It's all go next week when the Waikato hosts its third Pride Festival, aiming to celebrate and support the diversity of Hamilton's Rainbow community though a variety of informative and social events. A scenic tramp in the Waikato region on Saturday 12 September will kick off the week's festivities, then on Sunday there's a picnic in Hamilton Gardens - you and your pets are warmly invited! Look for the rainbow flag. Due to a family emergency, guest speaker Georgina Beyer has had to pull out of Pride Week's Launch Party on Sunday evening, but Te Hau Whenua Kirkwood and Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock will be there to welcome attendees to Waikato University's WEL Academy of Performing Arts, for an evening which will include a drag performance and a theatrical surprise. WEEKDAY ADVENTURES The Askew LGBT group at the University of Waikato invites people interested in craft to their Stitch and Butch night an evening of craftworks and chatting on Monday 14 September. Finding out who you are, accepting your identity and being accepted by others is a cornerstone in the personal development of any LGBT person. Cindy Lewis and Sarah Lamont from Agender Waikato will share their and other transgender people's life stories, issues, struggles, strengths and beauty from 6pm at Shine Nightclub at 161 Victoria Street on Tuesday 15 September. Then from 7pm, the annual Sex Toy Party will provide a fun, safe and prejudice-free environment to learn more about the newest gadgets. A male and female presenter will talk you through it all, before a male stripper makes an appearance! It's an hour of camp fun at lunchtime on Wednesday. The first-ever Pride Week Olympics will happen from 1pm including a Hand bag Toss, Rainbow Flag Long Jump, Hula Hoop and Balloon Pop events. Brought to you by club Askew, it'll be held in Waikato University's Village Green, with free burgers to giveaway and prizes to be won for participation. The Lesbian Social Group welcomes women to compete in the Lesbian Quiz Night on Wednesday upstairs at The Bank Bar from 7:30pm. Then on Thursday evening - show 'em your Poker Face! Try your luck amongst friends at the Casino Royale Games Night from 7pm in the Waikato Student Union Building. A WILD WAIKATO WEEKEND Living in Hamilton inspired Richard O'Brien to write the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's a connection immortalised by the Riff-Raff statue on Victoria Street - a visible sign of pride in the centre of the city. So the Waikato's Pride festival isn't complete without a screening of this audience participation classic! Transform your everyday self into one of the zany characters or discover your inner vamp by dressing outrageously as one of Frankie's guests. This year's screening will take place at Victoria Cinema on Friday 18 September from 8pm, with tickets now available on pre-sale for $15 each at Auteur House, 555 Victoria Street. In addition to social events and parties, Pride Week will also call attention to political issues affecting our LGBT communities. On Saturday afternoon in Waikato University, a workshop on Politics and Policies of Pride Parties will be given by local researcher Assoc. Professor Gordon Waitt, Assoc. Profession Lynda Johnston, and Hamilton Pride Co-Chair Geoff Rua'ine. The day will be rounded up by a comedy show and workshop by comedian Ann Speir from 5pm. Recent public discussion on the partial defence of provocation - which has been successfully used in trials involving gay victims several times - means Pride Week is an ideal time to screen the award-winning local short documentary on the topic, called An Ordinary Person, on the evening of Saturday 19 September. After the screening, the film's director Susan Potter, Human Rights Commissioner Joy Liddicoat and Andrea McBeth, lawyer and Diversity Liaison officer at the New Zealand Police, will take part in a panel discussion on the gay panic defence. The festival culminates as participants celebrate loudly with a big dance party at Shine Nightclub on Saturday the 19th September starting at 10pm. The next day at 11am festival goers can relax at a brunch in a local cafe. GayNZ.com wishes our readers in the Waikato a happy and safe Hamilton Pride Week. More information about the week's activities is on Hamilton Pride's official website. GayNZ.com Daily News Staff - 10th September 2009
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Thursday, 10th September 2009 - 8:51pm