Kāpiti Gay host Tony Reed Tony Reed talks to PrideNZ founder Gareth Watkins about some of the significant people and events recorded in 2020 by PrideNZ.
Audio and Text Download mp3 Download HQ mp3Plain Text (for Gen AI)Summary
The retrospective programme is a 28-minute radio broadcast recorded on 20 February 2021, aired on Coast Access Radio and other community stations across New Zealand. Hosted by Tony Reed, the episode features Gareth Watkins, founder of PrideNZ, as they reflect on pivotal developments in Aotearoa’s rainbow communities during the challenging and transformative year of 2020.
The conversation begins with Watkins highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel and public events, which greatly shaped the experiences of rainbow communities across the country. Despite these limitations, 2020 marked a number of significant milestones. Watkins points to the inaugural nationwide Schools Pride Week, which was successfully held with participation from over 100 schools. Led by InsideOUT Kōaro and its managing director Tabby Besley, the initiative saw a wide range of celebratory and educational activities, from pride parades and cake decoration competitions to teacher workshops and allyship sessions.
One of the most notable political achievements of 2020 was the increased representation of rainbow-identifying Members of Parliament. New Zealand, at the time, held the highest proportion of openly rainbow MPs in the world. Among them was Dr Ayesha Verrall, who shared insights into her personal journey and professional dedication to public health and inclusive medical education. Verrall's candid remarks at an election forum underscored the generational shifts in visibility and acceptance.
The episode also reflects on advocacy in the realm of blood donation policies. Troy Mihaka, a candidate for the Integrity New Zealand party, spearheaded a petition calling for reform of blood donation regulations, which had long discriminated against gay and bisexual men. His efforts contributed to a change in policy by the New Zealand Blood Service, reducing the deferral period from 12 months to three, a significant step towards equity.
The programme revisits the historical legacy of broadcasting around rainbow issues through an interview with veteran broadcaster Ian Johnstone. Johnstone recalls producing a groundbreaking 1967 documentary on homosexuality for New Zealand television. This project was filmed covertly due to prevailing social and legal risks, yet its subjects demonstrated remarkable confidence and self-assurance, defying the expected narratives of shame and secrecy.
Representation in the arts is also celebrated in the retrospective. Director Max Currie and producer Craig Gainsborough discuss the film Rūrangi, which portrays a transgender activist returning to their rural hometown. The film’s authentic storytelling, shaped by co-writer Cole Meyers’ lived experiences, resonated strongly with audiences, particularly with parents of gender-diverse youth. The creators observed an emotional response from viewers, further underlining the importance of visibility in media.
The conversation addresses the ongoing struggle against conversion therapy. Christine Macfarlane, president of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, discusses the harmful impacts of both formal and informal conversion practices. The Association formally prohibits counsellors from engaging in such therapy and emphasises supporting individuals to embrace their identities. A petition launched by the Green Party to ban conversion therapy legislatively indicates the growing public demand for comprehensive legal protection.
The retrospective is framed by messages of support from national leaders. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Finance Grant Robertson appeared in a virtual international pride event, reaffirming the government’s commitment to equality and specifically acknowledging the challenges faced by transgender individuals. Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy also made history by speaking at Wellington’s International Pride Parade, recognising the enduring fight for inclusion and the vital importance of expression and celebration.
In closing, the programme illustrates a year of resilience, progress, and unity within Aotearoa’s rainbow communities. Through political representation, cultural visibility, youth engagement, and legal advocacy, 2020 emerges as a watershed moment in New Zealand’s ongoing journey toward full equality and acceptance.
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.
Voices
Tags
2020s, aotearoa new zealand, ayesha verrall, christine macfarlane, coast access radio, cole meyers, community radio, craig gainsborough, gareth watkins, grant robertson, ian johnstone, insideout kōaro, jacinda ardern, kapiti coast district, kapiti gay (coast access radio), max currie, national schools pride week, patsy reddy, pridenz.com, radio, rūrangi (web series/film), tabby besley, tony reed, troy mihaka
Tags (computer generated)
1960s, 1980s, acceptance, access, actions, activities, addiction, alcohol, allies, anxiety, auckland, australia, baking, beating, bigotry, bisexual, blood, blood donation, cakes, catholic school, celebration, change, choice, church, coming out, coming up, community, competition, conversation, crying, decoration, depression, dignity, disco, discrimination, donation, dunedin, election, epidemic, equality, events, expression, face, family, fear, film, filming, flags, food, forum, freedom, freedom of expression, friends, gay, gender, gender diverse, gender identity, green party, health, history, homosexual, homosexual law reform, hope, human rights, identity, individual, integrity, internet, invercargill, job, knowledge, law, letter, loss, love, march, marriage, media, mental health, new zealand blood service, new zealand party, older people, oliver page, opportunity, other, painting, pandemic, parade, parents, partnership, people, period, petition, police, policy, pride parade, privilege, pronouns, quiz, rainbow, rainbows, relationships, representation, research, resource, respect, rural, safety, school, sculpture, sex, so gay, social, social media, solidarity, space, stickers, straight, strength, support, surrogacy, taranaki, television, testing, time, top, touch, trans, transgender, treat, united kingdom, university, veteran, visibility, voice, website, wellington, wellington pride, wind, work, workshop, writing