Listen Now: 
December 13, 2021
Bill chance to rid stigma from gender diversity
Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira
Posted On December 13, 2021
Download AudioThe Green Party’s rainbow issues spokesperson says the unanimous passing of the Birth, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act signals a seismic shift in attitudes towards gender diverse people.
The Act will allow people to amend their gender without disclosing medical information and going through the Family Court.
Elizabeth Kerekere says it’s a victory for trans, non-binary, intersex and takatāpui whānau.
She says Māori society traditionally accepted gender diversity, but shifted with christian colonial influence.
“It’s about reclaiming who we used to be, that saying who my child is, who this member of our iwi is, they’re ours. Nobody else gets that option. We might hassle them but no one has the right to, that we look after our kids, we look after our people regardless, so for me that’s a reclaiming,” Dr Kerekere says.
RELATED NEWS
