Usually, you think of the child being in trepidation to tell their parents that they're gay.
In my situation, it was the other way around.
In a way, it came about by accident. I accidentally sent my son Ivan a text which was meant for my partner at the time.
My five children didn't know about my partner at that stage: even though I considered I had an obligation to tell them, I was really nervous.
I have five kids, three sons and two daughters.
I took the decision that I would tell my children and then I would tell their then-partners individually face-to-face.
So it was pretty easy with my two daughters and youngest son.
I was really concerned that I would lose my two older sons and three grandsons.
I got a call from Ivan to say he and my older son wanted to catch up with me to have coffee.
We went for a walk. Ivan said: "I got this text message on my phone."
It was fairly explicit, so Ivan said, we thought we should have a bit of a chat with you and say, do you want to talk about it?
And then I told them.
I told him the reason I hadn't told them earlier was because I was scared.
We had this wonderful conversation. It was very brief, really.
Ivan said, we love you and we want to make sure that you're safe.
That was quite a wonderful experience and I felt really empowered by having done that.
I'd been to many Mardi Gras parades, but always as an observer.
It wasn't until Ivan got involved in the surf lifesaving club at Bronte that we went in the parade itself with Lifesavers with Pride.
It was a wonderful experience, walking beside him and just experiencing the parade from a different perspective.
Experiencing it not just with anybody, but with your son, with your own flesh and blood, is such a tremendous experience.
Knowing my son is part of this makes me immensely proud.
It has been a way that Ivan has shown me that he can really embrace my life.
Ivan has also worked with Surf Lifesaving on Rainbow Beaches, part of the Mardi Gras festival.
Surf Lifesaving is such an iconic thing in Australia.
For them to embrace it, the way they have, indicates they are in tune with the concept of Mardi Gras and the LGBTIQ diversity.
What it demonstrates is that there's an opportunity for everybody to be welcomed and cared for.
It says so much for the actual administration of the organisation that it has grown ahead of so many other organisations in sport.
Knowing that my son is involved in this, and at a leadership level, makes me immensely proud.
