This Radio Gala retrospective programme contains a rich collection of audio actuality from the 1985-86 period of homosexual law reform. Much of the material came from events in the Wellington region and was originally broadcast on Wellington Access Radio.
Radio Gala was a community radio programme that broadcast weekly on Auckland's community radio station in the 1990s.
Audio and Text Download mp3Plain Text (for Gen AI)This recording (cassette 0323-A) includes audio from multiple sources - for more details visit the LAGANZ website.
Summary
The "Radio Gala (8th July 1990)" recording captures a pivotal moment in New Zealand's history, focusing on the impact of the Homosexual Law Reform Act of 1986. The retrospective program, originating from the Wellington region and showcased on Wellington Access Radio, vividly encapsulates the socio-political landscape from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, especially how individuals in the Wellington area reacted to homosexual law reform issues. The program features a blend of archival audio and live commentary, offering listeners an auditory snapshot of societal attitudes, protest actions, and political discourse during this transformative period.
The broadcast begins by emphasizing the significance of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, which legalized consensual acts between adults and represented a broader cultural shift towards accepting people from the LGBTQ+ community. It gave gay and lesbian individuals the legal background to live without fear and guilt, promising normalcy in their daily lives. Alongside this serious subject matter, the program also provides information on local gay and lesbian community events.
The speaker shares a poignant piece from a prominent magazine, reflecting on the unique challenges and triumphs faced by the gay community, highlighting their compassion, humor, and individual uniqueness. This is followed by the creative political activism of the time, such as adapting popular songs like "Ghostbusters" to "Bigot Busters," to advocate for the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. These musical parodies provided a means of protest and solidarity for the community.
Actualities from protests, marches, and confrontational meetings underscore the prevailing tensions. One segment recalls a controversial incident at a Salvation Army Citadel where journalists faced aggression, delineating the clashes between different societal factions. Throughout the recording, various voices express their opinions and perspectives, ranging from supportive parliamentarians to ardent opposers who viewed the bill as promoting 'abnormal' behavior. The passionate and, at times, polarizing dialogue captured in this recording testifies to the charged atmosphere surrounding the law reform.
The recording also includes comments from activists who expose the ignorance behind opposition campaigns and reiterate the demand for equal rights and respect for the gay community. It paints a picture of a resilient group fighting for recognition, not just in the eyes of the law but within broader society.
In summarizing the aftermath of the reform, the program delves into the feelings of relief and victory in passing the bill despite the absence of anti-discrimination clauses. The legalization represented significant progress, offering the potential for a more inclusive future. It also documented the reaction of the Salvation Army and AIDS Foundation to the decision, illustrating their respective positions on the issue.
The program concludes with announcements of social events and services available to the LGBTQ+ community, such as support networks for young gay or bisexual men, social groups, and an upcoming lesbian ball, signifying the continued cultivation of a supportive and visible community post-reform.
The audio recording not only functions as a historical document but also as an advocate for continued progress towards understanding, inclusion, and equality for gay and lesbian individuals within New Zealand society. It encourages the community to unify in the face of adversity and to maintain visibility to strengthen communal ties, echoing a universal call for dignity and human rights for all.
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.
Voices
Tags
1980s, 1990s, activism, adolf hitler, alfies 1, alison laurie, aotearoa new zealand, auckland, auckland community church, bigot busters, bigot busters (song, 1985), bill logan, bob wilkie, chant, cynthia bagwash, dominion (newspaper), fran wilde, gay lesbian welfare (auckland), gay lesbian welfare telephone (auckland), gay space coffee evening (auckland), gay task force, gayline (auckland), gays and lesbians in education (gle), george gair, germany, glenda gale, graeme lee, history, hiv / aids, homosexual law reform, homosexual law reform act (1986), homosexual law reform petition, icebreakers (auckland), isherwood trust (auckland), john banks, judy glen, kate leslie, knox church hall, law, lesbian and gay archives of new zealand (laganz), lesbian support and social group (auckland), linda evans, media, member of parliament, mr right (personals), neil costelloe, new zealand aids foundation (nzaf), newspapers, normal jones, norman jones, parliament buildings, peter tait, politics, radio, radio gala, rodney knight, salvation army, salvation army citadel, st matthew-in-the-city, staircase nightclub, telephone support, the right time (song), wellington, wellington gay task force, wellington town hall, westside sauna, women's centre (auckland)
Tags (computer generated)
abortion, abuse, access, age of consent, anger, anti discrimination, archives, army, attack, attraction, belief, bible, bigotry, birthday, bisexual, books, bruce burnett, change, children, choice, christianity, christmas, church, closet, coffee, coming out, coming up, communion, community, compassion, compromise, conflict, connect, consent, copyright, council, courage, culture, disability, discrimination, diversity, documentary, dolls, donation, education, energy, events, exercise, exhibition, face, failure, fear, film, film festival, flowers, food, french, friends, fun, fundraising, future, gaming, gay, gay games, george moscone, god, government, guilt, harvey milk, hate, hawaii, health, heterosexual, hit, homosexual, homosexual law reform, hospital, housing, human rights, individual, insurance, james baldwin, job, kim hill, legislation, lesbian, los angeles, march, marriage, meetings, memorial, mentor, metropolitan community church, minority, movies, music, national party, nature, news, normal, north shore, opera, opportunity, other, parenting, parents, passing, people, performance, persecution, petition, plan, ponsonby, post office, power, prevention, privacy, protest, public opinion, queen, queensland, questioning, quilt, race, rally, reading, records, relationships, remembrance, respect, rhetoric, royal assent, sad, san francisco, self image, sexuality, shooting, silence, social, sodomy, space, speech, straight, struggle, support, testing, the closet, the other side, theatre, time, tough, tourism, trust, truth, university, visibility, vote, witness, women, work, writing