens me to know my gay and lesbian friends do not have the same relationship legal rights as I do. I hope a collective voice helps to change this soon.

James
As an open gay youth, I was really touched by all that this initiative is achieving and hoping to achieve. When I saw the ad on TV I couldn't help smile and feel a sense of pride and support. Seeing all the support resonating across Australia and others from the International Community gave me the feeling that minorities aren't as isolated as was thought, and that we can be truly open and happy. Thank you very much

Shani
It's time to stand up against homophobia - there is just no place in this great country for discrimination against people because of their sexual preference. I fully support this project and hope we can rid Australia of a form of discrimination that is unjust and unacceptable.

Beccy
Hi, I'm fifteen years old and proudly gay. My girlfriend and I have been going out for seven months now, and despite how much crap I get at school and from society, I simply don't care. I just wanted to say thank you, thank you for making this campaign, thank you for helping :)

Kate
WOW I love this site! My husband and are hoping to have children and we've taken the time to think about the kind of world we want to bring them up in. We'll attend equal love rallies until equal marriage is legal.

Chrissi
Hi all people of ThisIsOz. We feel honored and proud to have some This Is Oz photos on our website. The fight for the rights of the GLBT community, and overcoming prejudice and homophobia is an important topic.

You are doing an amazing job; you are spreading the message of love and acceptance. What an important and beautiful thing to do - and wonderful to see so many people taking part in it and finding creative ways to express it. Keep up the great work!

Annie
Am in UK - have contact with Australia - am Christian, straight with lots of gay friends some through the internet many at home are long time friends. I applaud your site and pray for it to achieve it's objective I believe God loves us ALL  EQUALLY

Rob - New York
This campaign has shown how a simple positive campaign embraced by influential society members mixed with a diverse slice of society can be both powerful and effective. Bravo to the citizens of Australia, their fantastically compassionate rugby league, and to people around the world inspired by this brilliant campaign.

John - Canada
I am writing to you from Toronto, Canada with my gratitude and support for your campaign.  With so much hatred and intolerance in this world, efforts like yours help start conversations and bring people together in community. My best to you!

Dylan
Thankyou. I'm a proud gay 20 year old. I watch TV and can see that there is next to nothing concerning homophobia in our society at the moment. I just saw the ad on Channel 10 and am almost crying out of joy that these ads exist, finally. Thankyou from the bottom of my heart.