"The Press" Picketed (Press, 10 September 1977)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: "The Press" Picketed (Press, 10 September 1977)
On 10 September 1977, more than 20 supporters of homosexual law reform gathered for a demonstration outside "The Press" in Christchurch. This protest, lasting an hour, was aimed at expressing dissatisfaction with the newspaper's alleged refusal to print an advertisement promoting social equality for homosexuals. The advertisement had accumulated over 1,200 signatures from various groups, including the Values Party, the Association of Social Workers, health professionals, and university students. The National Gay Rights Coalition claimed that just 12 hours before the advertisement was due to be published, "The Press" informed them that it would not appear unless half of the names were withdrawn. The newspaper suggested that the signatories had initially agreed to sponsor the advertisement in July but did not intend for it to be used in "The Press." Furthermore, "The Press" raised concerns regarding the legitimacy of consent for the use of names from certain prominent groups. The coalition insisted that the advertisement be published in its entirety or cancelled altogether, but ultimately, it did not run. A spokesperson for the demonstrators, M. Waghome, suggested that "The Press" was implying distrust towards the coalition by questioning the validity of the signatures, particularly those from well-known figures. He expressed concern that the newspaper might have been hesitant to acknowledge the advocacy for gay rights by responsible individuals in New Zealand, rather than viewing it as solely a movement of the general public. Waghome clarified that the demonstration was not an official protest by the coalition. He mentioned that the coalition's national executive would be meeting in Christchurch that weekend to further discuss issues related to media discrimination.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand