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I'm Tristan Cordelia. She, they, um, I'm from Queer Endurance Defiance. We are a leftist queer activist group. Uh, we've been around since early 2021. Um, this is our, this is the third, um, counter rally for trans rights in as many months. Um, so we did a big one at Civic Square. We did another one here on Parliament Grounds about a month ago, and now we're doing this one. Um, essentially whenever [00:00:30] anti-trans hate speakers or hate groups show up, we turn up to counter them, um, because it's important that our community feels safe, um, and that if someone is spreading hatred against us, we make a show to say, Hey, this isn't actually okay. You can't just go around, um, proclaiming that we don't have a right to exist. Um, we are gonna turn up and show that we do have a right to exist, um, and try and outnumber and out, out voice you. Yeah, that's fantastic. Um, can [00:01:00] you tell me how you came to get involved in Queer Endurance Defiance? So, in mid 2021, um, the same head group as today, S U F W were planning a rally outside, um, Marco Fowler Center. Um, they had done a series around the country and the tactic that the, um, queer community and queer organizations are using against them at that time was almost exclusively de platforming, trying to deny them access to venues. Um, that backfired because they took, [00:01:30] um, one of, they took Auckland City Council to court. They won that. Um, thus they were not only, were not de platformed, but they were able to present themselves as victims. Um, so there were a few people in, um, Facebook group that I'm in who suggested maybe that's not the most successful tactic and we should actually turn up and counter them. Um, this was a minority opinion, but one that I agreed with. So I contacted people who were. Proposing this tactic and we organized the counter rally. It was, we got about a thousand people compared [00:02:00] to less than a hundred of the opposition. Um, even though it was a really miserable day, it was quite rainy. Um, and we blew up our amp trying to protect it from the rain. Um, we had still had a good rally. We all like sung songs. Um, chanted, had some speeches. Um, it's just a really good vibe. And then earlier this year, when a far right. Transferred from the UK visited, we decided to do the same thing again. It had an even better turnout, had [00:02:30] almost 5,000 people. Um, so we're keeping doing that work. We also do other work like, um, drafting an amendment, um, to the BDM R R Act, the past recently to try and retain some ability for people born overseas to change their gender markers. Um, and we've got a campaign for improved transgender healthcare in New Zealand, um, which we've, we launched last year and we are doing a big push for that this year cause that's really important. Um, yeah. And then we also do [00:03:00] work around, around like removing uniform police and military from pride, um, and supporting other groups that we are, you know, that, that are doing work that we think is great. Um, whether that's fired up stilettos, um, or anti-racist groups or, um, pro-choice demonstrations. Uh, yeah. Thank you so much. I mean, I'm certainly super grateful that you are all putting this event on because it's super important. Yeah. Um, uh, can you, uh, describe for me some of the, um, kind of, uh, [00:03:30] factors that go into organizing something like this? Like around, um, safety and, uh, things like that? Yeah. Um, so firstly, making sure that we have enough marshals is important. Making sure that we have safety gear, um, making sure that we have, we all meet beforehand, we have agreed on set of principles, um, how we are going to approach the people that we are in opposition against. Um, we don't directly confront them. Um, yeah. Yeah. And, uh, what would you say to the [00:04:00] rainbow people who are going to be speaking on the speak up for women's side over there? Um, just that you don't have to go, that you don't have to crawl towards old age, full of hate. Like you have people in your family who absolutely are trans. Um, even if you don't know it, and. Your, you know, your prejudice is damaging to them and you don't need to retain that. Yeah. My name's leash. I am, we're at the counter protest [00:04:30] for, uh, there's some transphobes about to be turning up and we are just here to tell them. My understanding is that they're here to be like LGB without the t kind of people, and I'm here as someone who is part of the B and part of the T to be like, uh, that's not, that's not what the community's about. You can't, you can't ask for inclusion and, and, and like for one section of our community while trying actively hating and excluding the next, I'm sorry I'm totally ranting, but [00:05:00] like, it just grounds my gears that they would, that privileged members of our community are so happy to conform to this heteronormative. Like cess normative, fucking like capitalistic grind that we're all forced to con, you know, and they've found a certain amount of safety in there, and then they turn around and shit on us. You know, like we've been talking a lot [00:05:30] this like past like six months about the lipids eating your face party. Uh, that, that totally like saying the panthers are fine, you know, and that they're not, they're going, the leopards are gonna eat their face. Oh my God. And it's just, I find it so frustrating that they're willing to let the leopards eat us when we could be like allies and like brethren and like comrades, but no, apparently not. Oh, that's fantastic. [00:06:00] Um, can you, um, describe for me what's going on around us right now? Uh, well, we've got a lot of really awesome marshals. I, I understand that it's two groups. It's the, um, poor Nikki Antifascist, um, The organization, and it's also another organization which I can't remember the name of, but two really cool organizations, um, are like, you know, organizing a bunch of awesome queer people to fucking stand just, you know, peacefully stand and, and, [00:06:30] and make a statement that we are not, that the rainbow community is a full rainbow. Awesome. Um, and, uh, what would you like to say to the Rainbow people speaking as part of the anti-trans rally? Uh, I think I've already touched on a couple of things, but it saddens me that the, the lie has worked on them. The lie that if they just conform enough that they'll be safe, um, it's sad. It's, it makes me [00:07:00] angry because they're willing to sacrifice other people's safety for their own feeling of safety. Um, so that, that saddens me. But I'm also sad on their behalf. Yeah, it, it, it saddens me on my behalf and on their behalf. That's kind of, yeah. No, thank you. And um, given that it's um, an election year, oops. A badge has fallen off your buy badge. That's awesome. Um, given that it's an election year, uh, what would you say like to say to any politicians that might be listening to this? I think [00:07:30] I was talking about this last night and it's not 2012, you know, like we need politicians to risk something. We need them to stand up and cuz their dog whistles are being actively spoken in parliament right now. Nazi dog whistles, um, I can't think of an example, but they're fucking, uh, like mothers and fathers need to be looking after children like that, that sort of thing are being said in parliament [00:08:00] without much contestation. And it's like, that is wild to me. So I need more. Just mainstream politicians to stand up and like fucking say shit out loud. Um, I also think it's incredibly important. This is like a, seems like a side issue, but I really want politicians to take seriously lowering the voting age to 16. I think that's a huge, um, way of empowering all of New Zealand [00:08:30] to be invested in their future. Um, I remember being 16 myself and, and missing an election because I was, you know, 16 and I was, well maybe I was 17, but I like the youth of today are invested in our democratic process and I think it'd be so cool to like see them be able to. Act that out as versus just talking about it. Like I remember talking about it. Yeah. I've got Jay. So yeah. Kodo. My name's Gina. My [00:09:00] pronouns are they them. I'm a Green Party candidate