A Pride Week campaign by telecoms company Spark brought out the worst in some internet commentators. Spark social media manager Frith Wilson-Hughes explains why she decided to respond. I spent much of last weekend battling folks on the internet. To be honest, it’s not how I generally like to spend my weekends, but this was … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, Don Rowe on claims that ratepayers are funding a sex party at the Pride Festival. What’s all this then? The Auckland Ratepayers Alliance is well and truly pissed off because, it says, ratepayer money will fund next week’s … Read more
Stats NZ’s decision to exclude sex, gender and sexuality from its upcoming census has come in for criticism from the queer community. But it turns out businesses in New Zealand – most recently Southern Cross Health Society – are already well ahead of the curve. Despite announcing back in 2015 that ‘gender diverse’ would join … Read more
Comics artist and queer trans man Sam Orchard on Stats NZ’s decision not to include questions about sexuality or gender identity in this year’s census. Read more: Being measured means that you’re there: Comedian Eli Matthewson on the LGBTI+ community and the census This section is made possible by Simplicity, the online nonprofit KiwiSaver plan that … Read more
We’re back for the fourth installment of Congratulations, She’s a Boy, following Wellington writer Felix Desmarais’ female-to-male (FTM) transition. This month: a life-changing operation. What a difference a month and a bit makes. Last time I wrote my column, I had breasts. Now I’m sitting here writing having just seen my new nipples, grafted on … Read more
Last month, eight-year-old Nicholas wrote about his mums Katherine and Roanne, and the national referendum asking Australians to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the rights of rainbow families. We asked him to write again about the result of the vote, and what’s next for his family. Here’s some of what Nicholas wrote last month, while the vote … Read more
While Australia eventually did the right thing, it took months of public attacks on the LGBTQI+ community to get there. Kiwi export Courtney Mayhew reflects on having her sexuality turned into a public political football. Every year, 7th November is special day. It is the day of my birthday and the birthday of our Lorde. … Read more
A deep dive into the data on Australia’s public vote on same-sex marriage reveal some surprising details, write Australian public policy researchers Danielle Wood and Carmela Chivers. Australians have overwhelmingly voted “yes” for same-sex marriage. This means politicians will have to give up relying on the myth that a cultural backlash against the progressive agenda … Read more
Co-author of the children’s book Promised Land, Chaz Harris is ‘resisting with love’ by creating fairytales for all children. He shares a personal essay about why he writes the world he wishes we lived in. If you’re anything like me, the past year or so has felt like living in a terrible alternate timeline. It … Read more
“These photos say, ‘I am who I am. I’m here. I’m part of your world and I’m going to stay.’” Photographer Fiona Clark looks back at her time documenting trans and queer people on Auckland’s K Road. When I was 14, I knew I was different. I didn’t fit the norm at Inglewood High School. … Read more
We’re back for month three of Congratulations, She’s a Boy, a monthly column following Felix Desmarais’ female-to-male (FTM) transition. I’m sorry I’m late, dear readers. I’m just continuing a long tradition of being a disappointing white man. Calm down, #notallmen. Eye roll emoji. Seriously though, September was a busy month so apologies to my niche … Read more
Last week LGBTIQ organisation Rainbow Youth released their first ever TV spot to combat homophobia. Sam Brooks does a close read of the ad, what it means, and where the conversation goes next. “If it’s not gay, it’s not gay.” Rainbow Youth’s viral ad has a simple concept and a simple message. We’re in some … Read more
On Friday the Māori Party issued a press release that criticised Labour for legalising same sex marriage. An aghast Laura O’Connell Rapira responds. It’s never easy being takatāpui. Within the queer community, we can be subjected to exclusion and discrimination based on our culture and heritage. In the Māori community (and indeed in society as … Read more
In Australia, there is currently a fight for marriage equality. A nationwide survey is asking for Australians to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the rights of rainbow families. This has had a huge impact on children of gay parents as well as LGBTQIA+ children. Katherine and Roanne have been together for 17 years. They live … Read more
Possum Plows, singer of Auckland pop-punk band Openside, opens up about their journey to coming out as nonbinary and the impact it has had on their band and fans. Becoming more public about being nonbinary is something I’ve thought about a lot in terms of how it relates to my music career and whether or … Read more
