Category: Opinion

Jun 22
Laurel Hubbard: Olympic Bravery By A Trailblazing Athlete

Judy Virago shares her own experience of being a trans person in sports and fitness spaces, and believes after 15 years of trans athletes being eligible for the Olympics it is time one wore the silver fern and showed the world that ‘they are us.’ The mood was mighty cold for a hot yoga locker […]

Jun 14
TransAction – Repurposing Rage

When it feels like the world is against you, it’s instinctual to attack back, but Judy Virago says the key to victory is building bridges not tearing others down. We’re stronger united. During my first year on hormone therapy I was a Goddess of Destruction; pumped full of estrogen and angry at the world. My […]

May 14
Puberty Blockers: Cruelty or Kindness?

Judy Virago imagines a trans-childhood where puberty blockers prevent torturous teen years and concludes New Zealand is on the right path. In my second year of primary school, I made a new friend. His name was Gabriel, like the angel, and he had long beautiful blonde hair. He told me that he was actually a […]

May 11
Amanda Kennedy: Still a Fan, Without the Brigade

One half of Fan Brigade, Amanda Kennedy, is on hiatus from her genius comedy duo. Ahead of her solo material debut at the International Comedy Festival with her show Bumbshell, she tells express about her personal experience with bi-erasure. I’m bi-slash-pan. I just like whoever I like. I’ll talk a little bit about experiences being […]

May 11
Neil Thornton: Shame Less!

Comedian Neil ‘D’Bear’ Thornton presents his guide to cruising, dating and drinking on the gay scene without being a jerk. Some of you should take notes! I know I’m your favourite comedian, but if you see me on Scruff, in Ivy Bar, or in a towel at the spa – I may not be your […]

May 06
The Invisible Ageing Queen

Michael Stevens discusses growing older in NZ’s queer community and the feelings of being unheard and unseen that come with it. I am getting older, and I’m happy with that. “I turn 60 this year, assuming no unexpected events occur. I guess that makes me ‘senior”’. That’s a pretty significant achievement for me, given I was […]

Apr 15
Does New Zealand Have a Conservative Attitude to Sex?

With gonorrhoea and syphilis on the rise, Dr Saxton says more needs to be done to address sexual health issues in New Zealand. Dr Peter Saxton from the Gay Men’s Sexual Health (GMSH) research group says New Zealand must urgently step up its sexual health response. Writing for Newsroom, Dr Saxton says “people are rightly […]

Apr 08
Transitioning: An Unexpected Journey Into Male Privilege

When Law Student Frankie Wood-Bodley began to transition the last thing he expected to experience was male privilege, but like so many industries, legal education is still a boys club. Trans people have unique insights into the influence and operation of gender identity-based privilege in our society. For many trans people the process of transitioning, […]