Category: News

Jun 30
Government Rejects Funding Plea of NZ Suicide Prevention Hotline

A crisis counselling helpline will shut down unless the Government steps in with funding. Lifeline Aotearoa says it only has enough money to run for one more year, as its appeals to the Government for help have been rejected. It was asking the public for donations. The service provides free 24-hour mental health assistance for issues such as bullying, […]

Jun 30
49 Celebrities Honour the 49 Victims of the Orlando Massacre

A video was released today by the Human Rights Campaign and produced by Ryan Murphy paying tribute to the lives of the GLBT people and allies who lost their lives at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016. 49 celebrities came together to honour the victims of the horrific attack, sharing the victim’s lives in brief stories […]

Jun 30
Spotlight on HLR30

To mark the thirty-year anniversary of the Homosexual Law Reform in New Zealand, express talks to some of the key players in this remarkable social and political change and considers what still needs to be done.   David Hindley I was one of the co-ordinators of the Gay Task Force in the capital, with a […]

Jun 30
Transgender Hairdresser Wins Case Against Former Employer

Dakota Hemmingson has been awarded over $13,000 in compensation and lost wages after she was told to resign following coming out as transgender. Hemmingson was an employee at Barkers Groom Room for six months in 2015. She came out as transgender and was told by her superiors that she no longer fit the “commercial profile” […]

Jun 29
Survey Reveals One Third of GLBT Women Feel Unwelcome at Pride Events

In the wake of the shooting at Pulse and the recent wave of bathroom laws and bills that discriminate against transgender people, the LGBTQ community needs Pride now more than ever. Unfortunately, the dating app Her found some disappointing statistics about how GLBT women feel about Pride festivities. Of the 3003 LGBTQ American women who responded […]

Jun 29
The Aroha Project Returns for Second Season

 Mika Haka Studio is only days away from releasing the second season of The Aroha Project, a web-series focused on exploring the realities of bullying, alienation and suicide in the lives of a diverse range of young New Zealanders available Friday 1 July on TVNZ on Demand. Created by Mika Haka and directed by Ramon Te […]

Jun 29
Auckland Law Firm Achieves Rainbow Tick

Following a six month audit process, central city law firm Russell Mcveigh has been awarded the Rainbow Tick certification. The Rainbow Tick programme is a continual quality improvement programme designed to help an organisation ensure it is a safe and welcoming workplace for employees of diverse gender identity and sexual orientation and demonstrates a business is an inclusive […]

Jun 28
Former NZ Idol Star’s Gender Journey

Former NZ Idol runner-up Nikki Lee Carlson (formally Nik Carlson) has this week revealed to Women’s Weekly that she “had a good life as a guy” but always thought there was something missing. Sharing her gender reassignment journey with the New Zealand magazine, Nikki says that she has had four surgeries in the Thai city of Phuket […]