One area in regional Australia is going to get brighter and much more fabulous with a large rainbow that celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community.
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Residents across the country are being asked to 'suggest a home' for the iconic landmark known as the Big Rainbow Project, which has been in Circular Quay for the last few days in honour of Mardi Gras.
The project aims to increase visibility for the rainbow community in rural and regional areas, who might be far from main towns and support services.
It is a symbolic way to embrace members of all ages, identities, abilities, ethnicities and orientations and fosters acceptance and inclusion.
"We are all deserving of love and connection, and we feel excited by the prospects of new connections formed under the rainbow," said Queer Agency co-director Brooke Brady.
All of the arches on the rainbow emulate the Progress Pride Flag designed by non-binary artist Daniel Quasar, which commemorates different intersections in the LGBTQIA+ community.
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It is a collaboration between Tinder, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, First Nations people, experts and community advisors.
"We hope to see the first 'Big' landmark dedicated to the community find a home in regional Australia, where it can be a beacon for diversity, inclusion and self-expression," said Tinder Australia country director Kristen Hardeman.
As part of the project, the dating app is gifting a $100,000 donation to community organisations and support programs dedicated to supporting rainbow people in regional areas.
Tinder is also going to introduce a feature in the explore section of the app to reduce the geographical barriers that isolate rainbow community members in regional areas.
This will be implemented in the coming weeks.
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The dating app has found that the most commonly used identification users select when they choose the 'more genders' option on Tinder is non-binary.
You can head over to the bigrainbowproject.com.au to submit which town, area or suburb you want the rainbow to be in, and explain in 200 words or less why it should reside there.
Submissions close on April 10.
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