Thu 20 Oct 2016 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
The longest running LGBTI group in the country is hoping to attract new members and reinvigorate the local community as membership numbers have declined in recent years. Manawatu’s queer group MALGRA, which is soon to celebrate its 39th birthday, has a new president who hopes to grow the membership and bring new life into the group. Rachel Hoskin, who has been a member of the group for 16 years, has been appointed president of the association, taking over from Jane Johnston. With an increase in the number of people openly queer and gender diverse in the region and the closure of the LGBTI-friendly bar Club Q, Hoskin told the Manawatu Standard that the numbers of people in MALGRA are dwindling. She hopes to use her time in this new role to increase the youth membership of the group and encourage them to take up leadership positions in governance. "I just want to get the word out that we are here and out and about in the community,” she said. This weekend MALGRA will hold a Glittfab Symposium, with workshops and presentations looking at mental health trans issues and healthy relationships over three days. Glittfab Symposium October 22-24 Hancock House
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 20th October 2016 - 11:44am