Category: News

Jan 17
Auckland’s Rainbow Parade: A Celebration of Visibility and Unity

The Auckland Rainbow Parade will return to Ponsonby Road from 7:30 pm on Saturday, 15 February. Ahead of this vibrant celebration of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Rainbow communities, we talk to Parade Event Manager Shaughan Woodcock about the importance of the event, the criteria for participants, and the return of the glamorous Smirnoff Grandstand. Why is […]

Jan 16
Taking Pride in Inclusion: MOTAT’s Queer Celebration

Ralph Corke, Visitor Experience Manager at Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), shares what the museum has scheduled for Auckland Pride Month, what he loves about Aotearoa’s queer community, and his excitement about entering Mr Bear New Zealand. You’ve been in New Zealand for seven years now after leaving Brighton (England)’s sunny shores. What has […]

Jan 16
GLAAD Links ‘Anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric from Elected Officials’ to Rise in Hate Crimes Across the US

A new report from GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has revealed alarming statistics about the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes across the United States in 2024. According to data gathered by the organisation’s ALERT Desk, there were at least 918 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents recorded over the year — an average of two and a […]

Jan 16
Preacher Who Praised Putin’s Anti-Gay Laws to Lead Prayers at Trump’s Inauguration

Controversial preacher Franklin Graham, known for his anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and praise of Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay laws, is set to lead prayers at Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January in Washington DC. As reported by the Washington Blade, Graham, president and CEO of the evangelical aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, also delivered prayers at Trump’s 2017 inauguration. […]

Jan 16
Campbell Johnstone Marries Ben Thomson in Emotional Mountain-Top Wedding

Campbell Johnstone, the first All Black to publicly come out as gay, has tied the knot with his partner Ben Thomson at an Oxford venue in the South Island. Johnstone, 44, came out in 2023 during an interview on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp, stating he wanted to “take away the pressure” of coming out and describing […]

Jan 16
USA: Texas Democrats Break Party Lines to Back Transgender Sports Ban

Texas Democrats Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar broke ranks with their party to vote alongside Republicans in favour of a bill that seeks to ban transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act passed the House on Tuesday (14 January) by a 218–206 vote. While […]

Jan 15
USA: Teen Organ Donor’s Tissues Denied Due to Sexual Orientation

The mother of 17-year-old Juleon Gonzalez is speaking out after she learned that a person in need rejected her son’s tissue donation because he was gay. Christina Stewart, who is grieving the loss of her quiet and compassionate teenager who loved football and graphic design, was devastated to  learn that her son’s tissue donation was […]

Jan 15
Village People Confirm Performance at Trump’s Inauguration

The iconic disco group The Village People have confirmed their participation in events surrounding Donald Trump’s upcoming presidential inauguration. In a Facebook post confirming the event, the band’s lead singer, Victor Willis, revealed that the group had accepted an invitation from Trump’s campaign to “participate in inaugural activities, including at least one event with President-elect […]