Fran Wilde MP during the Homosexual Law Reform campaign Fran Wilde, the MP who fronted the bitterly-contested but ultimately successful 1985/86 Parliamentary campaign to decriminalise homosexuality will make a special appearance at tomorrow's Auckland Pride Parade as Grand Marshal. Wilde will also be one of the six people taking part in the ribbon cutting ceremony which traditionally sees the parade kick off. Joining her to cut the six ribbons in the colours of the glbti rainbow flag will be Daniel Nehemia, Apotoro Rehita of Orakei Tamaki Makaurau; Penny Hulse, Deputy Mayor of Auckland; David Hindley, a then-Wellington based journalist and photographer who documented the Law reform campaign; Amanaki Prescott-Felatau, a Tongan fakeleiti performer; and the out-going Co-Chair of the Auckland Pride Festival Board, Vinnie Sykes. A number of events are planned this year to mark thirty years of freedom for men who have sex with men, including a two-month long exhibition exploring the politics of gender and body image, For Fantastic Carmen by photographer Fiona Clark, which will open in Auckland's Artspace Gallery tomorrow afternoon.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 19th February 2016 - 8:21am