Report On Gays 'a Farce’ (Press, 14 January 1981)

On 14 January 1981, Kevin Green, the co-ordinator of the National Gay Rights Coalition, harshly criticized a recent Human Rights Commission report regarding the rights of gay individuals, calling it a 'farce.' Following a meeting of the coalition's executive, Green expressed the group's desire to engage with Justice Minister Mr McLay to ensure that their submissions received serious attention. The report released a week earlier had opposed including sexual orientation as a basis for discrimination under the Human Rights Act, while suggesting amendments to the legal inconsistencies that impose harsher penalties on male sexual acts compared to female ones. However, the commission did not clarify whether penalties for males should be reduced or those for females increased. Green contended that the commission's definition of status in this context was simplistic, naive, and ineffective. He asserted that a thorough examination would have revealed that the European Commission on Human Rights had deemed the British Government's treatment of homosexuals in Northern Ireland as a violation of their rights, thereby recognising homosexuality as a legitimate status. Green insisted that the coalition would actively pursue the decriminalisation of male homosexual acts as a means to eliminate gender-based legal discrimination. Linda Evans from the Lesbian Centre voiced her concerns regarding the report potentially exacerbating the oppression faced by lesbians. She demanded a clear commitment from Mr McLay that the Crimes Act would not include further restrictions against lesbians. Evans argued that while not all issues faced by lesbians could be resolved by formally incorporating sexual orientation into the Human Rights Act, doing so would provide essential protections against discrimination in employment, housing, public services, and child custody. Both Green and Evans accused the commission of fostering a climate of discrimination by not taking a strong stance against it. In response to the report, Green announced plans for a nationwide civil disobedience campaign aimed at protesting the commission's findings. He encouraged gay individuals to respond to official treatment in kind, signalling a shift towards more direct action in the fight for their rights. The ongoing dialogue around the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in New Zealand underscored a critical moment in the struggle against discrimination in the early 1980s.

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