Historical Events - People
| 9 Nov 1795 | (James) Miranda Steuart Barry is born (Ireland) Links: Wikipedia |
| 3 Nov 1802 | Missionary William Yate is born (Shropshire, United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia, Te Ara |
| 26 Feb 1817 | Feminist and businesswoman Mary Taylor is born (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) Taylor was a life-long friend and some say lover of writer Charlotte Bronte. Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 4 Dec 1835 | Writer Samuel Butler is born (Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net, Te Ara |
| Dec 1836 | Missionary William Yate leaves New Zealand (New Zealand) Yate leaves for England after an inquiry into allegations of sexual activity with some of his male pupils. Links: Te Ara |
| 1838 | Charles Paine Pauli is born (Germany) Pauli later had a relationship with writer Samuel Butler. Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net, Te Ara, Papers Past |
| 24 Jul 1845 | Mary Taylor arrives in New Zealand (New Zealand) Taylor is a life-long friend and some say lover of writer Charlotte Bronte. She returns to England in 1860. Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 2 Apr 1854 | Photographer Robert Gant is born (United Kingdom) Gant is born in Woolwich (now Greater London). At the age of 21 he immigrates to Wellington, New Zealand. |
| 16 Oct 1854 | Writer Oscar Wilde is born (United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia |
| 18 May 1859 | Confidence trickster Amy Bock is born (Tasmania, Australia) Links: Te Ara |
| 26 Sep 1860 | Photographer Henry Winkelmann is born (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) Links: Te Ara, Auckland War Memorial Museum |
| 12 Sep 1861 | Painter Dorothy Richmond is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| Sep 1863 | Writer Samuel Butler begins a relationship with Charles Paine Pauli (Christchurch, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net, Te Ara, Papers Past |
| 25 Jul 1865 | James Miranda Steuart Barry dies (London, United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia |
| 14 May 1868 | Physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld is born Links: Wikipedia |
| 14 Sep 1868 | Alexander Turnbull is born (Wellington, New Zealand) During his life Turnbull collected a wide variety of manuscripts and documents. He later donated his collection to the country - forming the basis of the Alexander Turnbull Library. Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 28 Apr 1869 | Painter Frances Hodgkins is born Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ.com |
| 6 Oct 1874 | Poet Ursula Bethell is born Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ.com |
| 1875 | Eugenia Falleni (a.k.a Harry Crawford) is born (Italy) Falleni lived as a man, married Annie Birkett and was subsequently convicted of murdering her in 1920 in Australia. Born in Italy, Falleni had moved to Wellington, New Zealand in 1877. In 1996 Lorae Parry wrote Eugenia a play based on Falleni's life. Links: Wikipedia |
| 29 Jun 1875 | Charles Mackay is born (Nelson, New Zealand) Mackay later became the mayor of Wanganui Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| Jul 1876 | Robert Gant arrives in Wellington (Wellington, New Zealand) Gant emigrates from the United Kingdom |
| 26 Jul 1877 | William Yate dies Links: Te Ara |
| 17 Jun 1882 | Plastic surgeon Harold Gillies is born (Dunedin, New Zealand) Gillies is widely considered the father of plastic and gender reassignment surgery. Links: Wikipedia |
| 16 Sep 1882 | Mountaineer Freda Du Faur is born (Sydney, Australia) Links: Sydney Morning Herald, Te Ara |
| 14 Oct 1888 | Writer Katherine Mansfield (nee Beauchamp) is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ |
| 10 Apr 1890 | Maata Mahupuku is born (New Zealand) Mahupuku was later a lover of Katherine Mansfield. Links: Te Ara |
| 1 Mar 1893 | Mary Taylor dies (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) Links: Te Ara |
| 22 Jan 1896 | Poet Walter D'Arcy Cresswell is born (Christchurch, New Zealand) Cresswell was later shot by Charles Mackay, mayor of Wanganui Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 1897 | Charles Paine Pauli dies (London, United Kingdom) Pauli had a relationship with writer Samuel Butler. Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net, Te Ara, Papers Past |
