Campaign Targets Students’ Attitudes To... (Press, 8 November 1989)
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Summary: Campaign Targets Students’ Attitudes To... (Press, 8 November 1989)
The National Youth Council of New Zealand has launched an informational campaign aimed at influencing students' attitudes towards sexuality, particularly encouraging acceptance of homosexuality and lesbianism. The initiative is designed to combat societal pressures on young people to adhere to heterosexual norms. As stated by council spokesman James Nihoniho, the campaign will affirm that it is acceptable to be gay but will not promote homosexuality actively. The council is supportive of proposed amendments to the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, which would allow for sexual education and contraception information to be provided to individuals under the age of 16. Nihoniho emphasises that even without these changes, disseminating this information remains critical, particularly as many students require access to knowledge about their sexuality. Some schools have agreed to distribute the informational materials—pamphlets, posters, and booklets—via guidance counsellors and libraries. However, opposition is anticipated from some provincial and rural schools, where the need for this information is especially pressing due to limited opportunities for gay and lesbian youth. In instances where schools refuse to distribute the materials, the council plans to provide them outside school premises. In a related development, the National Council on A.I.D.S. has expressed support for the proposed changes to the bill, with chairwoman Peggy Koopman-Boyden highlighting the rise in A.I.D.S. and other sexually transmitted diseases. She argues that the amendments are necessary to facilitate education programmes for under-16s, many of whom are already sexually active and at risk of contracting these diseases. She points out that the existing legislation, established in 1977, poses significant challenges to implementing effective educational initiatives for young people.
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