Mon 5 Nov 2007 In: Hall of Fame View at Wayback View at NDHA
Dean Knight The New Zealand Centre for Public Law's Associate Director, University lecturer and law blogger Dean Knight says he maintains a keen interest in LGBT legal issues. We found out more about this Wellingtonian scholar, and how our country is doing on equality, safety, discrimination and the law. You're the Associate Director of the NZ Centre for Public Law at Victoria University of Wellington. What does the centre aim to do, and why is it important? Our Centre aims to stimulate awareness and interest in public law issues, that is, law about the government. We do that by organising a range of public lectures, symposia, and conferences on these issues, and publishing research from those events in our journal. Due to its location at the heart of our country's government, Victoria is obviously well-placed to take a lead on these issues. Public law is important because it's about the relationship between citizens, their elected representatives, and the state – the state welds great power and has a great influence on everyone's lives. Tell us a little about your blog Elephants and the Law. My blog is a bit of a random collection of reflections on, and analysis of, contemporary legal issues. Due to my public law background, most of the posting are about public law issues, from constitutional issues to political matters to things happening in local government, along with comments on queer legal issues too. Generally I try and provide some basic legal background – in simple language – on current issues or to raise a different perspective. You'll also find some of my scholarly articles posted on my blog, but they're only posted for people who have difficulty sleeping! And if you want to know what it's got to do with elephants, you'll have to check it out yourself. How do you think New Zealand is doing at the moment in terms of LGBT equality in the law? With the passing of the Civil Union Act and Relationships Bill a couple of years ago, most discriminatory elements of our laws have been removed for gay and lesbian people and same-sex couples. There's a few marquee issues which remain outstanding, that is, marriage (the dual marriage–civil union regime still marks gay and lesbian folk out as different and inferior) and adoption. And, in my view, transgender people do not have the legal protection they need and deserve (I'm not convinced that the legal opinion that led to the withdrawal of the Gender Identity Bill was robust). Otherwise, though, our country is doing really well and better than many other countries in equality for queer people. But I'm not convinced that addressing the formal legal discrimination is the end of the matter. There's a lot more sinister, covert discrimination that arises in our communities that is harder to eradicate because it flies under the radar. Poor support for – and, in some cases, overt discrimination against – gay and lesbian youths at school. The invisible and discriminatory practice of public bodies and corporates blocking emails and websites containing glbt text. Censorship of gay and lesbian imaging from programmes and music vids. A failure to provide safe environments for glbt people, for example, a failure to act on hate speech and anti-gay abuse and language. These are the issues which affect the day-to-day quality of life of glbt people and is where we will need to fight our equality battles in the future. What's your background, and where did you grew up? I'm a farm boy! I grew up in the Pohangina Valley in the Manawatu on a sheep farm. But I was never going to be the son going on to inherit the farm; I was a very reluctant rousie and shepherd! I escaped the provinces at 18 and came to Vic to study law. I worked in private practice for a number of years, spending most of my time in Wellington, but with a bit of time in Auckland and also Vancouver for some more study. I made the big switch to the academy just under 3 years ago, and am loving the change. When did you come out as gay, and what was it like for you at the time? I'm not sure that "coming out" is always capable of being described as a particular moment, because I think it's a process that happens over time. But my earliest "moment" was a (rather liberal) Methodist youth group camp when I was 18; it sounds a bit corny, but it was during a men's sexuality workshop. Coming out is never easy; it's hard to fully comprehend that being gay is both the most important thing in your life but also the least important thing. Reconciling one's gayness with other elements of one's life and reaching a comfortable equilibrium is never easy – and that's where I had the most angst. Being a rugby player and being a poof. Deciding how "out" to be as a professional lawyer. Realising the importance of hanging out on gay scene, while not necessarily conforming to particular gay paradigms. Grappling with these things were always harder than the reaction of other people; most folk were pretty nonplussed about me coming out. What's your relationship status? Ensconced with my partner, Alan Wendt. We got together – just over 10 years ago – on the night that Princess Diana died... What do you think are the most pressing issues currently facing the NZ's gay community? I'm mentioned some of the substantive issues earlier. But one of the other issues is organisational. We lack momentum and a central focus to champion glbt issues. I think the recent civil union reforms and years of social democratic government have lulled many into a false sense of security. Understandably, it's hard to get glbt folk inspired by some of the causes which need to be addressed. And we lack an active, independent, pan-glb/queer body to drive the less sexy measures to ensure quality of life for queer folk. Which LGBT people do you most look up to? Many. Some famous, some not. Some close to me, some I've never met. I'm not a big one for identifying distinct "role models". I think we can look at all glbt folk and learn from each and every one. What's your worst habit? I'm an old nana and too often I get boozed and fall asleep on the couch at dinner parties. Which books are you currently reading and recommending? My job at Law School means I spend most of my days reading scholarly stuff so I don't tend to have much time or enthusiasm for bed-time reaching. My "café reading" pile at the moment includes an article on indigenous spiritual concerns and the secular state and research paper on the human rights implications of banning gang patches. When I can, I normally try and read some gay fiction, but I'm a little underwhelmed by the offerings at the moment. Your favourite music at the moment? I'm a news junkie and a bit of a geek so I tend to having the wireless tuned to Radio New Zealand National in the mornings (we love Kathryn Ryan...) and weekend (This Way Up rocks!). But in the afternoons when I'm writing at Law School, I'm streaming georgefm.co.nz and enjoying whatever they're playing. If you're around for a dinner party, you'll always be treated to something from Everything But The Girl. Your favourite movies? A rather eclectic mix. Six Degrees of Separation. Best in Show. Mysterious Skin. Brokeback Mountain. Miami Vice. Ocean's Eleven. Your favourite TV programmes? Outrageous Fortune. Weeds. West Wing. Noah's Arc (on DVD). The Crowd Goes Wild. Home and Away. Kiwi Maara. Design Inc. CSI Miami. And lots of other trash too. Your favourite websites? I hang out on facebook.com quite a bit, mainly playing Scrabulous. I check out the blogs a bit, such as sites like kiwiblog.co.nz, norighturn.blogspot.com, publicaddress.net, towleroad.com, rodonline.typepad.com. And the gay sports site: outsports.com. Who in the world (including NZ) would you most like to have a coffee and a chat with and why? I know I should be saying someone illustrious like Nelson Mandela or Sir Ian McKellen, or someone sexy like Luke McAlister (Dan Carter is sooo last year!) or Colin Farrell. But I'm already such a coffee and chat junkie and would love to have coffee with anyone... If you could have one wish granted what would it be? I wish the ABs would win the Rugby World Cup in 2011... please!?! GayNZ.com - 5th November 2007