| 2 Dec 1897 | Writer and educator Rewi Alley is born (Canterbury region, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, Te Ara |
| 2 May 1898 | Lawyer and social reformer Frank Haigh is born (Lower Hutt, New Zealand) Among other things Haigh was prominent in the cause of homosexual law reform. Links: Te Ara |
| 30 Nov 1900 | Oscar Wilde dies (Paris, France) Links: Wikipedia |
| Feb 1901 | Painter Frances Hodgkins leaves New Zealand for Europe (New Zealand) Hodgkins and close friend Dorothy Richmond would later travel through Europe together. Links: Te Ara, Papers Past |
| 18 Jun 1902 | Writer Samuel Butler dies (London, United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net, Te Ara |
| 23 Dec 1902 | Civil libertarian Walter Scott is born (Canterbury region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 9 Feb 1903 | Writer James Courage is born (Christchurch, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 23 Mar 1903 | Writer Norris Frank Davey (a.k.a Frank Sargeson) is born (Hamilton, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 17 Jun 1906 | Writer Eric McCormick is born (Rangitikei region, New Zealand) McCormick wrote, among other works, biographies on Alexander Turnbull and Frances Hodgkins Links: Te Ara |
| 29 Nov 1906 | Diplomat Alister McIntosh is born (Marlborough region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 1907 | Katherine Mansfield has a relationship with Maata Mahupuku (Wellington, New Zealand) Mansfield also begins a relationship with Edie Bendall. Links: Te Ara |
| Jul 1908 | Katherine Mansfield leaves for England (Wellington, New Zealand) Mansfield leaves shortly after her father reads Leves Amores. Links: GayNZ.net, Te Ara |
| 16 Apr 1909 | Bette Armstrong is born (New Zealand) Links: Billion Graves |
| 17 Jun 1909 | The marriage of Percival Redwood (a.k.a. Amy Bock) and Agnes Ottaway is annulled (Dunedin, New Zealand) Links: Papers Past, Te Ara |
| 27 Jul 1909 | Writer and poet Charles Brasch is born (Dunedin, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 20 Aug 1909 | Artist Rodney Kennedy is born (Dunedin, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 27 Mar 1910 | Dancer Freda Stark is born (Northland region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 11 Apr 1910 | Artist Toss Woollaston is born (Stratford, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 10 May 1910 | Composer Tuini Moetu Haangu Ngawai is born (Gisborne region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 1 May 1912 | Artist Leo Bensemann is born (Marlborough region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara, New Zealand Herald |
| 23 Jun 1912 | Computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing is born (London, United Kingdom) |
| 17 Dec 1913 | Poet Rupert Brooke arrives in New Zealand onboard RMS Niagara (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, Papers Past |
| 7 Jan 1914 | Rupert Brooke departs for Tahiti onboard RMS Tahiti (Wellington, New Zealand) Brooke is in Wellington 5-7 January 1914. Links: Wikipedia, Papers Past |
| 31 Jul 1915 | Artist Theo Schoon is born (Java, Indonesia) Schoon was a notable figure in New Zealand art in the mid 20th century. He refused to separate art and craft and created in a range of media. He was interested in the integration of Maori and European art to produce a local modernism. Links: Te Ara |
| 2 Nov 1915 | Composer Douglas Lilburn is born (Whanganui, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 13 Dec 1915 | Bea Arthur is born (New Zealand) Links: Billion Graves |
| 30 Jan 1917 | Writer W. Somerset Maugham and his lover Gerald Haxton briefly visit Wellington en route to Tahiti (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, GayNZ.net |
| 13 Dec 1917 | Morals campaigner Keith Hay is born (Hastings, New Zealand) Hay was a founding member of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens, a group that was behind the large anti homosexual law reform petition Links: Te Ara |
| 28 Jun 1918 | Alexander Turnbull dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 25 Sep 1921 | Prime Minister Robert Muldoon is born (Auckland, New Zealand) As Prime Minister, Muldoon accuses MP Colin Moyle of having been picked up for homosexual practices. Moyle resigned from Parliament in 1977. Links: Te Ara |
| 9 Jan 1923 | Katherine Mansfield dies (France) Mansfield dies of Tuberculosis. Links: Te Ara, Papers Past, Wikipedia, PrideNZ.com |
