Homosexual Law Changes (Press, 19 April 1985)

In April 1985, New Zealand was engaged in a heated debate over the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. This bill aimed to decriminalise homosexual acts and had sparked significant public discourse around issues of morality, belief systems, and societal norms. A letter published on April 16 by Kerry McGill highlighted the influence of Christian morals on the opposition to the bill. McGill contended that some individuals seemed to assume that biblical teachings should govern everyone’s lives, disregarding those who do not share the same beliefs. The letter specifically referenced a rally held on April 14 where Mr Graham Lee, a speaker opposing the bill, proclaimed that people are not born gay. McGill countered this by stating individuals are also not born as Christians, thus asserting that both sexual orientation and religious affiliation should be matters of personal choice. In another letter published on April 17, Richard Barrett expressed his surprise at how an article reporting on the newly opened London Centre for Homosexual People was relegated to a less prominent position in the newspaper. He argued that the support for such a centre by local government underscored how backward attitudes could sometimes be in New Zealand regarding gay rights. Barrett reminisced about his family's move to New Zealand eleven years prior when the country was perceived as lagging behind Europe in social issues. He expressed hope that the eventual passage of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill would help reshape this image. Further comments from D. Pettitt, also published on April 17, reflected on the rhetoric used by the speakers at public gatherings in support of opposing views. Pettitt was particularly struck by the concept of "real men" as described by another letter writer, which he interpreted as a reference to those who promote hateful sentiments and incite fear regarding homosexuality. Overall, these exchanges illustrate the complexities of the social climate in New Zealand during this period, where religious beliefs, personal rights, and societal progress were all intensely debated in relation to the topic of homosexuality and the reform bill at hand.

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