Maryan Street(September 2012)

In an 18-minute podcast recorded at the Parliament buildings in Wellington, Maryan Street, a Member of Parliament from the Labour Party, shares insights into life as a politician with interviewer Benji Watt. Originally from New Plymouth and rooted in Nelson as a List MP, Street reflects on a lifetime of political involvement that began in earnest during the late seventies when a growing awareness of social injustice and personal experiences of inequity, especially concerning gender and sexuality, sharpened their political focus.

Street recounts the journey to becoming an MP, a role that was not surprising given their history as former President of the Labour Party and their long-standing political engagement. They discuss how parenting decisions, timed around their daughter’s education, influenced timings in their political career. The interview touches on their child’s political studies degree, indicating that political engagement may be a family trait, but leaves their child’s future occupation open.

The conversation reveals the personal sacrifices and adaptations required by public service, from the erosion of privacy to the limitations on social activities. Street strives to maintain boundaries, such as keeping interviews out of their home for self-protection and cherishing the rare occasions when they can entertain friends at home.

Street highlights the existence of the Rainbow Room in Parliament, an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ MPs, a testament to the diversity and progress within New Zealand politics. They note the significance of past and current LGBTQ+ MPs, illustrating the Labour Party's history of representing and advocating for the community.

The discussion also addresses the challenges and progress of being an openly lesbian MP, a reality that Street describes as being normalized in the current political climate. Despite this normalization, Street remains committed to advancing LGBTQ+ matters within their health portfolio and beyond, citing recent inquiries into healthcare provision for transgender individuals, including safety concerns for transgender prisoners.

Street voices their views on the New Zealand Blood Service's restrictions on gay men donating blood, criticizing this as discriminatory and grounding their position in evolving HIV prevalence within heterosexual communities. They suggest that with proper advice and regulation, this policy could and should be changed.

Reflecting on gender dynamics in parliament, Street observes an improvement over the years, crediting the influx of assertive female MPs and evolved attitudes among male colleagues for creating a more respectful environment.

As for dealing with anti-homosexual rhetoric, Street places contemporary opposition in perspective by contrasting it with the much more hostile climate of the eighties during the homosexual law reform movement. They characterize today's residual opposition as relatively insignificant and not reflective of widespread public sentiment.

The podcast concludes with Street’s personal anecdotes of experiencing anonymity and normalcy abroad, a stark contrast to the continuous duty that marks their life as an MP in New Zealand.

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.

Maryan Street

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