Nelson-based lesbian Labour MP Maryan Street says she was proud to officially open and take part in workshops during Q-Youth's Link Together national hui for LGBT youth in Nelson's Whakatu Marae at the weekend. Youth hui: Attendees at the weekend's workshops in Nelson Street is the Chairperson and Patron of Nelson's Q-Youth group, set up to support young people in the Nelson area who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender – or think they might be. She says it's essential that young people who think they are different from the majority of their peers have a safe environment to grow up in. "They need to know that they are accepted and supported for who they are, so they can grow up into secure, confident adults who move in the world with the same rights as everyone else," she tells GayNZ.com. "I remember teaching a boy years ago who was clearly gay, even though we never talked about it. As a gay school teacher myself, it was difficult to be as supportive of him as I wanted to be, because of the vulnerability of gay and lesbian teachers in those days. A few years after he left school, he committed suicide. I vowed then that I would be as supportive and as brave as I could be for young people. "It is well documented that 'queer' youth comprise a large proportion of youth suicides. I want to show young people that you can be gay and achieve whatever you want to," she adds. "The wonderful young people in Nelson whom I work with in QYouth will make their own peer groups and our society a safer and more tolerant place where young people can thrive and grow up strong and proud." "Fantastic turnout" Q-Youth's co-chair Andy Linde says he was delighted with the turn-out for the weekend hui. "We had fifty people, from all around New Zealand stretching from Auckland to Dunedin." "It was better than we'd expected, just amazing," he adds. "We enjoyed so much seeing some people - who were quiet at first - really coming out of their shells as the weekend progressed." Along with workshops on various topics like group facilitation, internet safety and relationships, the hui provided a chance for LGBT group facilitators from around New Zealand to meet and plan future networking opportunities. "Rainbow Youth are looking at employing someone who can be a national co-ordinator to work with groups around New Zealand. So we brainstormed ideas for their job description, thinking about all the things that they could do." Nelson's Q-Youth network holds regular events for LGBT young people in the Blenheim, Tasman and Nelsonregions, and are currently building up a lending library of books, magazines and DVDs. More information about the group is on its official website.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 2nd February 2010 - 3:37pm