20 Years Out! Homosexual Law Reform in New Zealand

Radio New Zealand is adding a significant body of rare audio recordings to its website to mark the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the passage of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill in New Zealand. The rich assortment of audio is drawn from 20 Years Out! a Radio New Zealand documentary to be broadcast on National Radio on the 9th July 2006 , the twentieth anniversary of the the final vote.

Image: From Hero Festival 2006: Big Gay Out20 Years Out! Homosexual Law Reform in New Zealand

Radio New Zealand is adding a significant body of rare audio recordings to its website to mark the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the passage of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill in New Zealand. The rich assortment of audio is drawn from 20 Years Out! a Radio New Zealand documentary to be broadcast on National Radio on the 9th July 2006 , the twentieth anniversary of the the final vote.

Image: From Hero Festival 2006: Big Gay OutMuch of the protest and rally sound was originally recorded for Access Radio programmes and has never been heard nationally before. These grass-roots recordings give a glimpse into the frontline confrontations that were dividing a country. Comments range from MP Norman Jones' call for homosexuals to "go back into the sewers" to Alison Laurie's "be as gay and lesbian as you can - all of the time".

Juxtaposed with this archival material are personal reflections from a number of gay men who faced personal discrimination during the heated debate: Darren was outed, and then discharged from the military; Shane, a high school teacher, was abused by his pupils because he was gay.

The debate quickly moved beyond the gay community, broadening into an issue of human rights, the fight for equality and the struggle against discrimination. Extreme political viewpoints and personal morality assured a lengthy and passionate debate.

Listen now - www.radionz.co.nz