Gay Coalition Formed (Press, 13 July 1977)
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Summary: Gay Coalition Formed (Press, 13 July 1977)
The National Gay Rights Coalition has been established in New Zealand, claiming to represent over 1,000 members and advocate for the rights of approximately 150,000 individuals. The coalition's formation stems from an initiative by Robin Duff, a teacher at Burnside High School, who proposed the idea in 1976. Duff has a history of involvement in gay rights activism, having joined a group called Gay Liberation in 1972, running for the Values Party in Hastings, and being president of the University of Canterbury Students' Association in 1973. He also established the Campaign for Homosexual Equality. Several Christchurch groups have joined the coalition, including the Gay Liberation Front, Campaign for Homosexual Equality, Gay Teachers' Union, and Gay University Students' Society. The coalition's announcement coincides with the anniversary of the defeat of the Crimes Amendment Bill in 1975, which aimed to decriminalise homosexual behaviour between consenting males aged 20 and over, as well as the upcoming "Gay Pride Week" from 24 to 30 July. One of the coalition's primary goals is to advocate for the inclusion of "sexual orientation" in the Human Rights Commission Bill, which would offer legal protections against discrimination for gay individuals. The coalition highlights the daily injustices faced by gay people, including ridicule and physical violence, and urges parliamentarians to act to safeguard their civil rights. The coalition criticises the media for what it describes as systematic anti-gay bias, mentioning four newspapers that refused to accept advertisements promoting gay organisations over the past year, including the Taranaki Herald and the Daily Telegraph (Napier). Furthermore, the coalition points out that the lack of adequate legislation leaves homosexuals vulnerable to discrimination in employment and housing, leading to a lack of recourse in cases of unfair treatment. The coalition aims to raise awareness and address these issues to ensure that gay individuals in New Zealand receive the legal protections they need.
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