Homosexuals Call For Law Repeal (Press, 8 January 1985)
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Summary: Homosexuals Call For Law Repeal (Press, 8 January 1985)
On 8 January 1985, the Wellington Gay Taskforce asserted that laws criminalising male homosexual behaviour must be abolished to effectively combat Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The Taskforce's co-ordinator, Mr John McDavitt, highlighted the absurdity of a situation where individuals diagnosed with or acknowledging their status as a high-risk group for a disease could be considered criminals. Currently, under New Zealand law, homosexual men faced imprisonment of up to seven years, which hindered efforts to address the AIDS crisis. Mr McDavitt argued that repealing these laws would encourage more people to seek medical advice if they had come into contact with the virus, thus facilitating better public health responses. He noted that the gay community in New Zealand had been actively working for over a year to prevent the onset of an AIDS epidemic but were limited by existing legal constraints. The proposed legislative changes, according to Mr McDavitt, would not only assist those at risk but ultimately benefit the entire community.
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