Tag: Cook Islands

In April, the Cook Islands finally decriminalised homosexual acts after a long battle between conservative MPs and advocates. YOUR ex speaks to Valery Wichman and Dean Tangata, the two trans women at the forefront of the victorious battle. Te Tiare Association (TTA) president Valery Wichman is a barrister and solicitor...

With decriminalisation passed, it is now legal to be gay in the Cook Islands, a move that will hopefully see a wave of decriminalisation spread throughout the Pacific. What better way to celebrate this progress than with a stress-free getaway to relaxing Rarotonga and the peaceful perfection of Aitutaki? The...

The Cook Islands has eliminated a law within its Crimes Act that could imprison men for engaging in sexual activities with other men. The law, which was never enforced, stipulated that "indecent acts between males" could result in up to five years of imprisonment. Individuals hosting these acts on...

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has said he intends to redraft the Crimes Act to remove homosexuality, if successful in the next election. The Cook Islands’ general election will take place at the beginning of next month and current Prime Minister Mark Brown has pledged to redraft 1969’s Crime...

Following the Pope’s support for civil unions, Labour MP Louisa Wall wants the Catholic Church to help bring about homosexual law reform in the Cook Islands. Mother of marriage equality and Labour MP Louisa Wall is calling on the Catholic Church to help play a part in the campaign...

Homosexuality will remain illegal in the Cook Islands. LGBT+ Cook Islanders have been dealt a major blow, with the self-governing island nation deciding against legalising homosexuality. A report on a proposed bill to legalise homosexuality in the pacific nation was deferred for three months after Cook Islands’ Parliamentary select committee...

It is still illegal to be gay in the Cook Islands in 2020. As the discussion of an eventual travel bubble between the Cook Islands and New Zealand increases, same-sex attracted tourists and human rights advocates express concerns that homosexuality in the self-governing island nation is still illegal. A new...

Homosexual law reform in the Cook Islands hangs in the balance after a number of opposition members of the law’s reform committee did an about-turn on their original decisions. The Crimes Bill Select Committee of the small Pacific nation recently met to hear submissions on a bill to decriminalise homosexuality in...