Homosexuals To Press Demands (Press, 9 December 1980)
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Summary: Homosexuals To Press Demands (Press, 9 December 1980)
On 9 December 1980, Christchurch’s lesbian and gay male community planned to hold a demonstration in Cathedral Square in observance of International Human Rights Day. This event aimed to highlight their demands for legal equality and raise public awareness about the issues they face. The initiative was spearheaded by Mr. John Wools, the regional representative of the National Gay Rights Coalition, following a meeting of local gay rights groups that took place the previous Sunday. During the demonstration, pamphlets would be distributed, and some of the estimated 25,000 homosexuals residing in Christchurch expressed their willingness to engage in discussions regarding the legal discrimination they endure. The meeting that prompted the demonstration was primarily focused on the perceived inaction of the Human Rights Commission, which had taken 21 months to respond to submissions made by the coalition advocating for the inclusion of "sexual orientation" in the Human Rights Commission Act. This update would allow discrimination complaints to encompass sexual orientation, which has been a longstanding demand among the community. Mr. Wools articulated the irony of celebrating a day dedicated to human rights in New Zealand, where an estimated 150,000 homosexuals and lesbians still lacked equality under the law. He pointed out that the legal discrimination faced by this group affected various aspects of daily life, areas where other New Zealanders would be appalled to find themselves unprotected by the law. The call for the review of the sexual offences section of the Crimes Act was also a significant part of the coalition's agenda, emphasising the need for reforms that would safeguard the rights of homosexual individuals in New Zealand society.
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