Bon passed away knowing he no longer had a criminal record

Imagine living your life under the cloud of an unjust criminal conviction just because you were gay.

In 1958, Peter ‘Bon’ Bonsall-Boone was convicted of two criminal offences for homosexual acts when he was just 20 years old. 

For Bon, these offences cut short his chosen career and spelled a lifetime of stigma.

I met Bon and his partner of 50 years, Peter de Waal in 2014 when I worked closely with the NSW LGBTI Parliamentary Working Group to pass legislation to erase historical homosexual convictions.

Recently, Bon was diagnosed with terminal cancer and it was his dying wish to have his record cleared. This year we made that happen.

At 79, Bon passed away knowing he no longer had a criminal record.

Your support helps us restore dignity and respect to people like Bon.

You can help us remove the deep inequalities that exist for LGBTI Australians by making a tax-deductible donation to our EOFY appeal.

Together we can stand up for the rights of vulnerable and marginalised people, because no one should live under the shadow of discriminatory laws and unjust historical convictions.

Anna Brown
Director of Legal Advocacy

PS. Watch the video below for more about Bon and Peter’s incredible life together.