Kāpiti Gay PrideNZ 2017

This episode of Kāpiti Gay, recorded at Coast Access Radio in Waikanae on 12 January 2017, features an in-depth conversation between broadcaster Tony Reed and Gareth Watkins, the founder of PrideNZ. The broadcast, which also includes audio recordings from notable figures such as Georgina Beyer and Miriam Saphira, explores the significance of oral histories within Aotearoa New Zealand’s rainbow communities.

Watkins begins by sharing his own journey of growing up in Wellington during the 1980s and 1990s. He discusses the internalised stigma around being gay, the societal lack of representation, and his eventual coming out in Masterton - an experience that contrasted with the common trend of urban migration for those seeking acceptance. His parents, unfamiliar with rainbow identities, responded with concern rooted in cultural portrayals from the era, notably fears surrounding AIDS and flamboyant stereotypes. Despite this, Watkins found a gradual sense of self-acceptance by his early twenties.

The conversation then shifts to a broader discussion of the changing social landscape for rainbow youth. Watkins highlights how younger generations, as evidenced in one of the featured audio clips from PrideNZ, often experience more supportive environments in which their identities are recognised without the trauma of rejection. This intergenerational shift is a testament to the ongoing efforts of rainbow elders who, despite adversity in the 1970s and 1980s, fought visibly for legal reform and societal change. Watkins references key activists such as the Topp Twins, Alison Laurie, Linda Evans, and Prue Hyman, acknowledging their courage and leadership during times when visibility came with significant risk.

Watkins details his background in public radio and his early desire to create rainbow-themed content. Facing institutional resistance in the 1990s, he began producing documentaries independently before becoming programme director at Wellington Access Radio. A Churchill Fellowship to study community media in California provided further inspiration. When a proposal for a national rainbow show was rejected by New Zealand On Air due to its niche focus, Watkins turned disappointment into motivation. In 2009, he launched PrideNZ, a website dedicated to capturing and preserving rainbow voices through interviews and recordings.

The goals of PrideNZ are threefold: to document rainbow lives and events through audio, to make this content publicly accessible, and to preserve it for archival use. Watkins emphasises that while PrideNZ is not an archive in the traditional sense, it serves as a crucial pre-archival platform, enabling the timely collection and dissemination of community stories.

Several powerful excerpts from the PrideNZ collection are played during the broadcast. The first is from Miriam Saphira, who discusses her father’s same-sex relationship during World War I. This historical narrative, conveyed through a deeply moving poem written by her father’s partner, Roy, illustrates the presence of rainbow relationships even during eras where public acknowledgement was virtually impossible.

The second excerpt is a recording of Georgina Beyer addressing the Destiny Church’s “Enough is Enough” rally in 2004. Beyer’s courageous confrontation on the steps of Parliament challenged bigotry and defended the civil rights of rainbow New Zealanders during the heated civil union debate. Watkins expresses admiration for Beyer’s bravery in facing hostility and her broader role in shifting public opinion.

The final excerpt features a group of high school students discussing their coming out experiences, offering a candid and hopeful perspective. Their stories highlight the ways in which younger generations navigate identity with greater peer support and acceptance, although systemic issues, such as school policies and familial misunderstanding, remain.

Throughout the recording, Watkins reinforces the importance of diverse perspectives, particularly through peer-to-peer interviewing models. By enabling youth to interview youth and elders to speak with one another, PrideNZ fosters authentic storytelling and ensures a wide spectrum of experiences are documented.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Gareth Watkins Georgina Beyer Miriam Saphira Tony Reed

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