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Queer History New Zealand
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender
New Zealand History

A Chronicle of Homosexuality in New Zealand

Part 3 - Before AIDS

Go back to the end of Part 2

1979

 

 

Otago Gay Rights Society formed.

1979

 

 

Gay Switchboard established in Wellington

1979

 

 

HERA (Help End Repressive Attitudes), a support group for lesbians, specifically disavowing "man hating" and separatism, is formed in Dunedin.

1979

 

 

US lesbian feminist Charlotte Bunch is guest speaker at the last United Women's Convention in Hamilton. It has a lesbian-only space. Lesbians challenge the "equality of sexual orientations" stance of the organising committee.

1979

 

 

Victoria Club formed in Wellington by David Carson-Parker, Kees Cooge, Arthur Duncan, John Mackay, Pierre Meyer, and Bruce Young.

1979

 

 

First "Reclaim The Night" march in Wellington

1979

early

 

A coming-out group for lesbians, Breathing Space, is formed in Wellington.

1979

Easter

 

Ascent Wellington formed for gay and lesbian Catholics

1979

mid

 

A small lesbian separatist community is formed at Kiwitahi, near Morrinsville. It lasts several months.

1979

August

 

Jill Livestre tells the southern regional meeting of the National Gay Rights Coalition in Dunedin that lesbians will work with gay men when they have developed a radical political analysis of their relationship to society.

1979

August

 

Christchurch branch of Ascent formed

1979

August

 

Geyserland Gay Club formed in Rotorua.

1979

November

 

A lesbian weekend is held in Wellington.

1979

November

 

The world's first lesbian centre (so named, rather than just women-only) opens at 6 Boulcott St, Wellington. Officially opened in March 1980.

1979

 

 

Women's Resource Centre and Hecate Women's Health Collective opens at 6 Boulcott St, Wellington

1979

 

 

Wellington Gay Community Centre established at 6 Boulcott St. It lasts until the building is demolished in 1987

1979

December

 

Nelson Gay Society formed from Nelson Gay Welfare Group.

1979

December

 

Lesbians and gay men are excluded from the Puss-in-Boots bar in Wellington. They hold a picket in protest.

1980

Easter

 

Eighth national Gay Rights conference is held in Dunedin.

1980 - 83

 

 

The Equality Bill Campaign works unsuccessfully to have a Bill introduced.

1980

 

 

Network Group formed by Mike Waghorn to oppose the Freer Bill.

1980

 

 

Lesbian Mothers' Defence Fund established by Yoka Neuman

1980

 

 

Gay Information Centre established in Christchurch.

1980

 

 

Gays In Education (later Gays and Lesbians are Everywhere in Education or GLEE) (re)established by Nigel Pearson

1980

 

 

A women's liberation newsletter "Bitches, Witches and Dykes" begins in Auckland.

1980

 

 

A women's liberation newsletter "Behind Enemy Lines" begins in Wellington (2 or 3 issues)

1980

 

 

Wellington lesbians organise Lesbian Liberation Week.

1980

 

 

A "Lesbian Liberation" banner is carried in a Reclaim The Night march in Wellington

1980

 

 

First NZ gay feature film, "Squeeze", directed by Richard Turner, premieres at the Berkeley, Mission Bay. Demonstrators hold signs: "God says 'NO'".

1980

February

1

9 pm. Police raid the Westside sauna in Auckland, question 30 men, arrest and charge 8.

1980

February

8

600 people take part in a march to protest at police raids on the Westside sauna and OUT! magazine. Lesbians carry a "Lesbian Nation" banner. A further demonstration is held on February 22

1980

 

 

The Auckland Gay Task Force is established as a result of the Westside sauna raid.

1980

March

7

40 lesbians (some anonymously in purple veils) march through Wellington to mark International Lesbian Day (March 8)

1980

March

20

The Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund presents a submission to the select committee considering the Guardianship Amendment Bill

1980

March

 

The Lesbian Liberation Army attacks the offices of "Sunday News" with bricks and paint bombs after it runs an anti-lesbian article.

