.jpg){kind=logo}
Welcome to our ILGA Oceania Newsletter..jpg)
NEWS FLASH! NEWS FLASH! NEWSFLASH! The ILGA WORLD CONFERENCE will be held in Wellington in March 2019. The exact dates are to be advised.
New ZealandA youth focused group of organisations met with the NZ Rainbow cross party caucus for over a year. The meetings were supported by staff from the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.This year’s IDAHOT was “Families” as a focus issues for IDAHOT 2017 This focus included both - The role of families in the well-being of their LGBTIQ members - The respect of the rights of LGBTIQ families (rainbow families) To focus issue to counter the reclaiming of family values by conservatives Focus issue on families will - Strengthen the visibility and voice of LGBTIQ parents - Strengthen the visibility and voice of Rainbow families and lead to advances in recognition and rights - Strengthen the visibility and voice of children of LGBTIQ parents, and possibly strengthen the structuring of their nascent movement - Reclaim “family values” in a progressive understanding - Facilitate alliances with progressive family organisations. Holding this NZ worked with the youth community a survey was undertaken to identify critical issues, with a very specific purpose of bring these issues to the attention of ALL political parties. 
AustraliaIDAHOT - International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.
For the first time for IDAHOT, Queensland Parliament House joined other Brisbane landmarks, and be floodlit in rainbow lights displaying the six colours of the rainbow flag – the international symbol of pride for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities. It’s anticipated that approval will be granted for Brisbane City Hall to again host the rainbow flag and rainbow lights – exactly one year to the day since Council voted to support a motion backing legalizing marriage equality. ACON supported community groups to mark IDAHOT/IFED by providing ten organisations with small grants that highlight the impact homophobia,transphobia and biphobia have on health and wellbeing of LGBTI families. Other events included Rainbow Families(AU), TasTafe students,Amnesty International University of the Sunshine Coast,Pink Mountains:IDAHOT Blue Mountains, Keysborough College students Victoria, Brisbane Lesbian Gay Bisexual transgeneder Intersex and Queer Action Group, Qld, Pride of the South,Reynella,South Australia, Victoria Public Sector Pride Network, Victoria, Working it out Inc 2017,Hobart Tasmania, IDAHOBIT, Federation Square, Show Your Colours, Melbourne Victoria and many other activities throughout Australia. SAVE THE DATES: LGBTQI FESTIVALS ACROSS AUSTRALIA Sydney Pride Festival (NSW) – 9-28 June 2017 Southern HiBearnation – Melbourne – 11-18 June 2017 Brisbane Pride –( QLD) TBA September 2017 Alice Springs Pride Carnivale (Nothern Territory) – September 2017 Broken Heel Festival ( Broken Hill NSW )– 8-10 September 2017 Darwin Pride Festival ( Darwin N.T.) – 21-30 Sepember 2017 Cairns Tropical Pride – Cairns Qld - 30 Sep – 8 Oct 2017. Pride WA – Perth WA – 27 Oct – 25 Nov 2017. TasPride – Hobart Tasmania – TBA November 2017 SpringOut Festival – Canberra ACT – TBA November 2017 Out In the Open – Shepparton Victoria - - 5 November 2017 FEAST Festival – Adelaide, SA – 11 -26 November 2017 Tropical Fruits – Lismore NSW – New Years 2017-8 Midsumma Carnival – Melbourne VIC– January 2018 Equality project’s Better Together Conference Melbourne VIC– 12-13 January 2018. PACIFICSAMOA"Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in Relation to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics (SOGISC)" in the Pacific 5th- 9th June 2017,Apia Samoa Facilitated by the Asia Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, funded by the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub and hosted by the Samoa's Office of the Ombudsman.
Mani Mitchell, ILGA Oceania Board Member who attended the workshop in Apia, Samoa had some poignant comments about the event: “Words from Apia, its day two, almost ended, I am sitting here holding the 'blessing' that I feel being part of this training, being WITH all the amazing humans that are part of this: We are all here doing a training course that is:Promoting and protecting human rights in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics (SOGISC). Pacific blended learning course. Words from Apia, day 3. A day I found challenging, an honour and so layered and complex... part of an amazing team of three who helped open a space for a conversation about intersex in the south pacific... Thank you to the organisers, to Jono and Steph and all who stood beside us...Huihuitia o tatou ritenga; whakanuia o tatou rereketanga Gather up what we share in common; celebrate where we differ from each other. 
FIJIThe Haus of Khameleon organising team of the Adi Senikau Pageant at the launching of the Vodafone Fiji Hibiscua Events Group Inc. The theme for this year’s festival is “ Climate Change: Telling Your Own Narrative”The week- long pageant will take place at the Vodafone Arena from August 11-19. Adi Senikau Pageant will be staged on the 18th August 2017. 
TONGAMs Galaxy contestants graced the Rainbow Market Day celebrations in Nukualofa Tonga today as part of the build up to the 2017 Miss Galaxy trans/leiti pageant in July!
Rest in Peace. Virginia Burns – 17 June 2017Co-Chair, Wellington2011 Inc., all-volunteer group that produced the 2nd AsiaPacific Outgames and Board Member of the GLISA Asia Pacific Board.National Research & Evaluation Unit, Inland Revenue Victoria University of Wellington. Jac Lynch: “Darling Virginia Burns (aka Virginia Parker-Bowles) passed away peacefully this evening at 7.45pm. V was surrounded by close friends and her parents Judi and Harry were able to join us. Earlier in the afternoon we felt the waves of love roll in from the tribute event at Eva Beva. Thank you beautiful people who made that happen, and who supported it and contributed to the $3,000 plus raised for Outerspaces. That made V especially happy. Our drag king family and Glamaphones family also gathered outside V's room at the hospice to help send her off. My heart was bursting. Thank you dear friends for wrapping us in your arms and helping V on her journey. Details of her farewell will be shared when they're available.”
Editor’s Note: That’s is all for this edition, I am looking forward to receiving lots of articles so we can post them to our ILGA Oceania Page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. If you have any queries that we might able to assist you please contact me or the following people: Rawa Karetai - ILGA Oceania Co-Convenor – rawa@ilga.org Ymania Brown – ILGA Oceania Co-Convenor – Ymania@gmail.com Simon Margan – smargan@bigpond.net.au Keep rugged up and warm this winter. Ia manuia, Ken Moala
|
