Lex Watson

Photographer: Phillip Potter

Lex Watson AM (1943–2014) was a legendary gay rights activist, academic, and fiercely dedicated champion for LGBTQIA+ equality in New South Wales.

A Sydney University politics lecturer, Lex co-led the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP) and helped organise Australia’s first gay rights demonstration in 1971. Over four decades of grassroots activism, he helped co-found the Gay Rights Lobby and ACON, leading the charge to secure the decriminalisation of homosexuality in NSW in 1984 and building community-led health responses at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

As a tireless movement leader and archivist, he brought intellect, tenacity, and unwavering commitment to ending discrimination and preserving Australian Queer history. Today, we honour his legacy as a true pioneer of gay law reform and a monumental pillar of Australia’s LGBTQIA+ rights movement.