1980

April

24

Arthur Ball stabs Miles Macfarlane - a total stranger - to death in Manners St, Wellington, because he imagines Macfarlane thinks he is homosexual

1980

April

 

Wellington Lesbians attempt to augment an Anzac Day service by carrying a coffin and laying a wreath in memory of women raped and killed in wartime.

1980

May

 

Lesbians of Wanganui Gay Liberation are interviewed by the local paper.

1980

May

 

Gay men organise National Offenders Day march to protest at anti-gay laws in a carnival atmosphere. Lesbians dykecott the march saying it fails to challenge the status quo.

1980

June

 

Wellington lesbians and gay men picket the Russian embassy to protest at the treatment of homosexuals in the USSR.

1980

June

 

A streetwalk for lesbian visibility is held in Wellington.

1980

June

 

Third Gay Pride Week is observed in Auckland, Gisborne, Wellington, Dunedin.

1980

June

 

Lacking support, the Freer Bill is abandoned.

1980

July

 

Wellington Mayor Michael Fowler vetoes lesbian notices in buses ("Lesbians, contact your community, P O Box ..."). Lesbians march and picket in protest.

1980

July

7

Wellington lesbians and gays picket the Soviet embassy in protest at oppression in the USSR and in support of Enzo Francone, who chained himself to a Kremlin railing during the Moscow Olympics.

1980

September

 

One workshop on lesbianism is held at the first national hui for Black women.

1980

September

 

About 50 Wellington lesbians join protest against the US nuclear-powered warship Truxtun with a banner "Lesbian Activity Today Stops Radioactivity Tomorrow"

1980

September

 

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Pat Downey supports rejection of National Gay Rights Coalition submissions, saying in some circumstances discrimination is justified.

1980

September

 

Gays and lesbians are banned from the Cantabrian Hotel, Christchurch. They hold a street parade in protest, led by a truck carrying a piano.

1980

October

4-11

The first Lesbian Librarians' Week is held in Wellington and Christchurch

1980

October

10

200 women take part in a lesbian march through Wellington, followed by a Lesbian Liberation Dance attended by 300.

1980

November

 

Wellington City Council buses are overnight covered in stickers promoting the Wellington Lesbian Centre

1980

December

 

Lesbians post anti-Christmas posters in Wellington and Hastings, and a banner on St Mary of the Angels (RC, Wellington): "It's a Girl!"

1981

 

 

Zoe Catherine Alice begins the Waxing Moon Archives, a lesbian-opearated collection in Hamilton

1981

 

 

The Women's Place bookshop is opened in Cuba St, Wellington. It later moves to Courteney Place, closes in 1989.

1981

early

 

Young Lesbian and Gay group formed in Auckland.

1981

 

 

Lesbians and Gays Against Racism formed (co-founder David Bisman) during the campaign against the Springbok Tour. According to Julie Glamuzina, it is more GAR than LAR.

1981

January

 

Picket of the Human Rights Commission office in Wellington

1981

February

6

About 30 lesbians carry "Lesbians Oppose Racism" banner at protest against Waitangi celebrations in Wellington.

1981

February

 

Lesbians organised by Jenny Rankine picket the Human Rights Commision office in Auckland.

1981

March

 

Lesbians dykecott the census in protest at the Human Rights Commission's denial of human rights: some deface their forms with "No rights - no responsibilities."

1981

March

30

Lesbian/Gay Media Collective formed (merged with Pink Triangle Publishing Collective, 1982)

1981

April

 

National Lesbian Mothers' weekend in Auckland

1981

April

25

"Lesbian Liberation" is painted on a Wellington war memorial.

1981

June

 

30-40 lesbians attend a Lesbian activist weekend

1981

June

 

The Grey Lynn / Ponsonby Black Women's collective holds a Black Dykes' hui on Waiheke Island ("black" = Maori and Pacific Island, a political description)

1981

June

5

(US: Centers for Disease Control reports five gay men in Los Angeles with PCP, a normally-rare cancer.)

 

Go on to Part 4

Go back to Chronology Headings

 

Compiled by Hugh Young.


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