| Aug 1924 | Effie Pollen and poet Ursula Bethell begin living together (Christchurch, New Zealand) Links: PrideNZ.com, Te Ara |
| 1 Dec 1924 | Music teacher John Leslie Lander dies in New Plymouth Prison (New Plymouth, New Zealand) Lander had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1915 for committing an unnatural offence, plus 10-years hard labour for indecent assault. He was known to have epileptic fits. His death was recorded as heart failure following a fit. Links: Papers Past |
| 1 Oct 1925 | Peter Stratford (a.k.a. Deresley Morton) marries Elizabeth Rowland (United States of America) Links: Papers Past |
| 27 Jun 1927 | Photographer Brian Brake is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, Te Papa |
| 17 Mar 1928 | Morals campaigner Patricia Bartlett is born (Napier, New Zealand) Bartlett would later form the Society for Promotion of Community Standards. Links: Wikipedia |
| 1 May 1929 | Expatriate Peter Stratford (a.k.a. Deresley Morton) dies (California, United States of America) A headline in NZ Truth reads "Death of masquerader reveals incredible deception". Links: Papers Past |
| 3 May 1929 | Former Mayor of Whanganui Charles Mackay is shot dead (Berlin, Germany) Mackay is killed by a policeman while covering a street battle as a journalist. Links: Papers Past, Te Ara |
| 18 Jun 1929 | Politician Colin Moyle is born (Thames, New Zealand) Moyle resigned from Parliament in 1977 after it was made public that he had been questioned by the police on suspicion of homosexual activities. Links: Wikipedia |
| 5 Jul 1931 | Photographer Henry Winkelmann dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara, Auckland War Memorial Museum |
| 26 Mar 1933 | Broadcaster Henare te Ua is born (New Zealand) |
| 1 Jul 1934 | Ernst Roehm, an early Nazi leader and co-founder of the Sturmabteilung (SA) is executed (Germany) Links: Wikipedia, Papers Past |
| 11 Apr 1935 | Entrepreneur Tony Katavich is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Katavich would later create the OUT! business empire with Brett Sheppard. Links: GayNZ |
| 16 Apr 1935 | Painter Dorothy Richmond dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 14 May 1935 | Physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld dies (Nice, France) Hirschfeld dies of a heart attack on his 67th birthday. Links: Wikipedia |
| 11 Sep 1935 | Mountaineer Freda Du Faur dies (Sydney, Australia) Du Faur commits suicide. Links: Papers Past, Sydney Morning Herald, Te Ara |
| 5 Jul 1936 | Photographer Robert Gant dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Papers Past, WorldCat, PrideNZ.com |
| 10 Oct 1936 | Entrepreneur and activist Carmen Trevor Rupe is born (Taumarunui, New Zealand) Links: Time Out Sydney |
| 1938 | Author William Taylor is born (New Zealand) Links: GayNZ.com |
| 10 Jun 1938 | Eugenia Falleni dies following injuries sustained in an accident (Sydney, Australia) The previous day Falleni had stepped off the pavement in front of a motorcar. Links: Wikipedia |
| 1941 | Academic and activist Alison Laurie is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: PrideNZ.com, National Library |
| 1 Mar 1941 | Female impersonator and activist Johnny Croskery is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Tapatoru |
| 25 Mar 1942 | Writer and actor Richard O'Brien is born (Gloucestershire, United Kingdom) Links: Wikipedia |
| 27 Aug 1943 | US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visits New Zealand with her aide Norah Walton (New Zealand) Roosevelt is in New Zealand to inspect the American troops and the American Red Cross. Links: Papers Past, National Library |
| 29 Aug 1943 | Amy Bock dies (Auckland region, New Zealand) Bock dies at Bombay, south of Auckland, and is buried in the Pukekohe cemetery. Links: Te Ara |
| 3 Feb 1944 | Sister Paula Brettkelly is born (United Kingdom) |
| 7 Feb 1944 | Writer Witi Ihimaera is born (Gisborne region, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 11 Sep 1944 | Chrissy Witoko is born (Hastings, New Zealand) Witoko would later own (among other businesses) the Evergreen Coffee Lounge in Wellington. Links: Friends of Chrissy, Te Papa |
| 7 Oct 1944 | Composer Jack Body is born (Waikato region, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 15 Jan 1945 | Poet Ursula Bethell dies (Christchurch, New Zealand) Bethell dies in Christchurch and is buried in the Rangiora cemetery. Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ.com |
