Speeches before the March for Trans Rights - Pōneke

This abstract summarizes a 57-minute recording of speeches given on the Parliament grounds in Wellington on the 11th of February, 2023, prior to the March for Trans Rights, an event mirrored in Auckland the same day. The recording features speakers Charlie Prout, Tristan-Cordelia, and Willow Heron addressing a gathered crowd, advocating for better trans healthcare, and protesting against the current shortcomings of the healthcare system as it relates to transgender individuals.

The event begins with a minute of silence to honor the lives of trans individuals lost due to transphobia, followed by an opening karakia, a traditional Māori prayer. The speakers outline the code of conduct for the protest, emphasizing peaceful demonstration without engaging in hate speech, slurs, or violence. They stress the importance of mask-wearing for safety, not engaging with antagonistic individuals, and prioritizing the visibility of trans elders, trans women, and tangata irawhiti.

Willow Heron opens their speech by acknowledging the land as unceded Māori territory and details their personal experience of transitioning since age 15. They convey the profound challenge of dealing with the healthcare system, including the long waiting times for surgery and the difficult journey to secure puberty blockers. Heron expresses disappointment in the government's inaction and demands better healthcare pathways and systemic change for the trans community.

Another speaker, Ashton, recounts their personal struggle for mastectomy surgery, both financially and emotionally due to the deficiencies and inaccessibility of healthcare support in New Zealand. Ashton highlights their solitary recovery process in Thailand and the dire need for local and accessible gender-affirming healthcare, emphasizing that these issues affect trans mental health and could be life-or-death situations.

The recording also captures various other individuals sharing their experiences with the healthcare system, including the obstacles and lack of knowledge they encountered while seeking gender-affirming care. Healthcare professionals like Gwentian Margaret Saran Davies, a registered nurse, share their difficult experiences obtaining healthcare despite their medical expertise and advocate for an informed consent model of care.

The abstract closes with the recollection that participants prepared to march, reminded of the necessary precautions to maintain peace during the demonstration. The protest organizers encouraged the crowd to be visible, vocal, and assert their need for immediate attention to trans healthcare needs as part of their human rights.

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.

Charlie Prout Tristan-Cordelia Willow Heron

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