this year for the upcoming election in Mana. Um, and we're at the counter protests today supporting, um, trans rights here with a lot of, uh, other members of the community and allies as well. Awesome. Can you tell me why it's important for you to be here today? Uh, yeah. As a trans person, as a non-binary person, it's really important to be, yes, sitting here with, um, other members of my community against, against hate, and then against these people that don't really wish for us to exist. Um, you know, I'm here. I know that I exist. I'm a real person and I know, um, all of us out here just want to be treated the same [00:09:30] way that everyone else does and respected too. Yes. Fantastic. Um, and can you tell me, um, what, what, what's kind of going on around us at the moment as we're getting ready? Yeah, it's, uh, starting to turn up. So lots of people are, are coming through lots of, uh, beautiful pride flags are being worn and rainbows, um, as well as people holding signs. Um, the other side doesn't seem to have too many on, uh, out there just yet, but, um, we're feeling good and excited for what's about to happen. So,[00:10:00] um, so welcome everyone. Welcome all. Um, we are here today for a peaceful protest. Um, we stand for collective wellbeing, including a need for the protection and support of the trans members of our community, and for the rights of all of those marginalized to be included and to be safe in society. Woo. We stand strongly against the anti-trans rhetoric, disinformation and conspiracy theories, and against the far [00:10:30] rights politics of violence, hatred, and fear of trans people. In the future, it may be necessary to confront the threats they pose more directly, but today is not that day. Today, we are gathering peacefully to demonstrate and resist. Specifically, we are resisting an extremely harmful view, spouted by a very small number of their leaders and by agitators within their ranks. With that in mind, we urge you to adhere to our COPPA by doing the following things. Attack the trans ideology. Don't attack the individuals. They've been misled and [00:11:00] lied to by charlatans, and it's not our job to change their minds individually. Be part of the community. Look out for one another. When you go and find a public loo, go and come back with buddies. When it's time to leave, leave with buddies. Always stick together and keep everyone safe. Include everyone, talk to one another and have fun. This is also a celebration of the diversity of our community. Have fun with that community. Look after this. F [00:11:30] uh, please don't litter. Please find a toilet if you need to go, um, pick up anything you brought with you and take it home at the end. Um, Uh, and okay, so this is now the important safety information. All of our marshals today are wearing the orange vests. Most of them are behind me, some of them are behind you. Um, follow their leadership. Our goal collectively today, um, is to deescalate potentially dangerous situations and to ensure that we successfully counter protest the turfs without any of our community coming to harm. And so that's really important. Um, [00:12:00] usually our first aid and welfare team are wearing green, but today, if they could just raise their hands. Um, Sarah and, and Phillip, if you just wanna put your hands up, these are our two medics today. Um, a couple others have first aid training. If you need anything, either come to the speaker here and I can get their attention or find one of those two and they can help out. They've got, um, medic training and first aid kits on them. Um, so, uh, crucially, um, these guys are not a substitute for an ambulance. And in a critical situation, please call 1 1 1. Um, We're not setting out to [00:12:30] be arrested. And obviously the goal today is to be non-confrontational. Um, but in the event that you are arrested, um, we have spoken with a lawyer who's willing, uh, to help out, um, a few of our marshals have their number saved, and you can write that on your arm if you need it. Um, and also important watch out for far right media. Um, trying to create incriminating footage of you all, um, disrupt their footage or move away as you feel fits the circumstances best and you feel comfortable doing a really good strategy is just to hold your signs up in front of their camera. Um, but follow the Marshalls lead on that [00:13:00] because we also have some actual journalists who are here to record, um, record our mahi today. So that's really important. Um, cool. So, uh, overview of how the day is going to go. You're all going to have a wonderful time, be your wonderful selves and you're gonna talk with and look out for each other and have fun. Um, the turfs over there will be gathering sort of pretty soon. I can see a few of them over there already, uh, one o'clock-ish and, um, they'll end when they end. Um, we're not quite sure of their. Timeframe. Um, but there will [00:13:30] also almost definitely be other right-wing groups heading to Parliament. We had those guys last time, so keep an eye out for them and they might possibly be coming from different directions, um, from the turf. So just make sure that you keep an eye out and keep yourself safe. We're protesting all of these groups, um, and we're letting it be known that they don't speak for and decide what's best for trans people, for women, um, for queer people, and for all of those in our community. Um, but we are not gonna stop them from coming onto Parliament Grounds. This is a public space. Um, the barriers that have been set up very clearly [00:14:00] delineate, um, the spaces that we are, um, able to occupy today. Um, and, and it's important that we don't prevent anyone else from exercising that right as well. Um, also on that note, you can see where this barrier is set up here. We're gonna try and not go any closer to them than that, that, um, Poster, that big, um, fabric poster is, um, just in the interest of not escalating any kind of conflict. Um, cool. So we'll be staying here. The plan is to stay until about two o'clock. You can obviously leave earlier [00:14:30] if you've got other commitments, you're not forced to stick around. Um, and we might extend that a little bit if they're still speaking. So we're not gonna head off while they're still holding their speeches because, um, we are here to protest them. We're not gonna let them have that voice. So, um, the Marshall team will communicate any extra plans beyond that. So, um, yeah, just listen to people in the orange vests. Um, they know what they're doing. They're here to look out for you. Um, and listen for any announcements coming over the speaker in the event that, um, anything goes south, which hopefully it won't [00:15:00] because we're all gonna look after each other and have fun. Cool. So next we're gonna lead into some speeches. We're gonna have some music and some chants. Um, and Tris, I think is giving the first speech. Um, so they're gonna get up right after me. Um, thank you for all your time for listening to me. I know I ramble a little bit. Um, and thank you for the love you've brought here today. Um, for the trans community. For the queer community, um, and continue to share that throughout the day. Thank you very much.