| 29 Aug 1946 | Dana de Milo is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: PrideNZ.com |
| 13 May 1947 | Painter Frances Hodgkins dies (Dorset, United Kingdom) Hodgkins' ashes are returned to New Zealand and placed in the Field-Hodgkins family plot in the Waikanae cemetery near Wellington. Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ.com |
| 1949 | Academic and activist Ngahuia Te Awekotuku is born (Rotorua, New Zealand) Links: Book Council |
| Jun 1949 | Journalist and author Tom McLean is born (United Kingdom) McLean would later write the book If I Should Die about his personal journey with HIV/AIDS. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt, WorldCat |
| 1950 | Writer and film-maker Peter Wells is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, New Zealand Book Council, The Spinoff |
| 15 Jan 1952 | Maata Mahupuku dies (Palmerston North, New Zealand) Mahupuku is buried in the private burial ground of the Mahupuku family at Kehemane beyond Martinborough. Links: Te Ara, PrideNZ.com |
| 4 May 1952 | Politician Chris Carter is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Carter would later become the first openly gay Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Links: Wikipedia, Parliament |
| 7 Oct 1952 | Politician and academic Marilyn Waring is born (New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 10 Mar 1953 | Activist Mani Bruce Mitchell is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Mani is recognised as the first out intersex person in New Zealand. Links: ITANZ (pdf), Wikipedia, PrideNZ.com |
| 22 Apr 1953 | Charles Farthing is born (Christchurch, New Zealand) Farthing would later become a pioneering doctor specialising in the early recognition and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Links: New Zealand Medical Journal, Wikipedia |
| 3 Jun 1954 | AIDS activist and educator Tom O'Donoghue is born (New Zealand) O'Donoghue would later become a founding member of the National People Living With AIDS Union and Collective Thinking, a publication for people living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt, Tui Motu InterIslands Magazine |
| 7 Jun 1954 | Computer scientist and mathematician Alan Turing dies (United Kingdom) An inquest determined Turing had committed suicide. However Turing's mother believed that the cyanide poisoning was accidental, resulting from her son's careless storage of laboratory chemicals. |
| 1955 | Singer-songwriter Mahinarangi Tocker is born (Taumarunui, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 5 Apr 1955 | Politician Maryan Street is born (New Plymouth, New Zealand) Street became New Zealand's first openly out lesbian elected to Parliament in 2005. Links: Wikipedia |
| 5 Oct 1955 | Dramatist and performer Paul Jenden is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Press Reader, GayNZ.com, Stuff |
| 9 Oct 1955 | Singer Shona Laing is born (New Zealand) Laing first came to prominence in 1972 as a 17-year-old schoolgirl, coming runner-up in the television talent show New Faces with her song 1905. Laing's biggest hit songs included (Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy and Soviet Snow. Links: Wikipedia |
| 1956 | Choreographer and dancer Douglas Wright is born (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 28 Apr 1956 | Daniel Fielding is born (New Zealand) Fielding would later help establish the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt in December 1988. Links: Tributes Online |
| Nov 1957 | Politician Georgina Beyer is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Beyer would later become the world's first openly transsexual Mayor and Member of Parliament. Links: PrideNZ.com, Wikipedia |
| 21 Nov 1957 | Historian Gavin McLean is born (Otago region, New Zealand) |
| 4 Aug 1958 | Politician Tim Barnett is born (Warwickshire, United Kingdom) While in Parliament Barnett introduced the Prostitution Reform Bill 2003 and was also heavily involved in the Civil Union Bill 2004. Links: PrideNZ.com, Wikipedia, Parliament |
| 21 Feb 1960 | Poet Walter D'Arcy Cresswell dies (London, United Kingdom) Cresswell dies of accidental gas poisioning. Links: Te Ara, GayNZ.net |
| 10 Sep 1960 | Plastic surgeon Harold Gillies dies (London, United Kingdom) Gillies is widely considered the father of plastic surgery and gender-reassignment surgery. Links: Wikipedia |
