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Handmade cosmetics company, Lush, is once again featuring a same-sex couple for its Valentine’s Day campaign. Their 2015 campaign featured a lesbian couple, and this year’s features their employee Darren (who works in their Newmarket store) with his partner Joel.

The global chain’s Australia and New Zealand director, Peta Granger says they “stand alongside the LGBTQI [sic] community and will continue to passionately advocate for universal equality and acceptance. Once again for Valentine’s Day, we are using our stores across Australia and New Zealand to share that love in intrinsic to the human experience, no matter who you are.”

Although times are moving along, both Darren and Joel still feel New Zealand is not quite there yet in terms of dealing with LGBT+ people. “I can’t think of a time where I thought I’m comfortable to make out with Joel in front of everyone. Joel and I are so much older than some of the younger people that don’t understand who they really are. We have people that support us but if you think about the people who have no one around them to support them, it’s not hard to believe why suicide rates are so high. We feel like that is the big issue,” Darren says.

He continues, “we know how hard it is to be accepted so hopefully this touches people […] we are happy that Lush takes the time to support the community”. Let’s hope the windows changes something.

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