Category: News

Jul 04
Auckland’s Winter Warm-Up: Where Fierce Meets Footy

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, might not be the first place that springs to mind for a winter escape, but if you’re after a city break that skips the frostbite and serves up world-class culture, fashion, sport and queer-friendly flair, this is your sign. For the fans (of fashion and footy) This season’s sporting headliner? The All […]

Jul 04
Opinion: What Unkovich’s Departure Says About Culture War Politics

Tanya Unkovich resigns from Parliament amid controversy over her anti-trans bill and anti-vax views. Craig Young explores the motivations behind her abrupt departure. At the end of June, New Zealand First List MP Tanya Unkovich stepped down from Parliament, citing a desire to return to her career as a motivational speaker. Her departure might appear […]

Jul 03
Opinion: Why Are Poppers Still So Controversial?

Craig Young shares a personal perspective on poppers and outlines legal challenges to the laws around their sale and use in NZ and abroad. Alkyl and amyl nitrate inhalants—better known as poppers—were a staple of the gay male community in the 1970s and ’80s. I remember using them sparingly in my younger years back in […]

Jul 03
Opinion: When Gender Identity Is Blamed Instead of Underfunded Care

Craig Yong reflects on the treatment gaps facing trans youth with eating disorders, exploring the tragic case of V, systemic healthcare failures, and the role of gender-affirming care in saving lives. Earlier this month (June 16), V, a young trans man and non-binary individual, tragically passed away as a result of their eating disorder. Some critics […]

Jul 03
NZ First Pushes Regressive Flag Ban Bill to Erase LGBTQ+ Visibility

In a move critics are calling regressive and exclusionary, New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that would ban the display of all flags except the official New Zealand flag on government buildings—including Pride flags and other symbols of diversity. Party leader Winston Peters claims the Display of Flags (Government Premises) Bill is intended […]

Jul 03
Two Years On, Queer Workers at Grindr Still Fighting for Their Jobs After Mass Layoffs

Grindr United, the union representing former employees of the dating app Grindr, is continuing its fight to reinstate workers who were laid off nearly two years ago. The union is currently fundraising and calling on the broader LGBTQIA+ community for support. “Grindr workers tried to unionise so we could have a seat at the table […]

Jul 02
China Arrests Dozens of Young Women for Writing Gay Erotica Amid Censorship Push

At least 30 individuals, most of them women in their twenties, have been arrested in China for writing and sharing gay erotica, in what human rights observers are calling a renewed crackdown on creative expression and LGBTQ+ content. The arrests, which date back to February, target writers who published gay romantic fiction—known as danmei—on the […]

Jul 02
Over 100 Convictions for LGBTQ+ ‘Extremism’ in Russia Spark Global Outcry

More than 100 individuals in Russia have been convicted under the country’s sweeping anti-LGBTQ+ “extremism” law, which criminalises virtually all forms of LGBTQ+ expression and activism. Human Rights Watch reports that since the law took effect in January 2024, Russian courts have issued 101 convictions tied to alleged involvement in the so-called “international LGBT movement” […]