| 31 Oct 1960 | Darren Horn is born (New Zealand) Horn was an early convener of the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt |
| 5 Oct 1963 | Writer James Courage dies (London, United Kingdom) Links: Te Ara |
| 1964 | Writer Paula Boock is born (New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 12 Aug 1965 | Tuini Moetu Haangu Ngawai dies (New Zealand) Ngawai was a prolific Ngati Porou songwriter, composer, teacher and shearer who had close relationships with women. One of Ngawai's most famous songs Arohaina mai became the unofficial hymn of the Maori Battalion. Links: Te Ara |
| 11 Apr 1967 | Stanley Waipouri is born (Auckland region, New Zealand) Waipouri was killed in Palmerston North in 2006. Links: GayNZ.com |
| 1968 | Writer and musician Hinemoana Baker is born (New Zealand) |
| 29 Feb 1968 | Composer Gareth Farr is born (New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia, NZ on Screen |
| 7 Apr 1970 | Composer Benjamin Britten and his partner Peter Pears tour New Zealand (New Zealand) The visit was part of a tour to generate money for the rebuilding of the concert hall at The Maltings. Links: Music Web |
| Mar 1972 | Ngahuia Te Awekotuku is refused a United States visa because she is a known lesbian ("sexual deviant") (New Zealand) |
| 20 May 1973 | Writer and poet Charles Brasch dies (New Zealand) |
| Aug 1976 | National MP Marilyn Waring is outed by the Truth newspaper (New Zealand) |
| 1 Dec 1976 | Matthew Shepard is born (Wyoming, United States of America) Shepard was murdered in October 1998 in Wyoming by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. Links: Wikipedia |
| 30 Nov 1978 | Diplomat Alister McIntosh dies |
| 1 Mar 1982 | Writer Frank Sargeson dies (New Zealand) |
| 17 Jul 1982 | Eve van Grafhorst is born (New South Wales, Australia) Links: Wikipedia |
| Apr 1984 | Death of the first person in New Zealand from AIDS related conditions (New Plymouth, New Zealand) The man is interviewed on television in March 1984 shortly before his death in New Plymouth. The man's sister, Pat, is interviewed on television in March 1985. Links: Auckland University, Nga Taonga Sound and Vision (1), Nga Taonga Sound and Vision (2) |
| 2 Feb 1985 | Jeff Whittington is born (Wellington, New Zealand) Whittington was later murdered in Wellington by Jason Meads and Stephen Smith in May 1999. Links: Wikipedia |
| 19 Feb 1985 | Civil libertarian Walter Scott dies (New Zealand) |
| 20 Mar 1985 | Keith Hay and Peter Tait take over the anti-homosexual law reform petition (New Zealand) Links: LAGANZ |
| 1 Jun 1985 | AIDS activist and educator Bruce Burnett dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: PrideNZ, LAGANZ |
| 14 Jul 1985 | Artist Theo Schoon dies |
| 2 Oct 1985 | Actor Rock Hudson dies from AIDS-related complications (Los Angeles, United States of America) Links: Wikipedia |
| 2 Jan 1986 | Artist Leo Bensemann dies (Christchurch, New Zealand) |
| 22 Feb 1987 | Artist Andy Warhol dies (New York, United States of America) Links: Wikipedia |
| 19 Nov 1987 | National MP Norman Jones dies (New Zealand) Jones had been a vehement opponent of homosexual law reform. He dies of a brain tumor. |
| 27 Dec 1987 | Writer and educator Rewi Alley dies (Beijing, China) Links: Wikipedia, Te Ara |
| 4 Aug 1988 | Photographer Brian Brake dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 31 Oct 1988 | Peter Cuthbert dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Cuthbert is remembered in the first panel of the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt. Links: NZ AIDS Memorial Quilt |
| 24 Mar 1989 | Tom McLean, journalist and author of If I Should Die dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt, WorldCat |
| 14 Oct 1989 | Artist Rodney Kennedy dies |
| 23 Apr 1990 | Singer Lew Pryme dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Pryme dies from AIDS-related complications. Links: NZ On Screen |
| 17 Jul 1992 | Lawyer and social reformer Frank Haigh dies Among other things Haigh was prominent in the cause of homosexual law reform. |
| 5 Aug 1992 | Former Prime Minister Robert Muldoon dies (Auckland, New Zealand) In 1976 Muldoon revealed in Parliament that prominent Labour MP Colin Moyle had been questioned by the police in regard to possible homosexual soliciting. Moyle subsequently resigned from Parliament in 1977. Links: Te Ara |
| 4 Sep 1993 | Darren Horn dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Horn was an early convener of the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt |
| 20 Nov 1993 | Eve van Grafhorst dies from AIDS-related complications (Hastings, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 24 Nov 1993 | David Halls (Hudson and Halls) is found dead in his apartment (London, United Kingdom) Halls commits suicide after his partner Peter Hudson died from cancer a year earlier. Halls wrote "Without Peter I don't want to go on - he was my life, and I have no regrets. I love him now as much as I always did and I want to be with him for all eternity." |
| 28 Sep 1994 | AIDS activist and educator Tom O'Donoghue dies (Wellington, New Zealand) O'Donoghue was a founding member of the National People Living With AIDS Union and Collective Thinking, a publication for people living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt, Tui Motu InterIslands Magazine |
| 28 Nov 1994 | Artist Arthur Tauhore dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Tauhore dies from AIDS related conditions. |
| 1 Jan 1995 | Dancer Warren Douglas dies (Wellington, New Zealand) The Warren Douglas Scholarship Fund was subsequently established in May 1995 to help those who wanted to make the transition from performer to arts administrator, as he had done. Douglas is remembered on the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt. Links: New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt, Warren Douglas Scholarship Fund |
| 25 Mar 1995 | Writer Eric McCormick dies McCormick wrote biographies on Alexander Turnbull and Frances Hodgkins. Links: Te Ara |
| 1996 | Mani Bruce Mitchell publicly comes out as Intersex (New Zealand) Mani is recognised as the first out Intersex person in New Zealand Links: PrideNZ |
| 25 Jan 1996 | Composer Jonathan Larson dies (New York, United States of America) Larson's musical Rent was just days away from opening on Broadway when he passed away. Links: New York Times |
| 18 Jul 1996 | Singer Shona Laing comes out as bisexual during a concert performance (New Zealand) Laing's coming out was reported in Express magazine. Links: Wikipedia |
| Aug 1996 | Mani Bruce Mitchell attends the world's first international intersex retreat (United States of America) During the gathering the documentary Hermaphrodites Speak was filmed which documented the experiences of seven people – including Mani's. Links: ITANZ, Youtube (1), Youtube (2), Youtube (3), WorldCat |
| 2 Jan 1997 | Morals campaigner Keith Hay dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Hay took a lead role in campaigning against homosexual law reform in 1985/86. Links: Te Ara |
| 1 Jan 1998 | Jacquie Grant becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) (West Coast region, New Zealand) Grant is honoured for her work as a foster parent to more than 60 children. In 2018 she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). Links: Te Ara, A Gender Variance Whos Who |
| 30 Aug 1998 | Artist Toss Woollaston dies (Tasman region, New Zealand) Links: Te Ara |
| 19 Mar 1999 | Dancer Freda Stark dies Links: Te Ara |
| 8 Nov 2000 | Morals campaigner Patricia Bartlett dies (Wellington region, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 15 Nov 2000 | Bette Armstrong dies (Wellington region, New Zealand) Links: Billion Graves |
| 6 Jun 2001 | Composer Douglas Lilburn dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Lilburn, described as the "grandfather of New Zealand music," dies peacefully at his home in Wellington. Lilburn was a composer, teacher, philanthropist and advocate for social justice. Links: Te Ara |
| 5 Aug 2002 | Bea Arthur dies (Wellington region, New Zealand) Links: Billion Graves |
| 9 Aug 2002 | Auckland police senior sergeant Mark Richards resigns after a newspaper "sting". (Auckland, New Zealand) Richards resigns despite being cleared of any criminal wrongdoing after he discussed drug use with a newspaper reporter. The Sunday Star Times headline read "Senior policeman at the centre of sex and drugs investigation resigns before facing internal charges". Links: Queer News Aotearoa |
| 28 Sep 2002 | Michael Pattison gains media attention as an openly gay man competing in the Cleo Bachelor of the Year. (New Zealand) Pattison has previously won Mr Gay Wellington and Mr Drag Wellington. Links: Gay NZ, Access My Library |
| 5 Nov 2002 | Chrissy Witoko dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Witoko owned (among other businesses) the Evergreen Coffee Lounge in Wellington. Links: Friends of Chrissy, Te Papa |
