Opening of Out in the Park

This abstract summarizes a recording from the Opening of Out in the Park event held on March 12th, 2016, at Waitangi Park, Wellington. Throughout its 26-minute duration, it captures the speeches and interactions among distinguished guests celebrating LGBTQ+ community achievements and milestones in Aotearoa New Zealand, specifically highlighting the movement from the 1980s to the 2010s.

The recording captures a lively and engaging event ambiance and includes addresses from notable figures such as Deputy Mayor Justin Lester; Fran Wilde, a key player in homosexual law reform; and Des Smith & John Jolliff, pioneers of what began as a fair and evolved into a significant LGBTQ+ cultural event.

Deputy Mayor Justin Lester opens with an acknowledgment of the LGBTQ+ community's importance to Wellington's vibrancy and inclusivity, reminiscing about the city's history of pushing for awareness and visibility around LGBTQ+ rights. Celebrating Wellington's embracing of the Pride Week, Lester appreciates the strides made by the community and emphasizes the continued need for advocacy and support.

Fran Wilde, instrumental in the 1986 Homosexual Law Reform Act, reflects on the progress regarding acceptance and diversity within the nation. Wilde celebrates the courage of the gay community, particularly those who risked exposure to support the law reform bill. This testament to the community's resilience and fight for equal rights underlines the long journey and the progress that still lies ahead.

Founders Des Smith and John Jolliff recall the origins of the fair, how it started as a small campaign for fair law, and its growth over thirty years. They express gratitude toward the individuals and groups, both within and outside the LGBTQ+ community, who contributed to the success of the fair and the broader movement for equality. Their anecdotes depict a trajectory from secrecy and illegality to openness and legal recognition, including the achievement of marriage equality.

Adrienne Girling and Karen Harris, co-chairs of the organizing body, share their excitement over the day's turnout and festivities, emphasizing the role of volunteers and the community in enabling such events. They highlight the value of continuity, visibility, and pride within the LGBTQ+ movement and encourage participants to enjoy the day's diverse offerings.

The event unfolds with performances, speeches, and a showcase of solidarity, celebrating past achievements and advocating for continued progress in LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. The recording concludes with an invitation to all attendees to join in the day's celebrations and a live performance, enlivening the atmosphere with collective joy and unity.

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.

Adrienne Girling Des Smith Elizabeth Kerekere Fran Wilde John Jolliff Justin Lester Karen Harris Kassie Hartendorp Kevin Haunui Tīwhanawhana

1980s, 2010s, adrienne girling, aotearoa new zealand, cis male, deeza star, des smith, don franks, elaine lethbridge, elizabeth kerekere, fran wilde, grant robertson, homosexual law reform, homosexual law reform act (1986), james heslop, jan logie, john jolliff, justin lester, karen harris, kevin haunui, lesbian and gay fair, marriage, marriage equality, member of parliament, newtown school, oppression, out in the carpark (wellington), out in the park (wellington), out in the square (wellington), out wellington inc., parliament buildings, police, polly filla, porleen simmonds, pride, queer, rugby, sport, sue dunlop, topp twins, tīwhanawhana, visibility, waitangi park, wellington

attack, career, celebration, change, coming out, coming up, community, council, david, diversity, drag, entertainment, fear, food, friends, fruit, funding, gay, god, growing up, heterosexual, history, hit, homosexual, homosexual law reform, hope, law, legislation, lesbian, lgbt, maui, mayor, myth, new zealand police, newtown, other, otter, parade, people, power, pride parade, queen, rainbow, running, sad, school, struggle, stuff, support, teenage, time, top, tradition, twins, wellington city council, wellington pride, work