[00:15:30] My name is Tristan Cordelia from Queer Endurance Defiance. Welcome again to another Rally Against Transphobia, our third in as many months, we know it's pretty tiring to keep turning up like this, but we don't think hatreds can be left unopposed. The good news is queer endurance defiance are not just reactive. We are proactive, and we will be meeting here at 2:00 PM on the [00:16:00] 1st of July to commemorate Stonewall and to promote our demands for better transgender healthcare in Alro. We would love to see you all there. Some more Mixed news is that on the 15th of June, the new BDM RRR Act will come into force. This makes it much easier for people born Indo to update the gender on our birth certificates, which is great. Unfortunately, [00:16:30] the act does not include any provision for people with overseas birth certificates to update, update their gender marker on official documents. So migrants are actually losing this, right? What should have been a step in the right direction and something that we would've celebrated instead makes life easier for some trans people and harder for others, and that is not good enough. The government had assured us that while they weren't retaining this provision in [00:17:00] legislation, the Department of Internal Affairs was going to retain that provision by creating some policy. But as we know from the rollback of Roe versus Wade in America, if it ain't in legislation, don't fucking trust that it'll stay around cuz those rights get taken away. So Queer Endurance Defiance has written an amendment and it's actually like a proper legal docu, you know, legally written document. This isn't just some bullshit that we came up with while we were wasted. Um, to [00:17:30] amend the act, to retain a provision for people born overseas to update the gender markers on official documents. Essentially it just retains the old provision, which isn't great, but it's better than nothing. Um, I have four copies here. Are there any part politicians in the audience. Please take these. I'll just take one more one as well. Please do something with this because we've written it for you. [00:18:00] You just need to put it into, in divorce. That is the news. Um, now on to my actual speech. We're gathered here today in queer solidarity against the anti-trans hate group who are meeting across the lawn in a pathetic attempt to divide cis and trans members of the queer community. Transgender people and trans activists have always played an important role in the movement from, for gay rights, for lesbian rights, for queer rights. From Marsha p Johnson and Sylvia Rivera at [00:18:30] Stonewall, to Connie Norman in the AIDS activism Group act. Up through to the present day, we are sickened that anti-trans groups would attempt to raise this history and gate keep the queer community. I've given some overseas examples. And my comrades will be giving you some a bit of local history. Um, because in New Zealand as well, we've always been part of the movement. We had an incredible Wellington Pride Festival back in March opening with the Pride Koi and Teranga. Most countries who celebrate Pride do so. [00:19:00] Celebrate Pride, do so in summer, and Alro is no different. The turfs across the lawn didn't take part in pride outside a two person transphobic protested out in the city. They don't like that. Pride is inclusive, not exclusive, welcoming, not gatekeeping. So they're using June, which is USA Pride Month to try to gate, keep the tea out of l g LGBTQIA plus and no doubt the I and the A and the Q as well, hell but exclude the LGB if they thought they could get away with it. US [00:19:30] Pride month has recently been internationalized largely because having a global pride is useful for pink wash marketing, selling rainbow sneakers and such. I think Rainbow Sneakers are pretty great, but that's not the point of pride. So it's fine if you're into that sort of thing, rather than a grassroots queer party. In the Sunshine. Queer Endurance Defiance was initially formed in opposition, opposition to the commercialization of pride. Specifically the presence of uniform police and military and pride parades at the behest of corporations and against the wishes of [00:20:00] the queer community. We stand for pride that is by the queer community. For the queer community. Nothing about us, without us is for us. We will not stand silently by while hate groups attempt to dictate why pride can and cannot be. We have pride in all of us, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and beyond. Our pride is trans inclusive.[00:20:30] Our pride is intersex inclusive. Our pride is ace inclusive. Our pride is king conclusive. Our pride is sex worker inclusive. Our pride is very inclusive.[00:21:00] Our pride rejects ableism. Our pride rejects racism. Our pride is anti-colonial. Our pride is about love, not hate, love. That is all I have to say today. Thank you all for turning up. I'm going to hand over to our [00:21:30] next speaker, Anne. Thanks gang. Uh, Koto. My name's Anne. I'm an antifascist at tenant organizer and a non-binary cunt, as we call it in the antipathies. I suppose you could call me one of those dreaded transgenders who kind of became non-binary cuz I thought it was cool. Um, and if there's any doubt about that, like you, you're allowed to do that. You don't have to have this kind of innate sense of your agenda [00:22:00] from birth. You can just think. Oh yeah. I kind of like to be a girl and just give it a go. This, this kind of, um, casualness around gender, um, is not something that this side can handle. They hate it. And it's really connected to, uh, the reason that we are here today. And I want to acknowledge the manen of this land, uh, Tati, Tarana, and, um, you know, we're having this protest on parliament and stolen land is the [00:22:30] bedrock of transphobia and alua. I, I, there've been a lot of protests to parliament, a lot have gone to, personally, I don't find it a very interesting protest location cuz it's almost always symbolic and like for what, it's not really an authority that I respect, but to them it's everything. They cannot imagine another way of living on this UA that's not a colonial government. Um, and you know, it's not really that much of a surprise that a lot of the transphobes over there are white. Now, [00:23:00] a few of those I think are people that I used to know, they were friends of mine once, like mostly older white cis women or people trying really hard to be cis women. Um, no, there's a lot of like unchecked dysphoria among that community, but that's not the whole story. Um, you know, and I've thought it over and over again, like trying to puzzle out why these people who I used to know to be nice have become trans folks. I'm sure that's a common experience for many of you. And for a lot of them, they kind of came up [00:23:30] in a type of white feminism that said that, you know, patriarchy is the main oppression, and it's the same across all times in all cultures. And of course, if you know anything about indigenous models of gender, you know that this is not true. Uh, Kiara two, Ani re, Elizabeth Re, um, Kim Reen and all the wah Maori who've challenged those colonial assumptions. And of course their, um, their idea of this gender was like, Very straightforward. You know, the, [00:24:00] the aggressor has a penis, then the victim has a vagina, and then trans politics came along and yeah, on top of this, I think they never really thought that seriously about racism. I don't think they kind of thought of it as like, don't say slurs or hi bar, or, you know, don't overtly oppose migration. And I don't think they'd ever really considered seriously their position as white women and how they have a certain type of power that can be used to hurt indigenous people within other people of color. Then along came trans politics and had [00:24:30] asked them to reframe their ideas of gender and they just could not deal with it. They couldn't deal with the fact that they might have power to give up. Uh, they couldn't deal with the idea that they'd been wrong. And so they kind of abandoned, not just trans people, queer people and the left, but any pretense they ever had to not opposing white supremacy. Like last time people I knew there used to be on the left were shaking hands with the act party. Very weird, surreal kind of thing. Yeah. Boo. Thank you. Uh, when these people talk [00:25:00] about gender, they kind of talk about it in a really similar way to the way that racists talk about the nation. You know, look at these trans women trying to, you know, invade our gender that we own. Look at them trying to replace real cis lesbians and taking away our lesbians by turning them into trans masks. You know, of course they couldn't have a mind of their own. There's a lot of anxiety about fertility in there as well. So is there really any surprise that they've kind of turned to these anti-abortion, antique anti reproductive [00:25:30] rights kind of positions, or aligned with people who align with that? You know, they see gender as they see the FEA as an excluded territory to control with violence. Um, they police the borders of it by barring trans women on the outside and tightly controlling trans masks and the gender of