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What's in a name? Why Mardi Gras is named Mardi Gras

Cool fact: In French, 'Mardi Gras' means 'Fat Tuesdays'.

2013 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras

Scenes of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Celebration on March 2, 2013 in Sydney Australia. Source: James D. Morgan

Why, you may wonder, did the 78ers decide upon a term that means 'Fat Tuesday' to describe the inaugural LGBTQIA+ event? It's a long story, but would a Mardi Gras by any other name smell as sweet? Let's find out.

It may surprise you to learn that Mardi Gras is a Catholic term, created to describe the festivities that lead up to Lent. The Carnival begins on the day of the Christian feasts of the Epiphany, and finishes on the day before Ash Wednesday - commonly known as Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday. 

The Carnival is a festival of gluttony - essentially, people celebrating as hard as they could to 'fatten up' before the season of Lent, which is 40 days of fasting and sacrifice.

The festival can be traced back to medieval Europe, pass

Read more in English via SBS Sexuality.


1 min read

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By Chloe Sargeant, May Rizk




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