| 25 Oct 2004 | HIV educator and activist Matt Whyte dies (New Zealand) Links: GayNZ.com |
| 6 Jan 2005 | Makgatho Mandela, the eldest son of Nelson Mandela, dies from AIDS related conditions Links: BBC |
| 15 Oct 2005 | Daniel Fielding dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Fielding helped establish the New Zealand AIDS Memorial Quilt project in December 1988. Links: GayNZ.com, Tributes Online |
| 2006 | Peter Wells is made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature and film (New Zealand) Links: New Zealand Book Council |
| 10 Oct 2006 | Carmen Rupe visits Parliament on her 70th birthday (Wellington, New Zealand) 32 years earlier Carmen had been brought before Parliament's Privileges committee because she had suggested there were gay and bisexual MPs. |
| 23 Dec 2006 | Stanley Waipouri is killed (Palmerston North, New Zealand) Links: GayNZ.com |
| 10 Feb 2007 | MP Chris Carter (Te Atatu, Labour Party) and Peter Kaiser are civilly joined (New Zealand) Carter and Kaiser's civil union is the first for a Cabinet Minister or Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Links: Wikipedia |
| 2 May 2007 | Broadcaster Henare te Ua dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: NZ Herald |
| 15 Apr 2008 | Singer-songwriter Mahinarangi Tocker dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Tocker dies following a severe asthma attack. Links: Wikipedia |
| 19 Jun 2008 | Dr Matt Wildbore dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Wildbore supported many HIV positive men during the 1980s and 1990s. Links: GayNZ.com, NZ.com |
| 31 Aug 2008 | Sister Paula Brettkelly dies (New Zealand) |
| 5 Apr 2009 | Marvin Te Maunga Te Kotahitanga Peihopa, a teenager bullied for being "feminine", commmits suicide. (New Zealand) The coroner found Peihopa had experienced bullying at a number of schools in Northland before taking his own life. Links: Stuff |
| 29 Oct 2011 | Frank Lund (a.k.a. Toni Roget) dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Frankie was a female impersonator who created elaborate outfits (a number of them now are held by Te Papa) |
| 15 Dec 2011 | Carmen Rupe dies (Sydney, Australia) Carmen was a New Zealand-Australian performer, brothel keeper, anti-discrimination activist, would-be politician, and HIV AIDS activist. Links: GayNZ.com |
| 12 Feb 2012 | Andreas Derleth wins Mr Gay New Zealand 2012 (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: GayNZ |
| 16 Feb 2012 | Sam Johnson wins Young New Zealander of the Year Johnson was the founder of the Student Volunteer Army that assisted during the Christchurch earthquake recovery |
| 19 Apr 2012 | Johnny Croskery dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Croskery was a female impersonator, volunteer and activist. Links: Tapatoru |
| 28 Feb 2013 | Coroner Gordon Matenga rules Corporal Douglas Hughes committed suicide (New Zealand) Links: Stuff |
| 29 Mar 2013 | Former MP Warren Freer dies (New Zealand) |
| 21 Jun 2013 | Artist Meg Torwl dies Links: North Shore News, PrideNZ.com |
| 22 Aug 2013 | Actor Wentworth Miller comes out in an open letter protesting Russia's anti-gay laws. (United States of America) Miller is best know for his role in the tv series Prison Break. Links: Stuff |
| 3 Sep 2013 | Coroner H Brandt Shortland finds a teenager bullied for being "feminine", committed suicide. (New Zealand) Marvin Te Maunga Te Kotahitanga Peihopa died on 5 April 2009. Links: Stuff |
| 16 Sep 2013 | Peter Taylor, a well known Auckland personality dies. (Auckland, New Zealand) Taylor died shortly after stopping treatments for long-term HIV and leishmaniasis infections. Links: GayNZ.com (1), GayNZ.com (2) |
| 27 Sep 2013 | Paul Findlay resigns as a board-member of youth group Q-topia. (Christchurch, New Zealand) A sexting conversation was publicized in the media allegedly between Findlay and a person identifying themselves as a fifteen-year-old. Links: NZ Herald, GayNZ |
| 28 Sep 2013 | NZ AIDS Foundation kaumatua Aunty Wai Mason dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Gay NZ, NZ AIDS Foundation, PrideNZ.com |
| 1 Oct 2013 | Nathan Verhelst, a Belgium transsexual, dies through euthanasia Verhelst told media "None of these [gender reassignment] operations worked as desired ... I do not want to be a monster." Links: Stuff |