expression of cis women on the inside. Now, I don't want colonizers to control Thea or Akata or any of our bodies. We need to see ourselves not as rulers over these concepts as a thing to [00:26:00] dominate, but as kaki living in relationship and helping each other thrive. Now, I might not always be a non-binary, cuz guess what? You can change genders as many times as you want, but, but I'll always support Ang protecting the FEA and allowing all of us bodily autonomy. I wanted to point out my shirt. It's cast don saying five dozen eggs. That's who I hope to see at every rally [00:26:30] Am I handing it to? Oh right. Thank you Anne. That was amazing. I'm going to hand over to another of my comrades from Q E D. Yes, you usually see me behind the speaker at most of these protests, but now I'm in front of a speaker. I'm just gonna have a little kodo about the, um, [00:27:00] trans history of porn care and the trans history of the Gay and lesbian Liberation Movement. These people are stand standing behind me, are here today because they think trans people ought to be excluded from the queer community. What a ridiculous agenda. What many of these miserable bigots may not seem to know or may not seem to care about. Is that [00:27:30] gay and lesbian people have their rights because of trans people in art. The gay liberation movement of the seventies was built on the labor of all the way back to the 1930s trans people and were the ones hosting balls and parties in the thirties. And they were the ones running the gay cafes and bars where queer and trans [00:28:00] people existed without boundaries, without shame, where queer people connected, organized, and fell in love from Chrissy Weir's, evergreen Coffee House used as an organizing space for gay and lesbian activists leading up to the 1986 homosexual law reform bill. To Carmen Ru's International Coffee House on Vivian Street. We all know queer rights. Trailblazer, Carmen Rupe. [00:28:30] Before the 1969 Stonewall riots in 1966, she was arrested and dragged through the courts in porn because she dared to wear feminine clothing, winning the right to dress. How she pleased that win was not just hers, it was ours. Trans activists like Mama Teddy Strickland toiled to [00:29:00] support the community through the AIDS crisis, which not only affected cisgender gay men, but also the transgender sex workers, some cisgender gay people want to rebuke. We would not have the 2004 Civil Unions Act or gay marriage in 2013. Without the trailblazer, Georgina Byer sex workers, so many of which are from our communities, would not be able to work legally and [00:29:30] safely without her incredible work to decriminalize prostitution in 2003, dressing how we want, marrying who we want, working, where we want our health, our happiness, and our freedom as queer people would not exist without the invaluable activism of fuck wa and trans activists. So [00:30:00] when cisgender gay people stand on the steps of Parliament today, a place where our most fundamental rights were claimed from the cold, hard hands of the establishment and tell us. That we ought to exclude trans people to them. I say shame, shame, shame on you. For once again, throwing trans people to the wolves when you would not be here without them.[00:30:30] I say to the trans exclusionary gaze and that crowd today, if you want to cast off trans people and then mahi, get divorced. Quit your job and dress how the sis establishment commands. We are free. And [00:31:00] because trans people made us free. I would now like to invite Will Koto. Uh, my name is Will, I'm a Pakeha trans man. I'm a student up at Vic, uh, and I'm a trustee of Tera Roa, the Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand.[00:31:30] I spent the last six years researching the histories of trans communities and activism in Al Tiera, and I'm here today to tell you that no matter what, the bigots over there say, it was colonization that brought transphobia to this land. And trans people have always been a part of queer communities in roa. More than this. Trans women, and especially trans women who are Maori and Pacifica and trans women who are sex workers have always been our [00:32:00] leaders. They've always been at the forefront of our movements, and it is about bloody time that we stand with them. The last speech. She had some fantastic stories from our histories, and today I'm gonna focus on one more story, the history of my friend Sandy Gauntlet. Sandy is 73 years old, their non-binary, trans-feminine, and activist and academic, a former sex worker and performer who fucka puppets, the Nazi Power and Naati Maru Sandy was one of the first members of the Auckland Gay Liberation Front, when it was founded in [00:32:30] 1972. In 1973, Sandy Single-handedly founded and ran the Rota Gay Liberation Front. In 1974, Sandy joined the first radical trans activist group in Al Tiera, the Transvestites and Transsexuals Union, which was a subgroup of the Christchurch Gay Liberation Front, and was founded by another Transex worker named Pindi. Sandy faced a lot of transphobia from other queer people, but Sandy never let that stop them [00:33:00] from pushing for GA for trans liberation. From making sure that their cisgender comrades knew that the trans struggle was an integral part of the struggle for queer freedom. And they also had support from gay men and lesbians because despite what our mates across the fence would've you believe. There is a history of lesbian feminists who have stood up for trans people and whose support, as Sandy has told me, has often moved them to tears. When I interviewed Sandy last year, they said this to me [00:33:30] cuz I'd worked the streets. I knew what you had to face. You don't give in. Freedom is not given to you. You have to fight for it. People did not believe that we existed until we should stood up and showed them. I think in my own ways, I've helped with some of the change, but I'm not a leader. I'm not. Make sure you say that because I would never have survived without a lot of the people that swam around behind me, with me and in front of me. And as much as I want to honor Sandy's request that I not see them as a leader, [00:34:00] I'm struggling because they are a leader. Sandy was a pioneer of trans activism in New Zealand, and I'm sick of their story being erased. There are so many stories of trans people, transex workers especially, and their allies whose names have not, are not famous, but who have worked hard for decades to build up our strength. And we are so lucky to have some of them here with us today. Chanel and Renee, you guys are amazing and I'm, I'm so we, I'm so grateful we stand on your shoulders.[00:34:30] Transphobia is a part of our history, but it is not our history. Sum total. Our queer histories are more often histories of resistance, of unity and of solidarity as trans and cis comrades alike come together in a shared struggle for liberation from antique oppression. And no matter how hard the turfs try. They will never erase our history. Transphobia is just another tool of ongoing colonization. So land back and transliteration. Now,[00:35:00] I would now like to invite Renee to come and get and give our closing speech. Got it. The first time speaking. Then I'm really nervous and then, but there goes, I'm Renee Paul and I work for New Zealand Prostitutes Collector, oh, sorry. The New Zealand Sex Workers Collective.