Blake Skjellerup Gay New Zealand Olympian Blake Skjellerup has welcomed the passage of the marriage equality law, saying it reflects the fact that New Zealand stands resolutely against discrimination, but points out there is still progress to be made. The speedskater is a GLBT youth advocate and patron of the QSA (Queer-Straight Alliance) Network Aotearoa. The group says the Bill’s passage is a major milestone in the journey towards a nation free of homophobia and transphobia. However, it’s also expressed concern that there are many serious issues affecting the wellbeing of LGBTQI youth in New Zealand that remain unaddressed by Parliament. "Growing up today is different to what it was 10 or 20 years ago,” Skjellerup says. “Each individual has a different story, their lives can be marred with struggles, and revelled with triumphs. “We don't know their story, but we need to make an effort to. QSA Network was established to allow the youth of today to educate and support one another, no matter their sexuality or gender identity. “A law may have changed, but it will take some time before we see a social change, and a true understanding of each other’s differences. QSA Network is about diversity and understanding. The youth of today are inspiring, and we should not be so quick to judge them for their differences." The Youth ’07 Report, published by the University of Auckland in 2009, found that ‘same/both sex attracted’ youth were at least five times more likely to commit suicide than their straight counterparts. "All bullying is horrific and unacceptable, but this disparity makes it impossible to deny that LGBTQI youth have it particularly hard," Skjellerup says. On Friday 17 May of this year, New Zealand will observe Pink Shirt Day, a day of action against bullying which began when two students in Canada distributed 50 pink shirts to classmates, in support of a fellow student who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. QSA Network Aotearoa will be working alongside a number of other groups, such as the Mental Health Foundation, to organise awareness-raising flash mobs all over New Zealand. “Although bullying does affect a large and varied group of people, it is alarming to note that the Youth ‘07 statistics also show us that of those students who have been bullied, five times as many had been bullied because they were gay or because people thought they were gay, compared to their opposite-sex attracted peers," Skjellerup says. "It’s really important to draw attention to how a large percentage of the bullying going on in schools is driven by homophobia and transphobia." QSA Network Aotearoa was founded in 2012 to support young people in setting up and sustaining Queer-Straight Alliances in high-schools, in order to make New Zealand schools safer for queer and trans youth. It works to provide resources to students wishing to start and maintain these groups, which aim to provide peer support, combat bullying and spread awareness about issues queer and trans students face at school. It's a non-profit trust.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 19th April 2013 - 10:50am