POPCAANZ presentation

This abstract summarizes a podcast recorded at the POPCAANZ conference, featuring presentations by Emma Kelly and Gareth Watkins in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. The content revolves around the 2010s decade, portrayed through cultural and historical perspectives.

The keynote of the podcast was an exhibition named "30," marking 30 years since the first death from an AIDS-related illness in New Zealand. Originally curated by Watkins at the New Zealand Film Archive, later known as Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision, the exhibition showcased audiovisual materials from the 1980s and 90s, displaying the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and communities. One striking feature was the synchronization of screens fading to blue and the playing of a poignant poem, connecting to both a 1993 film and the isolation felt by the AIDS-impacted community.

The exhibition was described as evolving in its presentation when relocated to Auckland under curator Paula Booker, who incorporated new elements provided by Positive Women Inc., enriching the narrative by reflecting contributions from women living with HIV/AIDS. This change was indicative of a shift from what had been predominantly a gay male narrative into a more comprehensive account, encompassing broader stories including heterosexual experiences.

Beyond the exhibition, the discussion turned toward the intersection of identity, activism, and community dynamics within the queer communities in New Zealand. Tensions and activism around the inclusive representation within the Pride parade were noted, specifically concerning the treatment of the transgender community and the presence of correctional and police staff, illuminating critical societal divides and the struggle for equality and recognition in minority subgroups. Additionally, the role of activism and the challenges faced by queer people of color, transgender individuals, and their complicated relationship with pride and visibility were highlighted.

Kelly and Watkins further emphasized the significance of the "grain of the voice," advocating for the importance of first-hand narratives to capture and communicate personal experiences authentically. This led to a discussion about the practices and ethics of oral histories, featuring insights into digital archiving, public sharing, and the possible implications of having one's story in the public domain, raising questions of permanence and the right to be forgotten.

The podcast captured the essence of profound social and cultural transitions through the past decade, considering the varied reflections on identity, memory, and the essence of storytelling and its implications on archiving history in the LGBTQI+ community.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Emma-Jean Kelly Gareth Watkins

2010s, 30 (exhibition), academics, accessibility, againstequality.org, ahi wi-hongi, aids memorial quilt, aotearoa new zealand, archives, auckland pride festival, beyond rainbows (series), carmen rupe, carmen's international coffee lounge, cis male, colonialism, curatorship, dana de milo, death, derek jarman, disappear, emilie rākete, emma-jean kelly, eve van grafhorst, funding, gareth watkins, gay, gay-tms (teller machines), gender, google.com, health, heterosexual, hiv / aids, identity, interviewing, invisibility, jo jackson / grizz, labels, lesbian, lesbian and gay archives of new zealand (laganz), marginalisation, marriage, marriage equality, minority, māori, new zealand aids memorial quilt, new zealand defence force (nzdf), ngā taonga sound and vision, passing, paula booker, petty and vindictive collective (auckland), popular culture assocation of australia and new zealand (popcaanz), positive women inc, poverty, pride, pride parade, pride parade (auckland), pridenz.com, q12 (series), queer, rainbow, rape, ruth busch, ryan conrad, south (series), suicide, tiriti o waitangi / treaty of waitangi, trans, transgender, transition, university, visibility, welby ings, wellington, women

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