Wed 19 Oct 2011 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
The push for full marriage and adoption rights is being taken to the top, with a march to Parliament this Thursday. Wellington-born group LegaliseLove will lead the procession from Civic Square at 12PM, and say they expect to be flanked by prominent politicians from all ends of the political spectrum. “The support LegaliseLove has received has been overwhelming, from a broad cross-section of society,” says LegaliseLove President Joseph Habgood. “Particularly heart-warming has been the help and cooperation of Rev. Dr. Margaret Mayman, the Minister of St. Andrews on the Terrace, putting to rest the out-dated notion that Christianity is an excuse for homophobia. It is clear that homophobia is quickly running out of hiding places.” Speaking at the rally will be Fionnaigh McKenzie, a prominent member of St. Andrews on the Terrace. “I look forward to celebrating another milestone in our country's history when we achieve equality for non-heterosexual New Zealanders,” she says. “As a Christian, I believe we must challenge all forms of injustice, including discriminatory laws. We can create a more inclusive society where all families are supported and given equal opportunities." Also speaking will be Brooklynne Kennedy, an American-born queer rights ambassador and leader of TRANZform in Wellington, Nicole Brasch, a former student of Marlborough Girls' College and passionate queer rights advocate, and Habgood himself. “Although we want to be clear that we have members and supporters from all across the political spectrum, the Labour Party's recent move to fully support gay marriage and adoption, becoming the second major political party behind the Greens to do so, is even more proof that legal equality for queer New Zealanders is not a matter of if, but when,” Habgood says. LegaliseLove have met with representatives from the Labour, National, Greens, and ACT parties, including Rajnesh Singh, the chair of VicNats, who they say all agreed that the aim of this campaign was to further human rights, not just gay rights. It says at the Rainbow Wellington Candidates forum Grant Robertson and Charles Chauvel from Labour; Paul Foster-Bell from National; Kevin Hague, Jan Logie, and James Shaw from the Green Party and Steven Whittington from ACT all pledged their support for the campaign. The campaigner say they have also received support from prominent figures within Wellington's wider Queer community, particular Scotty and Mal Kennedy-Vaughan from S
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 19th October 2011 - 2:54pm