Pride Lights up Four Locations Across Auckland City

For the first time ever, four locations across Auckland City will be lit up with all the colours of the rainbow this Monday 17th February in the lead up to the biggest LGBTIQ celebration event of the year; Auckland Pride Parade, Saturday 22nd February at 7PM.

Switched on by well-known gay personality Tamati Coffey and key Auckland dignitaries at 9PM; the Auckland Sky Tower, Auckland War Memorial Museum, the gantry at Silo Park and the Cloud will be creating a multi-coloured skyline like no other in support of the 2nd Auckland Pride Festival (6-23 February).

Rachael Carroll, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development - General Manager Destination and Marketing says: “This year’s Pride festival is bigger and brighter than ever before. Events like this are key to building our reputation as a vibrant events city, and demonstrating that Auckland is truly a place where the show never stops.”

"MP Maurice Williamson was right," says Auckland Pride Festival Director Julian Cook. "An enormous big gay rainbow is forming across Auckland. It's a sign that we are living in one of the most diverse, inclusive, gay-friendly and fun cities in the world. Happy Auckland Pride!"

Tamati Coffey will be joined at the Auckland War Memorial Museum by 20 year old, fa’afafine performer Jaycee Tanuvasa as well as MP Louisa Wall helping to shine a spotlight on transgender rights here in New Zealand.

Unitec, Auckland Pride Festival’s principal sponsor, has announced its first scholarships for trans* tertiary students within this year’s festival. The first tertiary institution to do so here in New Zealand.

Auckland City will be wearing its colours with PRIDE as the festival moves into its second and final week. Highlights during this time include; The Great Auckland Pride Debateheld at Auckland War Memorial Museum (18 Feb), Silo Cinema “Some Like It Hot” at Silo Park (21 Feb), the exhibition Anatomy is not Destiny focusing on the roles that fashion and art play in the building of our modern-day Queer ID (19 23 Feb), the 18th Heroic Gardens (22 & 23 Feb), the hit cabaret show Songs for Guy at TAPAC (19-21 Feb), Australian comedian Pam Ann who plays Aotea Centre (21 Feb), and the official closing party of the festival PROUD at Victoria Park Market (22 Feb).

For a full line-up on what the festival has to offer head to www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz.

AUCKLAND IS SET TO GLOW WITH PRIDE!

*an umbrella term for gender-diverse people, including whakawahine, tangata ira tane, transsexual, fa'afafine, transgender and gender-neutral people

Auckland Pride Festival 2014 runs from 6-23 February. For more information visit www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz or www.facebook.com/AkldPrideFest

FURTHER READER INTO THE CAMPAIGN FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY HERE IN NZ
Louisa Wall’s new focus – Amending the Human Right Acts to protect trans from discrimination based on gender identity
http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_14593.php

According to a recent study, a world-first – transgendered face significant hurdles when trying to access healthcare.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/auckland-city-harbour-news/9708660/Transgender-youth-missing-out

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