Category: New Zealand

Nov 20
EXCLUSIVE: “Not Healthcare, But Politics” – Labour’s Shanan Halbert Slams Ban on Trans Youth Treatment

Labour’s Rainbow spokesperson, Shanan Halbert, has condemned the Government’s decision to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers for transgender youth, calling it “one of the most damaging and ideological moves we’ve seen in our health system”. The criticism comes in response to Health Minister Simeon Brown’s announcement that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues will no longer […]

Nov 19
Government Halts New Prescriptions of Puberty Blockers for Gender Dysphoria

The National Government has announced a pause on prescribing puberty blockers to new patients experiencing gender dysphoria, as it awaits the outcome of a clinical trial currently underway in the UK. Health Minister Simeon Brown confirmed the regulatory shift today, stating that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues will no longer be prescribed for new cases of […]

Nov 18
BNZ Breakers Won’t Wear Pride Insignia, Citing ‘Religious and Cultural Concerns’

The New Zealand’s BNZ Breakers will not wear the rainbow Pride Progress Flag on their uniforms during the Australian National Basketball League’s (NBL) Pride Round early next year. The Auckland-based club said the decision was made collectively by the team, following internal discussions around the league’s voluntary policy for wearing the insignia, which celebrates the […]

Nov 18
A Love Letter to Lesbian Wellington 

Jessie Lewthwaite celebrates our queerest capital.  By a happy coincidence, I ended up having back-to-back party weekends away in the capital. Coming down from Auckland, I was concerned my soft Australian skin would be cold, and I was especially worried about how the gale-force winds would affect my hair, which I sculpt to make it […]

Nov 18
What It’s Like to Be a Drag Queen Living in Hawke’s Bay

Ahead of the premier of his starring role in Set In Stone as part of Fringe In The ‘Stings, Eru Heke tells us what it’s like to be a young drag queen living in Hawke’s Bay. For 19-year-old drag artist and actor Eru Heke, Hawke’s Bay isn’t just home, it’s where art, identity, and community […]

Nov 13
From Nerves to Knockout: How a Wellington DJ Found Strength in the Ring

DJ Winner Mick, aka Mick Whitty, is known to community members for his sets at URGE parties, but recently he swapped the decks for boxing gloves. He tells YOUR EX about his physical and mental journey to stepping in the squared circle. When Wellington’s DJ Winner Mick — known off the decks as Mick Whitty […]

Nov 12
Photos | Record-Breaking Success for GiveOUT Day NZ

The Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust has plenty to celebrate, with this year’s GiveOUT Day raising an incredible $98,000—a result that has exceeded all expectations. Combined with the funds raised at the Trust’s flagship annual fundraiser Glam & Give, the total now soars past $110,000, smashing all previous records. Our photos from RNXCT’s GiveOUT Day […]

Nov 10
Andrew Rusbatch and the Rise of Christchurch Bears

Christchurch Bears organiser Andrew Rusbatch gets us ready for Big Bears Weekend, this weekend! For Christchurch’s tight-knit bear community, November’s Big Bears Weekend isn’t just another date on the queer calendar — it’s a full-blown social recharge, served with cheese, camaraderie, and a dash of ouzo. After a 15-year break, the city’s bear scene has […]