[00:35:30] I'm just like the next person, you know? I just wanted to be treated the same as others in society with respect, dignity, because in my eyes we're all the same. Um, there's, there's no, um, no space for, um, hatred and, and discrimination. I'm here standing with my UA sisters, you know, and all, all trans women and trans people. The microphone. Yeah. And trans people. So let's be strong and stand together in the face of such [00:36:00] terrible ignorance and dehumanizing, um, attacks on us, our, our being and our dignity. You know, it's been, it's been attacked and we gotta do something about it. Shut up. Um, I work for the, I'm a community liaison for the New Zealand, uh, pro sex workers collective. And, um, [00:36:30] and you know, I just wanna say that, um, there's a war on us today, and it comes not to a theater near you, but to a country near you. As we have experienced. We are old school, we know that hatred all too well, and we've, and, but today it's, it now has a head and it has legs and it's moving very, very quickly. And you know what I say is a war of no one will win a war of hate. You know, there are no [00:37:00] winners. We're only here to reclaim what is ours, our rights, our dignity, and then our, our integrity. And for people that want to take that away, that's not gonna happen. But in the world of technology, hate can spread in two seconds. But we come from an era where there was nothing like that. We just heard about it and we talked to one another. But now, you know, there are people online who want to be part of a group. [00:37:30] They want to be part of something, and whatever it is, they don't care. So they'll join it and then they'll sit back and watch it play itself out. We are the most marginalized, um, most likely to be murdered, um, stigmatized group of people in New Zealand, and yet in New Zealand. And yet in New Zealand it's the Queens, the trans woman that stood up [00:38:00] and raised the visibility of the rainbow community in a time where you had to conform to society standards. But we said, no, we, this is what you see is what you get, and it's now what you see is what you get. And we're pacifists, we're not predators, we're pacifists and we always have been. And those who know us, and the hatred that's steaming right now, you know, against us, the [00:38:30] trans world is burning the children, you know, sports, um, sports competitors. Everything that is in our world is burning. And this is the only way we can help put that fire out is to for young ones to stand beside us because Yeah, cuz yeah, yeah. We need you. We've been there and we know, and we know the hatred and know, and we know what it's like. And those people over there, you know, we all have a platform to speak, you [00:39:00] know, but don't bring your hate because it's not gonna solve anything. It's just gonna make things worse. So I just wanna say, um, to all you young ones, just continue to, to, to, to stand for what is right and for, for what is ours. I'm proud to live in New Zealand in a country where, um, they can look at a transsexual and say, okay, go and give it a go. And who, who? And the trans and the, and the queens that came before her, like Carmen, she ran for me in 1977. She [00:39:30] didn't win, but she laid the pathway for someone else to enter political spaces. And now our parliament is, has a rainbow room. And what can, where can you say that in any other country? And I love New Zealand, I love everybody in New Zealand, all races, you know, because we are one people. And that's, and that's how it should be. And don't let anybody come over here. And because if you're gonna come to New Zealand for a battle, don't expect hugs and kisses. We'll listen, but you're not gonna get a hug and a kiss. [00:40:00] So not eight 10, no. That was amazing. Thank you so much for showing up. Um, a little known fact about transphobia in New Zealand is that the hate group standing over there, S U f W. They have [00:40:30] their roots in anti-sex work. The reason they formed in the first place was because they couldn't stand the fact that trans women were prominently involved in the campaign for sex workers rights. Our struggle is a struggle for bodily autonomy, the struggle for access to abortions, for workplace rights, for sex workers. And [00:41:00] with the rights of trans people to be ourselves and receive the healthcare we need. This fight is one fight and we stand together in solidarity. I wanna shout out to everyone who has worked on Marion Street when I was at a low end and looking for money and figured that was my only option. You welcomed me [00:41:30] with open arms and made sure that I was safe, and all of that shit was way too hard for me to keep going. You've done it and on the side you've fought for the rights of everyone. Those who are treated like the lowest, welcome everyone and fight for the rights of people who often have it much easier than they are. Their mahi, their roha. It's been an inspiration to all of us.[00:42:00] Sorry, I just getting a little bit high on my motions here. Those are all the speeches that we have planned today. Um, but we do have some time to welcome people who would like to take part. Um, if you would like to say some words, we'd invite you up to the [00:42:30] microphone, um, to give you a couple of minutes to say something about your own experiences, whether that's as a trans person, as a queer person, spin even as an ally. Um, please try not to speak for more than two minutes. I'll give you a ding at two minutes and another at three. Um, try not to use any slurs other than queer, which has been reappropriated to the point that we can use it. Um, I like to use trans slurs to describe myself cuz I just fuck like that, but not everyone does and it can [00:43:00] be quite triggering for some people. Um, obviously TURP is not actually a slur, so that's fine. Um, so yeah, and try to keep it positive. Um, we've had a lot of dark experiences and obviously that's part of your journey and I welcome you to mention that. Um, just try not to go into too much detail because, um, that can also be triggering for people. Um, so I would like to invite people from the crowd if you would really like to say something, um, [00:43:30] just to put up your hands. Um, yes. You say first, um, and come Yes. And then you. Transphobes love to say that we are spreading ideologically to convert people into transgenderism. All we are saying is that you have a chance, you are loved, you can [00:44:00] transition. And you know, if it wasn't for getting on testosterone and to see have people see me the way that I want to be seen and gendered correctly, I probably would have killed myself. That's the truth. But I have the opportunity because of what I've been able to be given to live how I want to. So yeah, that's just what I wanted to say.[00:44:30] Uh, hi. I'm a transparent. Woo. It's a privilege. Um, I cry when I hear people say I cry when I hear people say that my children would abuse children. My daughter and her [00:45:00] wife have just given birth to a miracle baby. My children will never abuse a child. Get real. I might even know some of you over there. And I fucking love you and I love all of you too. And I'm gonna die cause I can't breathe properly. Um, but the, the fear I have lived with. [00:45:30] The love I have found many of you, I know your faces in here because of my beautiful children. And honestly, let's just love each other. I always hope that by my attitude, my friends can be changed. And you know what? A lot of them can't. And it's just so sad. It's so sad cuz I love you all so much and you know, whatever. Yeah, gimme a cheer.[00:46:00] It's important to know as much as they may hate us, we do not hate you. We would love you to rejoin the feminist community and the queer community. It's not too late to change. Forgiveness is an important part of the social movement.[00:46:30] Uh, my name's Ezra. They them. I just wanna start by, um, reminding the people over there, their roots, where we came from, where women's liberation came from in the Western world. I'm not sure exactly the year I've got a bad memory, but Simon de Bvo once said, one is not born as but rather becomes a woman. And that was the fine, was the founding points of the second wave of the feminist [00:47:00] movement, the one that gave us all we have today, the idea that one is not born as the gender, that they are given the idea that our pressure is not biologically determined. The idea that the roles that we live in are not fatalistic. The idea is that we can take our oppression and change it with social action. Those with the founding principles of not only our movement, but the feminist movement as a whole. And I would like [00:47:30] to ask, I would like to ask the people over on the other side of that fence there, what made them betray that principle? What made them reaffirm that our fates are biologically determined? That we are only our dna, that we are only our parts. That we are only our oppression? Are we not our genders, but are we people? And how dare they forget that? How [00:48:00] dare they portray the movement? How dare they portray Martha B. Johnson or Marsha b Johnson. I can't remember. After the AIDS crisis has wiped, wiped out so much of our history. All of the trans activists, man who tried to fight for us, who gave us our rights, who gave us our freedom, what now, after all we have sacrificed to preserve that history, makes them wish to erase it.