Opening address from Renato Sabbadini

This summary covers the opening address given by the ILGA Executive Director, Renato Sabbadini, at the 2nd ILGA Oceania Rainbow Human Rights and Health Conference in Wellington. The recording encompasses themes from the 1970s to the 2010s and is a re-recorded version without an audience.

During the address, Sabbadini draws a compelling parallel between the unique evolution of bird species in a mammal-free New Zealand and the burgeoning LGBTI movement in Oceania. They emphasize how seemingly small regions, like Oceania, are capable of tremendous influence, using the Italian aphorism that "the best wine is to be found in the smallest casks." They commend local leadership for their work in addressing the region's challenges, such as homophobia, transphobia, and intersex phobia, amidst milestones like marriage equality and passport gender options.

Sabbadini reflects on the history and growth of LGBTI organizations since 1978, noting the global movement's role in sharing experiences and shaping the direction of equality and freedom. They stress the importance of the movement to articulate its desires and rights autonomously without external interpretation, invoking the statement by Helen Kennedy, “If you’re not at the dinner table, you are on the menu,” to highlight the need for direct engagement and self-advocacy in social movements.

Moreover, Sabbadini tackles the questions of unity within the diverse LGBTI community, addressing skepticism about the effectiveness of collective action. They argue that the diverse experiences and identities within the community, rather than being an impediment, are sources of power and enrichment. The presentation brings into focus the shared experience of disturbing the binary gender certainties, presenting the community’s ability to disorient and challenge societal norms as a powerful form of social questioning and opportunity for growth.

Sabbadini also points out the inherent risk in the community’s success, where individuals or groups, in seeking mainstream acceptance, might distance themselves from others within the community. They draw attention to the need for self-awareness and vigilance against creating new exclusions and highlight the importance of intersectionality in understanding and addressing diverse identities and struggles.

In closing, Sabbadini uses the analogy of a great voyage, comparing their flight to New Zealand to the Māori's epic sea journeys. They posit that the collective goal of a discriminatory-free society may be distant and its realization possibly beyond the current generation, but stress the value in the journey itself shared by the overarching community.

The speech is a candid reflection on the state of LGBTI rights, the strength found in diversity, and the importance of a united global community to confront discrimination.

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.

Renato Sabbadini

1970s, 2010s, activism, aotearoa new zealand, binary, bisexual, body diversity, cis, community, diversity, freedom, gay, gender expression, gender identity, helen kennedy, identity, international lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex association (ilga), intersectionality, intersex, intersex phobia, lesbian, māori, pride, pride parade, proud 2016 (wellington), renato sabbadini, sexual identity, sexual orientation, takatāpui, transgender, travel, university of otago wellington school of medicine, wellington

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