NZ GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

'These people are mentally sick to as great an extent as, for example, people suffering from smallpox are sick. The whole problem of legalizing this offence seems to me to hinge upon the extent to which the disease is contagious.‘ – Lord Cobham (1967)

 The term was originally used to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy"; it had also come to acquire some connotations of "immorality" as early as The term's use as a reference to homosexuality may date as early as the late 19th century, but its use gradually increased in the 20th century. In modern English, gay has come to be used as an adjective, and occasionally as a noun, referring to the people, especially to men, and the practices and cultures associated with homosexuality. By the end of the 20th century, the word gay was recommended by major style guides to describe people attracted to members of the same sex. GAY

 Long history of opposition. NZ taking its stance from Britain  Sex between men was believed to be an 'unnatural offence' and a breach of moral and Christian codes – it was a crime 'not to be named among Christians‘  Some heterosexual activity fell into this category as well, such as anal intercourse. Under English law, this act was known as 'buggery', and men found guilty of this could suffer the death penalty. Many other sexual activities (oral sex and masturbation, for example) were not regulated by the law.  In 1861 England replaced the death penalty for buggery with life imprisonment. New Zealand enacted similar legislation six years later SETTING THE SCENE

 the Sexual Offences Act 1967 enacted the recommendations. Homosexual activities between consenting males remained criminal offences except under specific conditions – only two people present, both over 21, not in the merchant navy – with penalties of two to ten years imprisonment for anything that didn't follow the rules. This law remains in place in Great Britain, though an amendment in 2000 reduced the age restriction to 16. ENGLISH REFORM

 The 1961 Crimes Act removed the term of life imprisonment for sodomy, but all legal sanctions against homosexual activity remained.  The Dorian Society (1962–88) was the first New Zealand organisation for homosexual men. It was primarily a social club and avoided political action. In 1963 it took the first steps towards law reform by forming a legal subcommittee that collected books and other resources. It also provided legal advice to its members. By 1967 it sought advice from the English Homosexual Law Reform Society and Albany Trust on the legislative changes occurring there. This led to a New Zealand society dedicated to law reform. NEW ZEALAND REFORM

 The campaign for homosexual law reform began in earnest in the mid-1970s.  Age of consent was a major issue for the gay movement. The New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Society and gay liberation groups made submissions on the bill. They argued that the age of consent should be set at 16 – the same as for heterosexuals – and that a greater emphasis should be put on consent to activities, rather than the nature of the acts themselves. THE 70’S

 To bring about change in the law, the gay movement needed a parliamentary champion. It found one in Member of Parliament Fran Wilde. She consulted with gay groups to develop a private members bill, the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, which she introduced to the House of Representatives on 8 March  The bill had two parts. The first dealt with the decriminalisation of sexual offences between men as well as the decriminalisation of consensual heterosexual anal intercourse, while providing protection for minors of both sexes. The second would make it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation in the areas of employment, accommodation and the supply of goods and services. REFORM

The word 'FAG' was scrawled on the floor of the Lesbian and Gay Archives by arsonists before they set fire to the premises. There was an upsurge in anti-gay activity during the campaign; bashings of gay men became more common.

 The bill's opponents mounted a strong and organised public campaign, virtually from the moment the bill was introduced. Supporters of the bill reacted to rather than led the debate, which became acrimonious and nasty.  Their arguments often rested on moral and religious grounds: that homosexuality was 'unnatural' and that the Bible condemned it.  Some people argued that the law would lead to more homosexuality and that this would eventually mean the collapse of the family unit. Fear and a lack of understanding led some to claim that young boys would be put at risk. Homosexuality and paedophilia – sex with children – were sometimes regarded as the same thing. AGAINST THE BILL

 Groups such as the New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Society, the Gay Task Force, Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays (HUG), the Lesbian Coalition and the Campaign for Homosexual Equality tried to counter their opponents in many ways. There were nationwide street marches and rallies where information was handed out. They disrupted anti-law-reform meetings. Arguments rested on issues of human rights, freedom of choice and an end to discrimination based on sexuality. Pro-reformers demanded greater openness in sexual matters. THOSE FOR

 It was claimed that there were over 800,000 signatures. In fact, some of the boxes were nearly empty, and some petition sheets contained several signatures in the same hand. These irregularities led Parliament's Petitions Committee to reject the petition, but it still showed a strong and vocal opposition to the Bill. PETITION

 The Homosexual Law Reform Bill took 14 months to move through the parliamentary process.  The final vote was held on 9 July 1986, and the bill was passed by 49 votes to 44. The governor-general gave assent to the legislation two days later, and it came into effect on 8 August that year  For the first time in New Zealand legal history, homosexual men could enter into sexual relationships without fear of prosecution.  However - It wasn't until the Human Rights Act was passed in 1993 that it became illegal in New Zealand to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation. VICTORY

 In 2005 the Civil Unions Act allowed gay and lesbian couples to formalise their relationship. The debates over this legislation were not as bitter as those in 1985 and 1986, but they still revealed the depth of opposition to homosexuality among some New Zealanders TODAY