Kāpiti Gay PrideNZ 2021 retrospective

The audio retrospective is a 29-minute broadcast recorded at Coast Access Radio, hosted by Tony Reed. It features Gareth Watkins, founder of PrideNZ, presenting an overview of key events and individuals that shaped Aotearoa New Zealand’s rainbow communities throughout 2021. The discussion spans community celebrations, political activism, legislative progress, and the importance of inclusive healthcare access.

The programme begins with a reflection on the 20th anniversary of Tīwhanawhana Trust, a takatāpui kapa haka group based in Wellington, founded by Dr Elizabeth Kerekere. The commemorative event, held at Thistle Hall, included speeches and performances that highlighted Tīwhanawhana’s longstanding commitment to celebrating diverse sexualities and genders within Māori culture. Dr Kerekere, now a Member of Parliament, discussed the importance of preserving takatāpui histories and her powerful maiden speech in Parliament, which addressed the need to uplift trans, non-binary, and intersex whānau.

The recording then turns to Wellington's Pride Festival, particularly the Out in the City event held for the first time at the Michael Fowler Centre. Historically rooted in the 1986 Lesbian and Gay Fair that supported homosexual law reform, the 2021 iteration saw over 7,000 attendees and brought together a wide spectrum of groups, including a new presence from the Wellington Indian community. Arrun Soma, a key organiser, shared their journey of mobilising community participation and fostering inclusive dialogue within cultural groups. Soma reflected on his pride in marching alongside his husband and emphasised the importance of representation and support for those unable to be publicly out.

The retrospective also commemorates the 35th anniversary of the passing of homosexual law reform in New Zealand. A panel discussion marking the milestone featured Fran Wilde, who introduced the original legislation, and Trevor Mallard, a close colleague who supported the bill in 1986. Mallard offered insight into the political climate of the time, recounting how personal relationships and courage influenced the final vote amidst widespread public opposition.

The year also saw significant legislative developments. The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill was introduced in July 2021, aiming to ban harmful practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Labour MP Marja Lubeck passionately linked the bill’s importance to broader historical struggles against discrimination, referencing the arrest of Anne Frank as a metaphor for the dangers of marginalising communities.

Another notable legislative advancement was the second reading of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Bill. This bill, particularly its self-identification clauses, sparked national debate. Opposition came from groups such as Speak Up for Women NZ, whose events were countered by large rallies organised by Queer Endurance Defiance. Activists like Tristan-Cordelia and Maddy Drew spoke at these demonstrations, defending trans and non-binary rights, and calling out anti-trans rhetoric masquerading as women’s advocacy.

Amid ongoing Covid-19 disruptions, rainbow-specific vaccination clinics were established to ensure equitable healthcare access. These clinics acknowledged historical distrust within the rainbow community, especially among trans and intersex individuals, towards the medical system. Compass Wilts-Ramsay from InsideOUT and Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall discussed the importance of safe, affirming healthcare environments and the legacy of rainbow health activism.

Rainbow voices in literature were also celebrated in 2021. Poet Emma Barnes participated in a panel discussion, “Gender Matters in Writing,” at the National Library, exploring how language shapes gender identity and self-expression. Barnes recounted their evolving understanding of gender through writing and community engagement, illustrating how poetry becomes a vehicle for articulating identities not yet fully recognised by society.

The retrospective concludes with a speech from MP Deborah Russell, who condemned the hate speech encountered during the select committee hearings on the BDMRR Bill. Russell underscored the importance of standing against discriminatory rhetoric, especially in the presence of young trans individuals seeking affirmation and safety.

Together, these reflections from 2021 portray a dynamic and resilient rainbow community in Aotearoa, navigating social change, legislative advocacy, and cultural affirmation. The broadcast serves as both a celebration and a call to continue documenting and championing diverse identities and experiences.

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.

Arrun Soma Ayesha Verrall Compass Wilts-Ramsay Deborah Russell Elizabeth Kerekere Emma Barnes Gareth Watkins Maddy Drew Marja Lubeck Tony Reed Trevor Mallard Tristan-Cordelia

2020s, aotearoa new zealand, arrun soma, ayesha verrall, coast access radio, community radio, compass wilts-ramsay, deborah russell, elizabeth kerekere, emma barnes, gareth watkins, hate speech, kapiti coast district, kapiti gay (coast access radio), maddy drew, marja lubeck, pridenz.com, radio, tony reed, trevor mallard, tristan-cordelia

access, acting, activism, age of consent, agenda, aids, amsterdam, anne frank, arts, attitude, australia, beauty, birth certificate, board, celebration, community, consent, conversion practices, courage, defiance, discrimination, diverse sexuality, diversity, education, endurance, energy, events, exclusion, face, family, family court, fear, feelings, food, freedom, friends, fun, gangs, gatekeeping, gay, gay games, gender, gender identity, green party, hate, health, hiding, history, homosexual, homosexual law reform, hope, housing, human rights, identity, internet, intersex, job, journey, language, law, leadership, legacy, legislation, lesbian, lesbian and gay fair, lgbt, library, love, maiden speech, mana, march, media, member of parliament, memorial, mental health, michael cullen, michael fowler, misgendered, misinformation, newtown, opportunity, other, parade, passing, people, poetry, politics, poverty, prejudice, pride parade, puberty, puberty blockers, purple, queer, rainbow, rainbow flag, rainbow wellington, rainbow youth, rally, reading, relationships, roger smith, school, secret, select committee, sex, sex characteristics, sexuality, social, social distancing, space, speech, statistics, stigma, straight, strength, stress, stuff, support, thistle hall, time, top, tough, tradition, trans, trans woman, treaty, understanding, vaccination, values, violence, voice, vote, website, wellington, wellington region, wish, women, work, writing, youth