Homosexual Law (Press, 10 June 1967)

In June 1967, a series of letters published in a New Zealand newspaper addressed the contentious issue of homosexuality, particularly focusing on the comments made by Detective Superintendent Gordon regarding homosexuals and societal attitudes towards them. Frances Miller expressed concern that Gordon's remarks were unhelpful and damaging, as they lacked an understanding of how to provide support to individuals with different sexual orientations. She highlighted that the police have limited training to assist these individuals meaningfully. Claude Tanner, a committee member of the newly formed New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Society, responded to Miller’s letter, indicating the society's objective to reform laws that currently criminalise consensual homosexual acts between adult males in private, while maintaining that seduction of minors should remain a criminal offence. Tanner argued that there is a distinction between true homosexuals and those who might harm minors, suggesting that true homosexuals could be wrongly associated with such criminal acts. Another letter from a parent invoked a university text suggesting that all individuals go through a homosexual phase during their development. This letter implied that those who do not navigate this phase might be deemed "sick" according to police definitions of homosexuality, which the writer critiqued. A contrasting view was expressed by another correspondent, who supported Gordon's stance against legalising male homosexuality. This writer believed that such legalisation could lead to moral decay, claiming that the majority of society shares these sentiments. He argued that a small number of homosexuals facing dire consequences, including suicide, is an acceptable cost to prevent what he termed “contamination” of youth. Lastly, a letter addressed concerns regarding the arrest of a doctor in the United States for acting according to his conscience, with a writer noting that such events, while deplorable, should serve as a warning to avoid similar developments in New Zealand. Overall, these letters reflected a broad spectrum of opinions on homosexuality, illustrating a societal divide on the topic, and indicated an ongoing debate about both legal reform and the perception of homosexual individuals within society during that period.

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