Category: New Zealand
Liam Reid has won the 2020 Mr Gay New Zealand sash after a weekend of challenges and then the finale announcement on stage at the Ending HIV Big Gay Out in Auckland today. The 24-year-old from Wellington received the most amount of votes across seven challenge categories including public speaking, LGBTI knowledge test, charity and […]
It’s been years since religious protesters made their vocal presence felt at Auckland Pride events, but today they returned to protest OurMarch on Queen Street. The second annual OurMarch saw an increase in both the number of marchers and the number of spectators who people who had turned up to view the march. It was […]
OurMarch attendance doubles previous year’s estimates. Crowd control official tells express, “we counted 6,000 leaving Albert Park, with roughly 1,500 having joined by time it turned the corner on to Queen Street.” The second annual OurMarch was lead by legendary queer kiwi activist Ngahuia Te Awekotuku MNZM (the first Moari woman to gain a doctorate […]
Lexie Matheson speaks to express about her nomination and disappointment with the Government. For the second year in a row, Lexie Matheson has been nominated for Senior New Zealander of the Year. However unlike 2019, when Matheson was shortlisted, the Auckland academics and activist has made the final three in 2020, an honour she says […]
Auckland’s most queer-friendly street plans to make February a very colourful month! Karangahape Road takes great pride in its community’s inclusive, unique, and independent identity. This community has consistently been a supportive safe haven for LGBTTQ+ communities and continues to strive for increased safety, visibility, and inclusion for all. This summer, the Karangahape Road Business […]
I loved my upbringing. I was very fortunate to be raised in a family that fostered endless amounts of imagination. I always knew that I would fly. My parents and siblings helped to craft the person I am today; a determined, resilient man with an almost-too-much-fun character. It turns out I grew into the kind […]
From my experience, I have noticed a worrying lack of connection and empathy within our community and society as a whole. With the rise of social media, we have become more disconnected and able to judge others. The way we reduce each other to a list of criteria is concerning. Racist and exclusionary comments like, […]
In the hot summer of 2017, I was volunteering for Middlemore Hospital as a part of the ‘rainbow’ program when a church leader told me, “summer is hot, but hell is hotter.” His reference to high temperatures had me thinking about praying the climate crisis away but he was worried about my ‘queerness.’ He casually, […]