General Manager of RainbowYOUTH, Duncan Matthews, says he hopes signage company Cranium takes the chance to learn about queer and gender diverse issues and recognises the impact their billboard may have on young people. RainbowYOUTH's drop-in centre on Auckland's Karangahape Rd RainbowYOUTH has received a $1000 donation made by signage company Cranium as a offer of good faith following the removal of the company’s offensive Caitlyn Jenner billboard. “When the donation came through it wasn’t made clear that it was in relation to the billboard,” says Matthews. “RainbowYOUTH is happy to accept any support for the work we do, but we hope that the company will treat this as a learning opportunity and make an effort to upskill themselves around queer and gender diverse issues, and the impact that their billboard could have on marginalised young people.” “Transgender and gender diverse lives and experiences aren’t funny. They shouldn’t be treated as such.” Matthews says the billboard highlights how far we still have to go to get broader society to understand the seriousness of what transgender and gender diverse people are facing, as well as the common occurrence of reducing trans people down to their genitals. “A joke is a joke to some people, but when transgender youth are overrepresented in negative health and wellbeing statistics such as homelessness, suicide and addiction - the jokes miss their mark with a resounding thud,” he says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 3rd December 2015 - 1:45pm