Stuff Circuit has delivered another moving documentary series with Emma, the story of one young woman’s search for meaning, connection and closure. There is a scene in Stuff’s new web series Emma where award-winning journalist Paula Penfold embraces Emma and gently kisses the top of her head. It’s so tender and I was so grateful … Read more
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Three Women by Lisa Taddeo (Bloomsbury, $35) Here I’ll just open a random page and find a string of … Read more
Closed adoption saw thousands of Māori babies handed over to Pākehā families with no way of accessing their ancestral roots. RNZ’s Te Aniwa Hurihanganui looks at the outdated Adoption Act and its impact on Māori who grew up desperate to reconnect. Nicola Lancaster remembers holding Annabel’s tiny premature body in her arms moments after she … Read more
The Handmaid’s Tale portrays surrogacy as an act of violent exploitation. Surrogacy researcher Hannah Gibson considers how the show affects our understanding of surrogacy in New Zealand and asks: are women here being exploited? Recently, I sat down with popcorn to watch the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale on Lightbox. Based on the 1985 … Read more
Today, the Sunday before Mother’s Day, is recognised by some as ‘Birth Mother’s Day’. Here a mother writes in celebration of the woman who gave birth to her son. Dear mother of our son, I am sorry that we forget you, that we overlook you in our rush. We prepare lunches, pack bags, get to … Read more
An appalling and outdated law means thousands of New Zealanders still have no access to information about their identities. Bonnie Sumner wants to know why the Government refuses to recognise the terrible legacy of forced adoptions. When my mother gave birth to me and held me in her arms, I was the first blood relative … Read more