Brian Patrick McGahen (3 March 1952 – 3 April 1990) was an Australian gay activist and social libertarian. He was born at Camperdown in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

to hairdresser Patrick James McGahen and Monica Marie Anderson, ''née'' Pettit. After attending De La Salle College Ashfield, he received a Bachelor of Social Studies from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

in 1974. As a student he opposed the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

, refusing to register for

conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...

; his advocacy of draft resistance led to his conviction for

sedition Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech or organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or insurrection against, establ ...

. During this time he became a member of the

Communist Party of Australia The Communist Party of Australia (CPA), known as the Australian Communist Party (ACP) from 1944 to 1951, was an Australian communist party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been ...

. From 1974 to 1975 he was a social worker and drug counsellor, and he became a founding member of the Australian Social Welfare Union in 1976. Working first on the

methadone Methadone, sold under the brand names Dolophine and Methadose among others, is a synthetic opioid used medically to treat chronic pain and opioid use disorder. Prescribed for daily use, the medicine relieves cravings and opioid withdrawal sym ...

program with the Health Commission of New South Wales, he also worked for the State Department of Youth and Community Services and in the 1980s reviewed the New South Wales Family Support Services Scheme. In the mid-1970s, McGahen became involved in the campaign for

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Not ...

as a member of Sydney Gay Liberation and the Socialist Lesbians & Male Homosexuals. He was an organiser for the National Homosexual Conference in 1978 and served as chairman of the Sydney Mardi Gras Association from 1981 to 1984. He stood as the Communist candidate for

Lord Mayor of Sydney The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Sydney is the head of the Council of the City of Sydney, which is the local government area covering the central business district of Sydney in the State of New South Wales, Australia. The Lord Mayor has b ...

in 1980 without success. In 1984, together with fellow Communist

Jack Mundey John Bernard "Jack" Mundey (17 October 1929 – 10 May 2020) was an Australian Communist Party of Australia, communist, Trade union, trade unionist and environmental activist. He came to prominence during the 1970s for leading the New South Wa ...

he was elected as an independent to Sydney City Council, serving until the council's dismissal on 26 March 1987. Along with Craig Johnston and Bill Hunt, elected at the same time, he was the first openly gay member of the council. McGahen became director of a home care service in 1986, and he supported extended care to

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

sufferers, spousal immigration rights, and a permanent LGBT community centre. He joined the Pride steering committee in 1989 and became treasurer. In 1987 he had been diagnosed with HIV, and chose

voluntary euthanasia Voluntary euthanasia is the purposeful ending of another person's life at their request, in order to relieve them of suffering. Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have been the focus of intense debate in the 21st century, ...

. He died at Elizabeth Bay on 3 April 1990, and was cremated. In 1992 he was posthumously inducted into the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Association Hall of Fame.

References

http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au {{DEFAULTSORT:McGahen, Brian 1952 births 1990 deaths Sydney City Councillors People with HIV/AIDS Deaths by euthanasia Australian gay politicians Australian LGBTQ rights activists 20th-century Australian politicians 20th-century Australian LGBTQ people