Auckland Museum will open its archives this July for a powerful evening of storytelling, taonga and reflection, marking 40 years since the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act.
LATE at the Museum | 1986: A Look Back at Homosexual Law Reform will take place on Wednesday 29 July in Auckland Museum’s Te Ao Mārama South Atrium, bringing together key figures from one of Aotearoa’s most significant fights for equality.
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In 1986, after 16 divisive months of nationwide protest and debate, the Homosexual Law Reform Act passed through Parliament by 49 votes to 44. The law decriminalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and over, marking a crucial step forward in the fight for equal rights, human dignity and the freedom to love whoever you choose.
Forty years later, Auckland Museum is inviting audiences to revisit this defining period through storytelling, performance and rarely seen archival material connected to queer life and creative expression in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The evening will be hosted by former MP and LGBTTQIA+ rights advocate Louisa Wall, and will feature Dame Fran Wilde, who introduced the Homosexual Law Reform Bill to Parliament in 1985. She will be joined by Edward Cowley, Bruce Kilmister and Welby Ings, each of whom played a part in the wider movement for change.
Together, they will share stories from the personal to the political, reflecting on the campaign’s challenges, creativity and resilience.
Audiences can expect to hear about the fundraising hijinks that helped counter the deep pockets of the opposition, the role of drag as advocacy at the iconic inner-city nightclub Staircase, and the battles that continued long after the Bill became law.
Auckland Museum curators will also share collection items and archival material from the period, offering a rare opportunity to connect with the history of queer communities in Tāmaki Makaurau through objects, stories and memory.
Part reflection, part celebration, 1986: A Look Back at Homosexual Law Reform is an important chance to honour those who fought for change and recognise the lasting impact of their courage.
For Aotearoa’s rainbow communities, the anniversary is not only about looking back. It is also a reminder that hard-won rights were secured by people willing to organise, resist, perform, protest and tell the truth — even when the country was not ready to hear it.
Event details
LATE at the Museum | 1986: A Look Back at Homosexual Law Reform
Date: Wednesday 29 July
Doors: 6.30pm
Event starts: 7.30pm
Venue: Te Ao Mārama South Atrium, Auckland Museum
Tickets: Adults $59, Members $53.10, Concession $25
Bookings essential.
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MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: GIL HANLY
