Category: New Zealand

Sep 07
Inside the Intimate Male Bond at the Heart of The Pearl Fishers

From male intimacy to modern excess, director Stephen Barlow reveals how NZ Opera is reimagining Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers for a 21st-century audience Two men, one woman, an impossible pact and one of the most famous male duets ever written. On the surface, Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers has all the ingredients of a classic […]

Sep 04
Mpox: A Reminder to Protect Ourselves Before the Next Outbreak 

With mpox cases rising across the Tasman, Liz Gibbs, Chief Executive of Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, explains why mpox remains an important health issue in 2026, who should consider vaccination, the symptoms to watch for, and why acting early — without fear, stigma or judgement — is the best way to protect ourselves and our communities. […]

Sep 03
Rainbow Games Ready: D.I.V.A.S.! Buckwheat’s Game Plan 

Rainbow Games ambassador and proud drag diva Buckwheat shares her top fitness tips to help everyone strut into October’s Rainbow Games healthy, happy and ready for gold medal glory  D – Dedication  To achieve your fitness goals, dedication is absolutely non-negotiable! Whether it’s hitting the gym six days a week or finding time to do home workouts, being dedicated means showing up […]

Sep 01
Queer History: Septembers To Remember 

Historian Gareth Watkins highlights notable September dates for New Zealand’s rainbow communities  6 September 1957  A large headline in Christchurch’s The Press read “British Controversy On Vice Report”. The article highlighted the newly released Wolfenden Committee’s recommendation that homosexual acts in private between consenting men aged 21 or over should no longer be criminal offences. The Committee argued that it was not […]

Aug 27
Trans Traveller Says She Was Left ‘Humiliated’ After New Zealand Entry Was Blocked

A transgender Brazilian content creator says she was left humiliated after Immigration New Zealand cancelled her travel authority while she waited to board a connecting flight to Auckland. Anna Laura Amaral Pimentel Pereira, 27, was travelling from Rio de Janeiro through Santiago to visit her uncle in New Zealand when she was called for an […]

Aug 20
Moana Vā Brings Pacific Pride to Rainbow Games 

As Moana Vā prepares to deliver netball at Rainbow Games 2026, its team promises Pacific leadership, family-centred inclusion and, most importantly, “vibes!”  When Lana Shields stepped onto the netball court at the last Rainbow Games, 43 years had passed since she had played the sport.  Like many people returning after a long absence, she had doubts. Would she remember the […]

Aug 20
AFTER THE PARTY: OUR GUIDE TO THE PERFECT QUEENSTOWN TRIP 

The long weekend of proud parties at the start of September is just one of the many reasons to visit Queenstown and its surrounding serenity. Queenstown boasts some of New Zealand’s most luxurious hospitality, stunning scenery and once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventures. Here is our guide to a glorious stay.  STAY LAKESIDE  The Rees Hotel feels slick from the moment […]

Aug 19
Family First Uses Poorly Executed Photo Editing To Import Anti-LGBTQ+ Parenting Campaign From The US

Family First NZ has reignited criticism from rainbow communities after sharing a US campaign claiming children cannot have two mothers or two fathers. In a recent Facebook post, the conservative lobby group praised an “excellent campaign” from American organisation Them Before Us. The accompanying graphic declares: “No child has two dads. No child has two […]