Significant Anniversaries
This page highlights significant anniversaries relating to Aotearoa New Zealand's LGBTQIA+ Rainbow communities.
2026:
- 90th anniversary of the birth of Carmen Rupe in Waimiha (10 October 1936)
- 90th anniversary of the death of photographer Robert Gant in Wellington (10 October 1936)
- 70th anniversary of the birth of dancer Douglas Wright (1956)
- 50th anniversary of MP Marilyn Waring being outed by the tabloid New Zealand Truth newspaper (August 1976)
- 40th anniversary of the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act (9 July 1986)
- 40th anniversary of the first Hui Takatāpui (1986)
- 30th anniversary of the formation of GAP, the Gay Association of Professionals in Wellington (February 1996)
- 30th anniversary of Queer Nation's first broadcast on TV (1996)
- 20th anniversary of 20-minute rapid HIV tests becoming available in New Zealand (2006)
- 10th anniversary of the first ever intersex workshop held in New Zealand (11 March 2016)
2025:
- 100th anniversary of Peter Stratford (a.k.a. Deresley Morton) marrying Elizabeth Rowland (1 October 1925)
- 90th anniversary of Eric Mareo murdering his wife Themla Mareo (15 April 1935). Themla was also in a relationship with dancer Freda Stark
- 70th anniversary of the birth of Mahinarangi Tocker in Taumarunui (1955)
- 60th anniversary of the death of composer Tuini Ngawai (12 August 1965)
- 50th anniversary of Carmen Rupe controversially declaring that she knew of both bisexual and gay Members of Parliament (1 May 1975)
- 50th anniversary of Robin Duff standing for parliament - the first openly gay parliamentary candidate in New Zealand's history (November 1975)
- 40th anniversary of MP Fran Wilde introducing the Homosexual Law Reform Bill into Parliament (8 March 1985)
- 40th anniversary of the first AIDS Candlelight Memorials held in New Zealand (May 1985. Internationally, the first memorials took place in the USA in May 1983)
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40th anniversary of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (September 1985), now called the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa
- 40th anniversary of the death of HIV AIDS activist Bruce Burnett (1 June 1985)
- 30th anniversary of The Queer Resources - Aotearoa New Zealand, probably the first queer web pages from New Zealand published on the internet
- 30th anniversary of the first annual Out Takes queer film festival (May 1995)
2024:
- 150th anniversary of the birth of poet Ursula Bethell (b. 6 October 1874)
- 90th anniversary of the death of Effie Pollen (d. 8 November 1934), partner of Ursula Bethall
- 80th birthday of authors Witi Ihimaera (b. 7 February 1944) and David Hartnell (b. 29 June 1944)
- 60th anniversary of the brutal killing of Charles Aberhart in Hagley Park (23 January 1964)
- 40th anniversary of the formation of the AIDS Support Network (which would grow into the NZ AIDS Foundation/Burnett Foundation Aotearoa)
- 30th anniversary of LILAC - the Lesbian Information, Library and Archives Centre (7 September 1994)
- 25th anniversary of the first openly transgender Member of Parliament in the world (Georgina Beyer, 27 November 1999)
- 15th anniversary of PrideNZ.com (domain registered on 12 April 2009)
2023:
- 120th anniversary of the birth of writers James Courage (9 February 1923) and Frank Sargeson (23 March 1923)
- 100th anniversary of the death of writer Katherine Mansfield (d. 9 January 1923)
- 70th birthday of activist Mani Bruce Mitchell (b. 10 March 1953)
- 60th anniversary of The Dorian Society forming a legal subcommittee to work towards homosexual law reform (1963)
- 40th anniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS in New Zealand (1983)
- 30th anniversary of the passing of the Human Rights Act (28 July 1993)
- 30th anniversary of the deaths of activists Eve van Grafhorst, Darren Horn and Tom O'Donoghue from AIDS-related conditions
- 30th anniversary of the first openly gay male Member of Parliament (Chris Carter, 6 November 1993)
- 30th anniversary of the MMP referendum to change how New Zealand votes in the General Election (6 November 1993)
- 25th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, USA (1998)
- 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Prostitution Reform Act (28 June 2003)
- 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act (19 August 2013)
2022: