Ilga Conference at University of Otago

I managed to get to the first session of Ilga at nine a.m. at the University of Otago. The first plenary session was conducted by two very young trans people who gave a power point address on the inadequacies of society in general, the medical profession and the schools in their (lack of) understanding of surrounding issues.

Thrown open to the audience it was shown that Intersex people are still invisible in the society whereas Trans are numerically larger so  are represented more in the general media, because of people with high profiles like Caitlin Jenner.

A lot of dissatisfaction was evident amongst the young group who were interviewed, but their frustration was obvious in their very sad report of isolation and unhappines

As this was the first ever Ilga Conference in New Zealand and it was organised in the unbelievable short time of three months it was an excellent result. The NZ Human Rights Commissioner spoke about the enormous amount of work which still needs to he be done for change to be effected. The rights were recorded in the Treaty of Waitangi but were not realistically put into effect or acknowledged.  Voting is essential for everyone to achieve change, so if human rights are to be seen they must be voted upon. Human Rights Commission is not part of government but it needs to be heard.

The next session was a panel of Human Rights activists.

Below the takeaway bag of tricks for all attendees.

'Speaking out Proud' was the name of the next session, with a panel of Kevin Hague from Greens, the Human Rights Commissioner, and reps from Labour and NZ First Party. No National Party representative was able to attend.

Elizabeth Kerikeri made a speech about Tiwhanwhana and how the Takataapui in NZ need to be acknowledged on a governmental level. Members of the panel were individually asked to say how they can help include the Rainbow causes in government.

One important question was how to get the greater community involved to become aware of the glbti who are essentially a minority group. It is necessary to add Gender Identity into the Human Rights Act... Fifty thousand Trans people in NZ need to be recognised.

 There is a great need for access to Mental Health Services and also improved access to hormone therapy which is extremely difficult and expensive at present. Heartfelt request to be acknowledged by the international human rights commission.  Other countries are more advanced than us, for example, Argentina has created modern gender identity laws which allow trans-people easily to change identity on birth certificates, passports and drivers' licences.

'Pathway to life' is the slogan used in improving services to trans and Intersex people.

Suicide and homelessness are enormous problems for rainbow young people. Need to create safer environment for rainbow young people who are now not funded and need to be. Need for small local groups to be formed to help prevent youth suicide.

Schools in general do not provide safe environment for lgbti pupils to exist.

'Nothing about us, without us' is the catch phrase.

After an exhausting morning session I abstained from the afternoon one in order to go to Miramar to join the organic food co-op at the local Mission shop. For $10 you can pick up a box of fresh fruit and vegies every Tuesday so I joined to see how they work. It could be great for really fresh and good produce.

Afterwards also at Miramar I celebrated with another (decaff) coffee at the Roxy Cinema, a lovely Art Deco memory with great service. Then home for a rest before tonight's session at six pm and a swim at seven thirty with DSW. Quite a big day.

Tonight's session is by American William Spurlin, now living and teaching in England, who is talking of the effects of the Holocaust on gays and more. In memorable pink trousers he arrives and prepares for the talk in front of about twenty-five spectators which is a good number considering the relative small size of the conference. 

The welcome was given by Kevin in his erudite Maori polite way, which took about ten minutes. 

Nau mai, haere mai, Tena kotou, tena koutou tena koutou, Katua!

Robin Duff, now deceased one year ago, and was co-founder of Gay Liberation in NZ was also the 

first openly gay Parliamentary candidate, established the 'Uprising Trust'. Robin was one of the greatest advocates of Social and Human Rights in NZ and this lecture is to commemorate his life.

William Spurlin, the inaugural guest speaker is an ex Professor of English and linguistics at the University of Sussex and also a renowned author of gender politics and post holocaust trauma s to speak of the socialisation of sexuality after the Third Reich. He edited 'Comparatively Queer' and is the

Chair of Comparative Sexual Studies.

Since the war, William is queering the holocaust study to broaden the understanding of the Third Reich. Intersexuality is absolutely important to be part of the equation.

Politically motivated gay murder of Röhm by Hitler.

Racial and population and sexual politics were naturally intertwined. Homosexuals were not propagating the human race so were not approved. Homosexuals were 'un-German'. During WW2

100,000 homosexuals were prosecuted, between 5 and 15,000 were incarcerated and the death rate was estimated at fifty per cent. Lesbians were considered to about to be included  in this Law and were very nervous about this possibility.

There was a lesbian sub-culture in Germany....

..even a movie made about this famous couple of lesbians...

...poster below.

At Nuremberg Trials no homosexual pathology was recorded. In 1948 the Kinsey Report said ten percent of American men were shown to be homosexual or have such tendancies. In the 1960s things changed a little, here was how straight America viewed gays.

Homosexuality was a threat to Public Health in 1943 in Germany -  Krankheitserreger (Pathogenic Germs) . Then the AIDS pandemic arrived ...

This boy hanged himself after years of being treated by psychiatrists for his gender dysphoria.

And this was as late as 2003!

The Professor answering convoluted questions.

The evening ended later than expected, of course, and so I missed my swimming but instead chatted with this colourfully dressed, jet-lagged and very knowledgeable man.