[00:48:30] I don't know, honestly, they're just picks. Thank you, Kiara. My name is Leash. Um, and I'd just like to say as someone who was raised in this bigotry, that these people are espousing. I was raised in the church. Um, I know some, I feel like I know somewhat what they went through. I was a homophobic, [00:49:00] transphobic asshole for a hot minute. Um, I am now gay and trans, so, you know, but I remember first hearing about. Transgender people, and it was new and it was scary. And I as a, as a, you know, budding feminist, I felt like it threatened me. And I don't know where our paths differ because all it took for me was to hear, listen to [00:49:30] trans people and listen to their stories, and listen to their pain, and realize that compassion is the only response when, when approaching people, especially people who are at higher risk of, of death, of homelessness, of abuse from authority figures. I and I, I, that is where our paths diverge because I do not understand the response to hearing people like we've heard today. To turn, [00:50:00] turn, I don't, I do not understand turning your back on that. But even though I do not understand them, I speak for myself and I hope I speak for some of you, uh, you know, most of you. But if they had that radical realization that I had as a teenager, that com, that they had been lacking compassion. If they turned around with compassion and started listening to us and joined us, I would welcome them with open arms. Yes,[00:50:30] I am not. I am angry, but I'm mostly sad that people who could be fighting with us are fighting against us. Yes. These are people who should be our elders and they're attacking children. Yes. We are not the threat to children. They are threatening my comrades, and that is unconscionable. So I am very angry, but I'm [00:51:00] also saddened and I'm also hopeful that some people will join us if we continue to share our stories and continue to. Let our pain be heard and continue to not be silent in the face of very violent oppression. Maybe, maybe they will be moved in compassion, but regardless of that, we are here, we are [00:51:30] queer, and we will not be silenced. Thank you Kiara. Beloved shenanigans. I wrote this last night. I was trying to go to bed to be wakeful enough for this, uh, but I had to get something outta my heart. So here it is. Transgender people are not rising out of nowhere. Our existence is putting an end to the gender [00:52:00] apartheid. Our existence is ending the artificial simplification of gender. And of human nature brought about by Puritanism and it's colonial exports, we are ending this anti natural madness that sought comfort in the suppression of the complex and diverse [00:52:30] nature of human beings in front of us. Simple people who find comfort in artificial simplicity and her respond violently to the end of any, because they were told that in this world there are humans and deadly monsters. The humans they believed are those who are white, cisgender, heterosexual, [00:53:00] idly males, abled, abstinent until marriage. And when married. And when married permitted to sin only to have children. They were told the rest, they told themselves are incarnations of the devil. Monsters. Beasts. They told themselves not to mistake or mingle with humans. Oh well the books have gone outta fashion. The anti natural tales of monsters, not quite [00:53:30] inured in this delusional simplicity. They now feel attacked and threatened by the mere visible existence of and the unstoppable reclamation of the right to live by and for the people the lives. The natural diversity that they had so rightfully and so violently suppressed, and they today invoke biology, lesbians invoking [00:54:00] biology against us. The irony. The irony. Here's the facts of biology. You can cut every tree and every relief you can monocrop and call the rest weeds. One thing I know is the trend dies quickly, but after 2000 years and more, you can put boxes instead of leaves and trees. Nature always comes back. [00:54:30] All I'm saying, all I'm saying is we're back bitches and we are here to stay. Hi, um, my name is Rosie. My pronouns are they, they slash he. And I just wanted to tell you guys what happened last year because he's, because we are continued to be [00:55:00] attacked. Last year I was at, at a pride event at out in the pool and two, and my trans fem friends got attacked by, by bigots and turfs just like them. They, and they yelled at me and told me to get them into the, into the boys changing room. Why? And, and that made me think, why can't we just let trans, trans women live as trans [00:55:30] women? I, I'll continue to fight for my trans, do my trans friends. And I'm also trans, but my trans woman friends are the account most under attack by the turfs over on the lawn over there. They, without my trans friends, without the trans community, I honestly [00:56:00] pro and so would, many of my other friends probably would not be here. So I just wanted to, wanted to say that there is no, without trans people, there is no pride and there are no rights. So, yeah. Okay. I think yourself. Sweet. So, um, I'll do you and, and yourself, um, and then I think we are going to do some [00:56:30] singing. Um, I'll check the time and hopefully we can fit a few more people in. Uh, uh Hello, hello, hello. Um, my name's Amanda SheHer and I'd like to give a shout out to everyone who couldn't make it here today. Uh, three of my friends in particular who had worked today, which were Willow, violet and Asami slash Reese slash Rowan, and also to anyone who wouldn't be able to [00:57:00] make it here because of work or prior commitments, or they're just simply not out yet or not comfortable with large crowds. You're all loved, and thank you for being here in spirit. Also, shout out to me because I look amazing today. Thank you. Thank you so much. Welcome. Hello. Um, I'm Vic. [00:57:30] Um, she, they, um, fuck. I knew what I was gonna say like five seconds ago. I was very, I was raised in what could very charitable charitably be called a shit childhood where I was raised in a very, very close-minded town in the middle of fucking rural [00:58:00] Canterbury. Um, and even then, when I was at my lowest, when I was at my worst, when I didn't think I'd live past 18, it was the queer community that was there for me long before I figured myself out. And yeah, without the community, I wouldn't be here. And. Yeah, it's love that wins, not. Hey,[00:58:30] thank you so much. Okay. Um, we're gonna have two more speakers, um, Elizabeth and then yourself. I've got this job I've got to go to though I'm not, I haven't got it for long. Uh, but the while we are here, we'll just keep working hard for all of our communities. I wanted to bring another Coya into the space, and that is Jennifer Edwards, and she was a mentor to me, to me. [00:59:00] And, uh, she, you'll find her in Pui books. And the story about her life is just incredible. But I wanted to share two things about her, uh, which I hope just makes, helps make more things real. Uh, when we talk about the guidance of our Fai from the past, it's not just them, it's all our ancestors who remind us of who we are, where we come from, and our right to be on this land. And when she was born, [00:59:30] Her grandmother immediately knew she was different, and Jennifer's grandmother was known for, she could pick the gender of any child who was born in their whanau. And so as soon as her daughter got pregnant, she goes, this one's mine. Now. Jennifer was born assigned male at birth. She was raised as a girl from birth by her grandmother and her godmother because they could feel her way to her. And so she knew who she was. She always said, I'm not trans. I never [01:00:00] transitioned. I've always been a girl. I've always been a woman. And so when we get back to those basic, basic values, our ua, that thing inside us, our spiritual connection to all things in the universe, when we. Are able to express our moori that says, this is who we are in the world. We will be valued, recognize you, will be valued, recognized for who you are. Our, our [01:00:30] manna, the manna that says, actually, you know what, we were here long before the colonizers came and will be here long after they go. So I want to shout out, I, I want to do a shout out to Gina who's here. She's standing for the greens in, uh, in mana. Uh, because we need candidates who are trans, non-binary and intersex to make sure we get trans non-binary intersex people into this house. And I look forward to helping make that [01:01:00] happen. Hilda. Thank you so much. Um, welcome. Um, hello. Uh, my name is Luke. My pronouns are he, him. And I'm guessing that literally no one in this crowd knows me because I only arrived to the city four days ago, I think, and to this country around four months ago. So I'm very new here, but that's why I wanted to speak a little because I [01:01:30] really think, while it's great to protest the thoughts of the other group and be loud to make points, I also, I also think it's important to focus on the good parts. So I really wanted to thank everyone for showing up for the community and for everyone organizing this because in my home country we, we don't really have that a lot to be honest. So you make everyone feel so welcome here immediately, and it just feels so good to be part of this community with you guys. So just keep in mind, even [01:02:00] if sometimes the fight feels like it's a losing fight or like nothing changes people from around the world see you and see what you're doing for the community. So thank you very much Kia. Um, big thank you for everyone who's got up here and spoken today. Uh, this is, it's absolutely terrifying standing in front of a lot of people. Um, I've done it like a million times and it still scares the shit outta me. Um, I'd like to do some singing together, um, if you're all [01:02:30] keen. Um, so despite being a musician, I'm kind of not a very good singer. Um, I'm happy to lead, but I would like someone if there is someone, um, who knows the words to Raha, who has a strong voice, um, and can actually hold a tune. I can. Yes. Oh, thanks. Um, okay, let's here. That's roughly not.[01:03:00] [01:03:30] Shout up to who was doing the Cool Harmony. Alright, what else we got? I actually, I actually wrote a little like song to kind of troll them with, if you wanna do the tune of. Hey, a little trolling is a treat. Um, all right. So, um, after me, boring transphobes. Boring [01:04:00] Transphobes, go away. Go away. You align with Nazis. You align with Nazis. Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame. Boring phos. Boring phos. Go away. Go away. You align with Nazis. You aligned with Nazis. Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame. All right, I'm dividing up the cart. We're gonna do a round. What the hell? All right, everyone on that side. You're going first. Everyone on [01:04:30] that side though, you going in the rest of you. I don't know how to divide yourselves up as you like. All right. It's the first time we're gonna be binary here, you know? Yeah. Yeah. So don't believe in the binary, but have you gotta be trans group? You can, yeah. Yeah. There are only two harmony parts. All right. Um. Sarah. Boring transcribes. Boring phos. Go over phos boring. Transform[01:05:00] Nazis ring.[01:05:30] Yeah. There's a lot you can do with like little tunes like that. Don't, don't give up the classics. All right. What else do we got on here? Wanna keep the energy up? Let's do all right.[01:06:00] Right [01:06:30] trans, right human, right. Trans rights. Human right. Trans rights. Human right. Trans rights. Human rights. Trans rights. Human right. Trans rights. Human right. Trans rights. Human right. Trans rights. Human rights. Trans rights are human rights. I say Go home Transcribes. You say Go home. Transcribes. Go home. Transphobes. Go home. Trans. Go home. Trans. Go home. Trans. [01:07:00] Go home. Trans. Go home. Trans. Go home. Go home. Trans folks go home. Trans folks go home. Trans folks go home. Trans folks go home. Trans folks. Trans The human right. Trans The human right. Right. Trans right. Right. The right trans, right rights.[01:07:30] Okay, so could you both, um, introduce yourselves, um, and tell me what's happening around us? Well, we are a transgender couple who live in Wellington, and we are here at the protest and they're playing tub thumping really loud, and everyone's dancing and waving their flags and it's awesome. All of our friends are here and we are here to stand up for our sisters and our brothers and stand up against stinky turfs who don't know what they're talking about and [01:08:00] haven't bothered to listen to anybody. Yes. Can you tell me what's on your signs? Mine says, let trans Woman speak, and it says that because this is the sign we made when Posy Parker came. With her, let woman speak to her. And I thought it was more important to let trans women speak because as I said, they clearly have never listened to a trans woman. And most people, once they do, they start to understand what we're saying and what we are here for. And mine says here forever. And there's a big butterfly on it because [01:08:30] we have always been here and we are always going to be. And there's nothing you can do about it. Transness is natural. Yes, it's very natural. Just like butterflies. Yeah. Awesome. And can you describe for me the kind of mood that's, uh, around at the moment? I think it's a good mood. Yeah. I feel like generally when we gather, even though it's against hateful stuff, it's usually joyful because as I said, all our friends are here and we are here, enjoy to be with our community and, and to fight together. Yes. And know that we are bigger than them. [01:09:00] Yes. I got a little bit teared off at everyone's beautiful speeches, but in a good way just because I, it's so lovely to hear everybody talk about how much they love and support each other, and I feel the same way too. Okay. So I'm Shawnee and I met the trans rights, I'd call it trans safety, uh, rally at Parliament. Uh, Over behind me, uh, is a group where possibly I have some, uh, people of my acquaintance in there, um, and I'm just here [01:09:30] to, and, and they're like anti-trans, anti recognizing these beautiful people as just people. And so I'm here, um, I have three trans kids myself. Um, possibly could have been trans if I've been young, who knows. Uh, and I'm just here because it should be about love and, and paying attention to being compassionate and kind to each other. And, uh, let's just do that. So I'm here to support and even if I have to come in a wheelchair, I'll be here next time. [01:10:00] Good day. I'm, I'm Beaks and I'm, I'm here like, like she said, at the, at the trans rally. Um, and I'm, I'm pretty much just here to, you know, just, just to sort of help out. Be, be available, be an ally. I'm a, I'm a cisgender man. And, and nothing, nothing's stopping you from being an ally? I think so. I'm, I'm here to, to bolster the crowds and spread positive vibes and, and just sort of be, be a dude here that supports people. Um, and can you describe for me what's going on around us at the moment? Well, we've, uh, we've [01:10:30] finished off most of our, uh, most of our speeches and most of our chanting and everything. So everyone's just sort of devolved into an absolute mosh of, uh, of, of positivity and, and good vibes. We're just sort of listening to music and dancing around and just, just having fun with it. Uh, would you be able to read for me what some of the signs around here say, oh, I can try. Um, so, uh, we've got trans pride equals, uh, no, uh, sorry. No trans equals no pride. Uh, we've got puberty blockers, save lives. Transphobia is cringe. [01:11:00] Say no to hate, say No to bigots. We've, we've got some good ones. Uh, we've got, uh, uh, sexes and then the, the sort of female sign, the male sign and the intersex sign, genders and the, the public bathroom signs. It says, let people be people. Um, I, I saw, I saw one somewhere. Uh, I can't see it, but I, I, I saw, saw one somewhere that said, um, what was it? Some, something along the lines