Rally and march against the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill

The recording documents a rally and march held at Civic Square / Te Ngākau in Wellington on 13 June 2026 against the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill. The event brought together queer, trans, intersex, takatāpui communities and allies, with speeches, karakia, waiata, chants and a march through central Wellington. Across the recording, speakers frame the bill as discriminatory, harmful, and part of a broader political attack on gender diversity, bodily autonomy and minority rights.

The recording opens with Charlie, the head marshal, describing the gathering as a “cool, chill” crowd of queer people, friends and whānau, with many trans flags visible despite the windy Wellington weather. Charlie explains that the rally is connected to earlier campaigning against restrictions on puberty blockers for trans youth, but is now also focused on opposing the new bill, which seeks to define “man” and “woman” in narrow biological terms. The planned march route is also outlined, beginning around Civic Square and moving through central city streets before heading towards the area behind Te Papa.

The formal proceedings begin with the MC welcoming the crowd and inviting Kōwhai to open with karakia. The MC then states the central purpose of the action: that those gathered will not allow Parliament to define them. The first speaker, another Charlie, speaks as a biology student. Their speech challenges the government’s use of biology as justification for the bill. They argue that biology is far more complex than rigid categories allow, pointing to variation in genes, traits, cells, hormones, chromosomes, reproductive organs and sex characteristics. The speaker insists that every attempt to place nature into fixed boxes fails, because natural variation continually exceeds human classification. They conclude by addressing Winston Peters, David Seymour and Christopher Luxon directly, saying they cannot legislate away people or identities that make them uncomfortable.

The next speaker, Erin, speaks first as a PSA Union delegate and then in a personal capacity. On behalf of the Public Service Association, Erin condemns the gender definition bill, arguing it would make trans, intersex and takatāpui workers less safe and could encourage workplace harassment or discrimination. They urge attendees to submit against the bill by the select committee deadline of 2 July, recommending that submissions call for the bill to be rejected in its entirety. In a personal capacity, Erin widens the frame, saying that life is becoming harder for trans, queer, brown, black, disabled and poor people both in Aotearoa and overseas. They emphasise the need to strengthen communities and look after one another, while still focusing immediately on defeating the bill.

Scarlet, an intersex speaker from the South Island, then discusses the medical system and intersex rights. They refer to their own experience of corrective surgeries and argue that, while the health system has many problems requiring urgent reform, the current struggle is for the basic right to be recognised as one’s chosen gender. Scarlet says the bill fails to recognise intersex people and would force intersex, trans and cis people alike into incorrect categories. They also connect the bill to wider failures in gender-affirming care, including the lack of updated guidelines and inconsistent medical provision. Scarlet describes the legislation as part of imported culture wars and links it to earlier attacks on puberty blockers.

The MC leads chants, including “We’re here, we’re queer, we will not live in fear,” “We’re trans, we’re proud, you cannot keep us down,” and “What do we want? Trans rights. When do we want it? Now.” Emily then speaks as a cis woman and ally, strongly rejecting the idea that Winston Peters, ACT or the government speak for women. She argues that cis women do not need trans-exclusionary politicians or campaigners claiming to act in the name of feminism. Emily apologises to the trans community for the harm caused by cis women and men who have led or supported transphobic rhetoric, and calls on cis people to use their privilege to protect and support trans whānau. Her speech emphasises love, solidarity, safety, kindness and respect.

Youth speakers follow. Sam, who identifies as gender fluid, speaks about being grateful for support from people in their life and not having to hide who they are. They say that all genderqueer people deserve such an experience, free from the discrimination the bill seeks to enforce. Another youth speaker argues that the bill would increase discrimination against transgender and intersex people, legitimise hate, and align New Zealand with far-right politicians internationally. They stress that people know who they are and that the government cannot define them.

Kōwhai later speaks as takatāpui and frames the bill as not only transphobic and intersexist, but also racist. They argue that it breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi by attempting to erase takatāpui, Pacific and other Indigenous gender-diverse communities. Kōwhai says that brown, black and Indigenous people have never fitted colonial standards of femininity or masculinity. They close with a quotation from Moana Jackson’s Imagining Decolonisation, linking the struggle against the bill to truth, justice, restoration, whakapapa and self-determination.

The final major speaker, Amal, speaks as a trans woman who has been on hormone replacement therapy for four years. She reflects on the pain of trans minors being forced to wait before becoming themselves, especially in the context of puberty blocker restrictions. Amal notes that this rally is personally significant because it was organised by younger trans people without her involvement, showing a new generation taking leadership. She then critiques reliance on parliamentary politics alone, arguing that while existing rights must be defended in Parliament, liberation cannot depend solely on Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori or other liberal parties. Amal calls instead for independent working-class political organisation with horizons beyond the Beehive.

The recording ends as the march begins, with chants including “We don’t want your culture war,” “You can’t make us cis or straight,” “Women’s rights, trans rights, one struggle, one fight,” and “Stand up, fight back, trans kids are under attack.”

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

2020s, aotearoa new zealand, biological sex, biology, civic square / te ngākau, civil rights, culture wars, david seymour, discrimination, feminism, gender expression, gender fluid, gender identity, hate, hate speech, intersex, intersex medical interventions, legislation, legislation (definitions of woman and man) amendment bill (2026), medicalisation, member of parliament, nature, professional association for transgender health aotearoa (patha), puberty blockers, public service association (psa), queer endurance in defiance, select committee, sex characteristics, trans-exclusionary radical feminism (terf), transgender, unions, wellington, winston peters

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