Queer community supported after 'year of hate crimes and violence'

Tuesday, 18 October 2022

Tiki Taane is backing Tauranga’s rainbow community

A weekend celebrating Aotearoa’s LGBTQIA whānau will embrace diversity after what organisers called “an unsettling year of hate crimes and violence against the Rainbow community”.

Three events are planned for the weekend of 19-20 November in Tauranga Moana, “to celebrate unique identities, advocate for equity, empower organisations and embrace diversity” said queer advocate Gordy Lockhart.

“From hate crimes and violence to kotahitanga (unity) celebrations, it’s been an unsettling year for the Tauranga LGBTQIA community,” said Lockhart.

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* 'Ignorance is breeding hate': Why Tauranga’s queer community feels under siege

A fire destroyed the Rainbow Youth building in Tauranga's Historic Village

Tiki Taane, who is headlining the event, encouraged people to attend the events in a video posted recently to social media. “Come see me in concert on Tauranga’s waterfront celebrating love, diversity and our Rainbow whānau,” he said.

Lockhart was the target of defamatory emails sent to his work colleagues in June, after he had complained about discriminatory language about marriage and gender at Tauranga’s Bethlehem College – a Christian school which receives government funding.

The sender of the emails is currently the subject of an investigation.

When both Lockhart and Shaneel Lal, an Auckland law student and activist, wrote to the government asking for an inquiry into “institutionalised homophobia” in some New Zealand schools, Lal received death threats that they reported to police.

Stuff also revealed the college had a working document on gender, and a former trans student at the school tried to end their life after the school refused to use their pronouns, threatened suspension for wearing a uniform of their preferred gender, and was told by the college’s principal: “God doesn’t make mistakes.”

In June this year, Tauranga’s Rainbow Youth building was burned to the ground in what the LGBTQIA community called “an act of terror”.

Two men have since pleaded guilty to arson.

On Saturday, November 19, Taane will entertain the crowds on Tauranga waterfront along with The Rocky Horror Show’s Riff Raff himself – Katikati local Richard O’Brien. They will be joined by performers Ashton LaForteza and Wheriko, along with up-and-coming recording artist Sophie Maude.

LaForteza has also spoken out about hate he received from some in the Tauranga community during his trans journey.

Local DJ Hatta will provide a beats backdrop as fireworks take to the skies.

Earlier in the day, schools will perform and there will be art workshops, food stalls, markets and a diversity wall.

Sunday, November 20, sees a gala comedy event at Baycourt Theatre with comedians Chris Parker, Ben Hurley, Justine Smith, Donna Brookbanks, Cori Gonzalez-Maceur, Liv McKenzie, Michèle A'Court, James Mustapic and Tauranga’s own Summer Xia.

“The inspiration for the event was after some of Tauranga’s darkest moments of recent times.” said Lockhart.

With a belief that most of the local community were supportive of diversity, Lockhart approached Tauranga City Council looking for a way to activate the public in support of the LGBTQIA sector.

“I felt we needed to change the narrative to the positive, in a way that brought wider society together to celebrate difference as a good thing,” he said.

“I believe the most vibrant cities on earth enjoy an incredibly exciting blend of cultures, identities, and beliefs.”

Lockhart has founded The YoubeYou Tauranga Moana Charitable Trust.

“YoubeYou advocates that we should all be free to be the person we were born to be without fear of prejudice or judgement,” he said.

“That applies to any of our minority communities – not just this year’s focus group, the LGBTQIA sector.

“YoubeYou will highlight one of our society’s minorities each year with the concept of valuing that minority as wider society together, as one.

“We believe that we are stronger together as a whole society, and that we can activate that strength through celebrating and acknowledging our differences.”