| 1 Oct 2013 | Solicitor General Mike Heron declines a request for a second Coronial Inquiry into the death of Corporal Douglas Hughes. (New Zealand) Hughes committed suicide in Afghanistan shortly after being questioned about a situation with a subordinate soldier. Links: Gay NZ |
| 17 Oct 2013 | Geno Sisneros' complaint against the Anglican Church is dismissed by the Human Rights Tribunal. (Auckland, New Zealand) Sisneros complained that the Bishop of Auckland had prevented him from becoming a priest because of his sexuality. Links: Gay NZ |
| 26 Oct 2013 | Dramatist and performer Paul Jenden dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Jenden was a lyricist, writer and choreographer of numerous New Zealand productions. Links: GayNZ.com, Stuff |
| 27 Dec 2013 | Entrepreneur Tony Katavich dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Katavich created the Out! business empire with Brett Sheppard. Links: GayNZ.com |
| 6 Apr 2014 | Dr Charles Farthing dies (China) Farthing was a pioneering doctor specialising in the early recognition and treatment of HIV/AIDS. He died while traveling in Hong Kong. Links: New Zealand Medical Journal, Wikipedia |
| 7 May 2015 | Composer Jack Body receives the Icon Award - the Arts Foundation of New Zealand's highest honour (Wellington, New Zealand) The ceremony takes place at Mary Potter Hospice. Body dies three days later after a long battle with cancer. Links: SOUNZ, Wikipedia |
| 10 May 2015 | Composer Jack Body dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Wikipedia |
| 3 Oct 2015 | Author William Taylor dies (Taumarunui, New Zealand) Links: GayNZ.com (1), GayNZ.com (2), NZ Society of Authors |
| 15 May 2017 | Vicki Letele dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Letele, who was serving a prison term for fraud, was denied parole in October 2016, but was released on compassionate grounds in November 2016 to spend her final months with loved ones. Links: GayNZ |
| 16 Jun 2017 | Mika X is confirmed as The Opportunities Party (TOP) candidate for the Auckland Central Electorate (Auckland, New Zealand) TOP was founded by philanthropist Gareth Morgan in November 2016. Links: Scoop |
| 5 Jul 2017 | Creative New Zealand announces writer Paul Diamond is the latest recipient of the Berlin Writers Residency (New Zealand) Diamond will spend up to 11 months in Berlin researching and writing a book about former Whanganui mayor, Charles Mackay, who was killed in Berlin in 1929 while working as a journalist Links: Creative New Zealand |
| 12 Jul 2017 | Alison Mau is announced as a finalist in the Women of Influence awards (New Zealand) Established in 2012, the awards are run by Fairfax Media Links: Stuff |
| 12 Oct 2017 | The immigration and protection tribunal grants residency to a trans woman on exceptional humanitarian grounds (Auckland, New Zealand) The tribunal decides she is safer to remain in New Zealand rather than having to return to the United Kingdom where she has suffered years of persecution. Links: Guardian |
| 20 Jan 2018 | So'oalo To'oto'oali'i Roger Stanley dies (Samoa) Stanley was the founder and President of the Samoa Fa'afafine Association. Links: Express, Samoa Observer |
| 12 Feb 2018 | Dana de Milo dies (Wellington, New Zealand) Links: Facebook |
| 2 May 2018 | Former MP Katherine O'Regan dies (Waikato region, New Zealand) As Associate Minister of Health, O'Regan championed amendments to the Human Rights Act 1993 - outlawing discrimination on the grounds of disability, sexual orientation, and having organisms in the body which might cause disease. Links: Stuff |
| 4 Jun 2018 | Jacquie Grant becomes an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) (West Coast region, New Zealand) Grant was awarded the honour for services to the community. She had earlier received the MNZM in 1997. Links: Stuff.co.nz |
| 4 Jun 2018 | The Topp Twins are appointed Dame Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit (New Zealand) The honours for Jools and Lynda Topp were announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Links: Stuff.co.nz |
| 22 Oct 2018 | Kevin Baker, a.k.a. Buffy of Buffy and Bimbo fame, dies (Napier, New Zealand) Links: Dunstalls |
| 14 Nov 2018 | Choreographer and dancer Douglas Wright dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: Stuff.co.nz |
| 18 Feb 2019 | Author Peter Wells dies (Auckland, New Zealand) Links: PrideNZ.com, Stuff.co.nz |
| 7 Apr 2019 | Historian Gavin McLean dies (Wellington, New Zealand) |