Sir Ian is a GLBT-rights advocate with an affinity for NZ Renowned gay actor Sir Ian McKellen will open tonight’s marriage equality conference in Wellington, not in person, but rather in a highly-secret recorded video message. GayNZ.com Daily News understands the address from the wizened wizard of GLBT rights could well be an address not to be missed, as he throws his support behind New Zealand’s marriage equality campaign. Sir Ian is not in New Zealand this week, a notable absence considering The Hobbit premiered with much grandeur in Wellington on Wednesday night. Rumours have flown that he was snubbing another attendee, Prime Minister John Key, who he chastised over his ‘gay red top’ sneer at a radio host. However Sir Ian is actually, ironically enough, unavailable as he is on tour at UK secondary schools “attacking homophobia in the playground and discouraging kids from the careless use of ‘gay’ which might make their gay friends (and teachers) feel less about themselves,” as he explains on his blog. After Sir Ian’s video greeting at the opening of the Marriage Equality Conference at Parliament’s legislative chamber tonight, there will be a Parliamentary panel which reflects the progress made to improve our laws: Fran Wilde led the parliamentary campaign for the Homosexual Law Reform Bill which decriminalised male homosexual activity in 1986. Katherine O’Regan led the parliamentary campaign for broadening the human rights legislation to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in 1993. Tim Barnett led the parliamentary campaign for prostitution law reform in 2003 and civil unions in 2004. Louisa Wall is leading the current parliamentary campaign for marriage equality. The panel will be moderated by Bill Logan, public spokesperson in the 1985-86 campaign and long-term queer welfare worker. The conference begins at 7PM and you need to join this event to pass through security at the door
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 30th November 2012 - 10:50am