of um, was that gen trans pride is good or, so [01:11:30] a lot of things like that. It's just, just sort of putting, putting on, on cardboard what, what people think here really. Um, my name's Ren Atlas. I'm a student at Victoria University. I'm originally from the States, but I moved to New Zealand about five years ago now, and I've been really happy here. So, Um, I identify as non-binary and tentatively lesbian for now. And can you tell me, um, about this event today? What has [01:12:00] brought you out here? So there have been a series of, and high trans protests and counter protests, and I just, I really want the momentum to stay up because I know how it can get when there's just one thing after another and slowly over time it kind of, the novelty wears off and it just ends up being the sheer, like, like we pretend that we're really happy here, but it actually is quite difficult to stand here in front of people [01:12:30] who hate us, you know? And so I just, I don't want it to become something that like tapers off over time so that it looks like it was just one defense, one party. When it's really so much more than that. And so I, I wanted to come today to, because I came to the last ones because I don't wanna let that energy go. Um, I have been really impressed by the [01:13:00] level of intersectionality that's been on display. Like I think it can be something that as a queer community, we sometimes feel like we're just paying lip service to. I've definitely in the past, like you can show up to a queer event and it's all white people, or you, you show up and there's no trans feminine people or you, you show up and people will acknow do a land acknowledgement, but they don't actually mean it. Like, and I think that's been so different with [01:13:30] this series of counter protests that I've really appreciated is seeing the whole range of our community, how everyone is willing to show up for each other. That and the, um, connection that we have. I think the, I mean, I'm not sure exactly how formal it is, but the connection between these organizers and the organizers for the 19 fired up stilettos has like, it, it feels really important because I think the only way that we're actually going to get things done is working [01:14:00] together. And so I think that this kind of public show of support for each other is a really good sign that things aren't gonna go backwards. Um, my name's Zia, my pronouns are he, they, and I'm here because I really love being trans and it's something I care a lot about and I think it's kind of sad when turfs don't see that. And so, um, you've got a fantastic sign with you. Can you please tell me what it says and, um, why you decided to make this particular sign? Uh, my sign says the world needs, [01:14:30] needs transsexuals more than God. Um, this is inspired by quotes from the Trans F Artist, girl of Swords. So please check her out. Um, this message really resonated with me because I grew up in a very small Christian town and I was maybe one of like three queer people at my high school. So being part of a queer community in a trans community as opposed to like a church is something that has meant a lot to me. And I feel like the world would be, would be a better place if we had, um, more trans people than Christians. [01:15:00] And um, can you tell me, uh, how you felt when you were, uh, listening to the speech speeches going on today? I thought they were all very beautiful. I was a little bit emotional at several of them, especially the ones talking about like Carmen Dedupe and Georgina Beer because the trans history of New Zealand is just so rich and so important. Awesome. Um, and can you, um, what would you like to say to the rainbow people that were speaking as a part of the anti-trans rally across the fence? Uh, you not like a little bit embarrassed. Like you should be a [01:15:30] little bit embarrassed. Trans people fought for your rights. Every single pride movement has begun with trans people. You're just, you're turning your back on your own community. And it's really sad because like we want you to be a part of us. Like we want you to be with us as well. We don't have to draw the line like this. Kiara, I'm Juliet and I am a young Maori trans woman and I have come out here today to, um, be here for all of my sisters, my brothers, my siblings, [01:16:00] and for myself because I know that this is, um, here for me, this has been, these spaces, um, have been made for me but also may have it. And I need to be able to provide those spaces for myself. So I am here to be able to, um, yeah, represent young Maori trans woman. Fantastic. And, um, you've got a brilliant sign with you. Could you please tell me what it says and why you decided to make this sign? Well, my, um, science [01:16:30] is Chick with a Brick, which, you know, is a pretty funny little, um, funny little play on words. Um, I think this, this post is actually just so important to me because, um, I have used the term chick with a dick as a way of being able to reclaim like, um, slurs that have been used against trans women. It's something that I've always, you know, liked to use with my other trans friends cuz it's a Recla word. Um, and I think that I wanted to be able to like, include the [01:17:00] word brick because it's honoring, um, ma Marsh p Johnson, who f uh, threw the first brick at Stonewall. Um, and I thought it was just, yeah, a fun little play of words, but also like, um, yeah, a great way to represent, you know, um, trans people. Like we're humorous, we're funny. It's not all about, you know, seriousness. Um, so yeah. That's awesome. Um, and can you explain for me, uh, what your feelings were like as you were listening to the speeches and, and t chanting away as part of this group? Honestly, I [01:17:30] was so, um, empowered, but also just felt so, um, you know, worrisome as I looked over that other group of, um, turf and anti, um, trans, um, group across from the field, um, they, a lot of their posters, um, were, you know, very invalidating towards our trans experience. And to me it's just like, can you just let us exist in the way that we want to be able to exist? [01:18:00] We aren't like doing anything. We aren't trying to, you know, um, attack anybody's lifestyles or like, we are just who we are. We've always existed in this way and we need to be able to have the freedom to be able to do that. Um, yeah. Awesome. Um, and can you, uh, explain to me what's going on around us, uh, right now? Cool. Well, this is just like the aftermath of the, um, protest. We have lots of just really cool [01:18:30] conversations between other trans people and other queer and non-binary people. Um, and the vibes are just all love and just gorgeous. Beautiful. I love to yeah, be able to like, just stand here with all of my brothers and sisters and siblings and, you know, be able to have these like, really important conversations and like, grow our strength in lovers together. And now we're all walking home together because this is, this is the safest, yeah. Safest way to be able to leave events like this when there [01:19:00] are turfs and transphobic people who are trying to, you know, demean our experience and our lives. So, yeah. Um, hello again. We're gonna wrap up now. I think, um, they've packed down their PAs and their signs, so. I think now is a good time for us to disperse as well before our numbers dwindle a bit lower. Just remember there's strength in numbers, so make sure you go home with someone else today. Um, or at least stick together until you're on public transport or something far [01:19:30] away. Um, from here, keep yourselves safe, keep each other safe, and have a good rest of your day. Uh, remember to leave in groups, see everyone. Um, and as you're leaving, we're gonna have a closing, Kara here, um, just to sign off our event formally. Um, I would like to apologize that I forgot the opening one, uh, in my speech. Um, so, uh, in to show my respect, we're gonna have a closing one instead. Um, and TKI who is currently over there not paying attention was going to do it. Tki. [01:20:00] No worries about that Al. Thank you all for summing it out. Have a good rest of your day. Everyone. Stay safe.
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