The capital will host this year's UniQ Conference next weekend, along with a Burlesque Ball on Saturday night, and an '80's themed party to celebrate 23 years since Homosexual Law Reform. Havin' a Ball: UniQ's Burlesque-themed party poster UniQ is the New Zealand LGBT Students' group at universities, polytechs and colleges of education. Run by students for students, each group is independent from each other, but share similar goals, and meet annually for the national UniQ conference. Starting up with a powhiri at Akopai Marae at 7pm on Friday 10 July, this year's Conference will be an action-packed weekend, full of informative workshops by day - including Takataapui and trans inclusion/awareness, living with HIV, and how to ensure good on-campus queer representation - and barely-managed mayhem by night. The Conference will, as usual, be a great way to build social networks - and not just lame Facebook ones, say the UniQ crew. Attendees will aim to make connections which will bring UniQ as a national organisation closer together. Saturday 11 July is also the night of the UniQ Ball, which this year is burleqsue-themed. A sumptuous dinner is provided, followed by a burlesque performance, and prizes awarded for biggest heels, most revealing outfit, dykiest walk, most PDA/horniest couple, and 2009's "exec pet". There's also an '80's themed after-party at Club Ivy on Dixon Street, coinciding with the twenty-third anniversary of homosexual law reform. "It is imperative that we provide a shout-out to our generous and wonderful sponsors, who include VUWSA, NZUSA, NZ Aids Foundation, and GayLine," say UniQ Victoria's co-Presidents Rachael Wright and Bobby Nairn. For more information about the UniQ conference and other events, email uniq.conference09@gmail.com.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Saturday, 4th July 2009 - 4:55pm