Patricia Bartlett, a former nun and a prominent figure in New Zealand's social history, left an indelible mark on the nation's moral landscape, particularly in her interactions with the LGBTI community. Her rise to prominence in the 1970s reflected a period of intense moral and social debate in New Zealand. Bartlett became a household name for her staunch opposition to what she perceived as increasing permissiveness in society, particularly concerning sexuality and obscenity in media and public life.
Bartlett, initially a Sister of Mercy, was disconcerted by the permissive content in magazines, books, and films, which included nudity and homosexual acts. Feeling that the church leaders were not adequately addressing what she saw as a moral crisis, she left the order in 1969 and embarked on a campaign to influence public morality and policy. This campaign included organizing national petitions demanding stricter censorship laws, notably against representations of homosexuality in media.
In 1970, Bartlett founded the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards (SPCS), a conservative lobby group that campaigned against pornography, liberal attitudes towards abortion, sex education, contraception for minors, and the legalization of homosexuality. Her efforts garnered significant support, with SPCS membership peaking at over 22,000 members during the 1970s.
Bartlett's crusade was not without controversy or backlash. Her stance against the liberalization of abortion, sex education, contraceptive instruction, and the legalization of homosexuality was widely debated. In 1982, she even publicly criticized Christians for their perceived apathy towards these issues. Her campaigns, however, faced significant challenges in the mid-1980s with social changes and legal reforms, such as the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1986, which began to undermine the conservative moral framework she championed.
The SPCS, under Bartlett's leadership, initially focused on pornography in films, videos, and magazines. However, following the Howley v Lawrence Publishing decision in 1986 and the subsequent passage of the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993, the organization's influence waned as New Zealand's censorship policy began to rely more on empirical, evidence-based social scientific proof.
Despite these challenges, Bartlett and the SPCS continued their efforts, opposing civil unions, hate speech bans, the decriminalization of sex work, and the repeal of laws allowing parental corporal punishment of children. The organization also attempted to influence film festival schedules and remained a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage.
Bartlett's tenacity and dedication to her cause were recognized in 1977 when she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the community. She stepped down from the forefront of the SPCS in 1995 due to health issues and passed away in 2000 at the age of 72.
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