Following a poll of readers, the tireless team behind the Spinoff Policy tool have added a bunch of extra categories. Close to 100,000 people have in the last few weeks visited our interactive tool Policy to compare key policies from all major political parties for election 2017. But are the team behind the thing, led by Asher … Read more
Lisa Melville is a lesbian mother and PhD student at Waikato University where she’s looking at the decisions and experiences of lesbian mothers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here she talks about what those experiences can look like. A lesbian has just told you that she or her partner is pregnant. What is the best … Read more
We’re back for month two of Congratulations, She’s a Boy, a monthly column following the female-to-male transition of Wellington writer Felix Desmarais. Read part one here. Great news! One and a half months on testosterone, and like an almost decade-long tradition of uninspiring Labour leaders, my voice is breaking! #TopicalTrans. I just got a haircut. … Read more
Connor Mcleod is a youth worker and activist with InsideOUT, an organisation that is trying to make New Zealand a safer place for our children. He’s calling on parents to help in this vital and important work. Young people of minority sexualities and genders need our help and support. Our young people are out there … Read more
Kath Cooper, an early childhood lecturer who parents four children with her wife, believes all parents need to actively support LGBTQI-friendly environments at their children’s schools. With input from the Rainbow Families NZ community, she’s sharing this article in the hope that it will spark conversations at your child’s early childhood education centre, primary school, … Read more
Given Australia’s deputy PM seems to have been a New Zealander all along, he should join his compatriots in embracing marriage equality and allowing a free vote, writes Kerry McBride. On 17 April, 2013, I stood in Scotty & Mal’s on Cuba Street singing ‘Pokarekare Ana’ as New Zealand celebrated the legalisation of same-sex marriage. … Read more
Charles Arthur Allen Aberhart was 37 when he died in 1964, the victim of a gay hate crime that would later inspire the New Zealand homosexual law reform movement. His relative Nicole Skews-Poole tells his story. Content note: This article includes a description of homophobic violence. Under layers of Holden memorabilia and orange-toned photos of … Read more
Each year the New Zealand International Film Festival brings gay-themed movies to an audience. David Herkt explores this history, what it means, and one of this year’s featured movies. A personal history is also, inevitably, a history of movies seen. Exploration of one’s own sexual desires will often occur through movie characters and movie plots. … Read more
Sam Brooks takes the plunge and reviews the dating sim that not only lets you play as a dad, but lets you date other dads. “Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a game where you play as a Dad and your goal is to meet and romance other hot Dads. Are you ready? Hi … Read more
On Wednesday Express magazine published an article about Paul Heard, confirming his resignation from the New Zealand Aids Foundation in the wake of a racist Facebook post. The community reaction was immediate, vitriolic and problematic, writes Sam Brooks. Paul Heard is a former owner of Urge bar and was until very recently community engagement manager for the New … Read more
A new regular column following the female-to-male transition of Wellington writer Felix Desmarais. Month one: ‘It’s not easy having your balls put in your butt.’ Hi! My name is Felix and I am a 14 year old boy studying journalism at Massey University. I’m also going to turn 30 next year. I am female-to-male (FTM) … Read more
Stef Rozitis had a long journey to understanding and accepting her sexuality after marrying a man and having children. Here she shares her story. When my eldest son was about one, someone mentioned to me that I would love him “no matter what, even if he was gay”. Of course, I agreed. But in my … Read more
In the second instalment of Sam’s Celebrity Game Reviews, Sam takes a spin on a five year old game fronted by a somewhat successful and famous-within-a-specific-niche sportsman. Previously on Sam’s Celebrity Game Reviews: Demi Lovato – Path to Fame I’m going to be honest with you, when I was scrambling through lists of celebrity mobile … Read more
As we near the end of Pride Month, the Spinoff Parents is sharing some stories from Rainbow families. First off, a story of getting pregnant from a lesbian couple who wish to remain anonymous. Content warning: This post talks about fertility and conception and may be upsetting to couples who are trying to conceive. For … Read more