Tue 26 Jan 2016 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
The trans rights protesters who broke into last year's Auckland Pride Parade to highlight the abuse of transgender prisoners in the Department of Corrections system say it is unlikely Corrections can make sufficient changes in time to be able to march in this year's parade. No Pride In Prisons protesters are herded off the parade route by security staff and GABA president Heather Carnegie The No Pride In Prisons protest group says it has yet to be contacted by Pride regarding Corrections' wish to have their glbti staff march in the parade. “We haven't had any contact on this but we're sure they will be talking to us,” says group spokesperson Emilie Rakete. However, she believes the Human Rights benchmark Pride has recently set for Parade participation will be impossible for Corrections to achieve, given the current state and structure of the New Zealand prisons system, although she is a little unclear as to whether those benchmarks are specific to glbti people or apply to the wider community. “For instance, Corrections would need to have addressed the issue of high levels of incarceration of Maori and also seriously reduced violence in prisons, particularly to trans-prisoners... I don't think the current prison system can meet the Pride standard,” Rakete says. Debate and rumour regarding this issue are swirling around social media but suggestions Corrections' participation has already been ruled out have this morning been denied by the Auckland Pride Festival organisation.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 26th January 2016 - 12:56pm