Blueprints S2E1 - Homosexual Law Reform - NZ 1984 - 1986

On this day 35 years ago, July 9, the homosexual law reform bill passed it’s third reading and sex between men was finally decriminalised. The campaign polarised New Zealand to levels not seen since the Springbok Tour in 1981, as a vicious anti-campaign took hold, driven by fundamentalist churches.

The campaign mobilised support from a broad range of organisations, as gay men, lesbians and others tried to keep their coalition together, in the face of different objectives internally and ferocious hostility externally.

We spoke with;

• Bill Logan, the Gay Task Force spokesperson at the time (@BolshevikBill) 

• Fran Wilde, who was the Labour MP that sponsored the bill

• Ruth Dyson, future Labour MP and parliamentary assistant to Fran

• Evin Wood, who was a 40 year teacher in Blenheim at the time

• Tighe Instone, a lesbian who became politically active for the first time during the campaign (My thanks to PrideNZ and Tighe for letting me use their interview for this episode)

• PrideNZ’s amazing library of archival content on this period

• The Elizabeth Kerekere interview where she talks in depth about the term takatapui and its use

• The Lesbian and Gay Archives NZ, with a book on the campaign amongst other great content

Follow 1/200 on Twitter (@1of200podcast), and host Huw Morgan (@huwcmorgan) or (@blueprintspod)

Support 1/200 on Patreon

Thanks to Masarima and Clone Records for the title music

Thanks to Ethan Hunter for his music

Thanks to Daniel Hart for the backing music