A group of queer people in the search for a new flatmate who came under fire from the Human Rights Commission for their Trademe advert which stated they did not want to live with heterosexuals, have re-listed the ad, highlighting the issue of housing discrimination faced by trans people in New Zealand. The ad, which has since been changed, stated; “We don't want to live with a couple, a heterosexual person, or someone who is loud at night, or drinks/does drugs/party[s] a lot.” Identifying as a “queer, transgender, vegetarian household”, the ad stated that the group didn’t want to live with anyone who is "racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, fatphobic [sic], hates sex workers, hates migrants or is otherwise a jerk” and they are seeking, among other attributes, someone who is “LGBTQIA+” The ad faced criticism from the Human Rights Commission who said although their ad was legal it was not something they support. The new updated ad states; “We live in a society in which transgender people face high levels of housing discrimination". "An extremely high number of transgender people are homeless, in unstable or unsuitable housing, and regularly face housing discrimination. We are routinely turned away from flats for being trans. "Heterosexual cisgender people do not need anti-discrimination legislation to protect their rights, because their rights are already respected. "You are not being discriminated against by us, we just don't want to live with you. Sorry your feelings are hurt, but we don't really care, we're busy surviving in a society which is hostile to our existence." The ad appears now to have been removed from the Trademe website.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 26th January 2016 - 1:50pm