Lex Watson was an LGBTIQA+ rights activist, political scientist and historian who was one of the most visible faces of gay activism in Sydney from the 1970s onwards. From organising the first gay rights demonstration in Australia, through to law reform, HIV and AIDS advocacy and the preservation of LGBTIQA+ history, Lex Watson was a pioneer whose dedicated activism over decades set foundations and led to enormous change for LGBTIQA+ people across Australia.
Lex Watson was a founding member of the Campaign Against Moral Persecution (CAMP Inc.) and served as co-president from 1972 to 1975. He was the organiser of the first gay rights demonstration in Australia, held in Ash Street Sydney in 1971. In 1980, he co-founded the Gay Rights Lobby (later known as the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby). In 1983, as HIV and AIDS began to have a devastating impact on the community, he co-founded the AIDS Action Committee (later known as the AIDS Council of NSW or ACON) and served as the first President of this organisation. Even after he retired from academia, he served as President of Sydney’s Pride History from 2010 to 2014.
Lex Watson’s dedication towards LGBTIQA+ rights and wellbeing spanned decades and helped achieve substantial reform. He lived his life with great courage and showed a commitment to community that never wavered.
Page last updated: 15 Apr 2026