Debate | Issue 1 | Pride

DEBATE

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EDITOR

Sam Clark

DESIGNER

Charlie Ratahi McFarland

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Vivien Whyte

FEATURE WRITER

Liam Hansen

LIFESTYLE & CULTURE WRITER

Thomas Giblin

CHIEF NEWS REPORTER

Nic George

NEWS WRITER

Vanessa Elley

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Frances Revita

CONTRIBUTORS

Haydn Nixon, Stella Roper and Joel Armstrong

COVER ART

Lucy Higgins

ADVERTISING

Jesse Jones jesse.jones@autsa.org.nz

PRINTER

Nicholson Print Solutions

DISCLAIMER

Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries.

This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA.

Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

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From the Editor

The healthy student diet - an unattainable dream during the cost-of-living crisis

AUT postpones its redundancy plan for six months after a ruling from Employment Relations Authority

Match Point Wayne

Meet the team

No Strings Attached

Queer Awakenings in the Media

The Art and Artists of Auckland Pride

You’re not ‘straight-acting’, you’re just gay

Puzzles

Well, that was a shit summer.

Two devastating storms, Auckland’s wettest month on record and a whole lot of cancelled music and events. Not the best start to 2023. Although, it is the year of the rabbit (or cat, depending on where you’re from!), which supposedly means the chaos will settle. This stage of the Chinese Zodiac is centred on three ideas: hope, resilience and cautious optimism - God knows Auckland has displayed these over the past month.

Many of us were frustrated with our tennis-playing mayor. I feel your pain. If anything, it can serve as a reminder to get out there and vote. Fewer than a third of young people vote in local elections and we’re suffering the consequences. If that’s not bad enough, Wayne Brown took a grand total of two media interviews during his first month in office - opting for a written statement, read before a camera. Having denied over 100 interview requests, how will he stay accountable?

Amongst all the chaos, Pride Month managed to go ahead. Like you’ll read in Liam’s piece, the crux of Pride is about strength in the face of adversity - and the community weathered the storm. As we near the end of the festival, we can reflect on the strides our rainbow and takatāpui communities have made. It is a celebration of love triumphing and rights that were hard-fought for. The Pride we see today is a testament to decades of mahi done by the community, which is an ongoing process. Like Fiona Clark says in her piece for The Spinoff – our rainbow whānau have always bound together to support each other, with or without formal recognition. To mark events like Stonewall as the beginning of our Pride movement would be an injustice to the rich history of rainbow and takatāpui communities in Tāmaki Makaurau and across the country.

It’s also a good time to consider pinkwashing, which is a complex issue. What kind of corporate presence do we want during Pride? And how do we ensure that they’re implementing policies that reflect this inclusive brand-image? Lastly, how do we feel about the National Party attending, considering three of their MPs voted against the banning of conversion therapy in 2020? If you don't want a racquet-flailing boomer as your mayor, or a bunch of homophobes in parliament - get to the booths and vote!

It’s an exciting time for Debate, as we bring on four new team members. We’ve got a fresh news team – journo students Nic and Vanessa, Thomas is our new culture and lifestyle writer and Frances will be on our socials. I am still the editor, for better or for worse. You can learn a bit more about everyone in our team intro!

In other news, the sun is out in Tāmaki Makaurau; perhaps we will have a summer after all.

Love, Sam and Debate - your media drongos on campus. Drawn by Ella Windner

By Vanessa Elley (she/her) News Writer

A healthy and affordable diet is even further out of reach for students with inflation driving grocery prices up.

Stats NZ’s monthly Food Price Index reported in January that fruit and vegetable prices had increased 16% since last January, with grocery food prices (including cheese and eggs) going up 11%.

As essential food items become increasingly expensive, students in hardship are going without meals to make their food last.

Manager of AUTSA’s Tautoko initiative, Georgia Kirkwood, says the problem is only going to get worse as the crisis continues.

“Inflation is becoming a big issue for students. Most people are already living off of noodles and not necessarily the healthiest of foods currently, so it’s just going to get worse.”

Tautoko offers support to students who are struggling with the cost of living crisis, through free food on campus and food vouchers that those in need can apply to receive.

Aid like this is necessary for students trying to balance work and study, as full time jobs are no longer enough, says Kirkwood.

“A lot of our students that we get coming through are sacrificing their study hours to work, to make more money to be able to even afford to live.”

AUT also has their own support systems in place for increased financial strain, such as the Student Support Fund and financial wellbeing resources, but Kirkwood says reaching students can be a problem.

“I think our biggest issue with actually being able to reach people who need the help is the exposure… We’ve got a good system going. I just think it needs to be something that’s more frequent.”

She also said shame can play a factor in why people avoid looking for support, even when they might need it.

“It’s a big issue with shame, and being whakamā about coming and seeing people in the first place, so we try to keep those options available and open.”

Currently Tautoko is focusing on about 80 students, having supported around 2,000 cases since 2020 when they rebranded from AUTSA’s old ‘Foodie Godmother’ service.

In cases where further support is needed, Tautoko has alliances with AUT’s Student Hub, who can help direct students towards further financial aid.

However, according to Stats NZ, 2022 saw the largest annual increase in food prices in 32 years.

This will undoubtedly cause more strain for students already struggling to afford food alongside rent, tuition costs, and the overall cost of living in Auckland.

The healthy student diet - an unattainable dream during the cost-of-living crisis

AUT postpones its redundancy plan for six months after a ruling from Employment Relations Authority

By Nic George (he/him) Chief Reporter

The staff redundancy plan announced by AUT last year has been put on hold following a ruling from the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) in January this year.

This ruling has halted AUT's redundancy plan until July 2023, and academic staff who received a termination notice have been advised that their employment has been reinstated along with their regular salary.

80 academic jobs have been restored as a result of the ERA’s decision.

The Tertiary Education Union (TEU) lodged a complaint to the ERA claiming the University had not abided by the redundancy process laid out in the Collective Agreement between AUT and the staff.

The Union’s complaint says when the departments received the initial notice of the plan, they were not told which specific positions were surplus. Potentially affected staff members also were not offered the option for voluntary severance as well.

AUT's initial response was to send out an email to all staff with a list of people it planned to cut, which perplexed TEU Organiser, Jill Jones, as she tells Stuff the list is "a gross invasion of privacy".

"They’ve basically put out a list of people who they’re saying has not done enough research or teaching."

Jones says that the University only needed to identify the positions and naming the staff member was unnecessary.

Students took action to fight back against the plan by starting a petition calling for AUT to reinstate all staff members that had been cut and to cease future redundancy plans.

The petition has received just over 850 signatures at the time of publication.

Included in the petition is an open letter to the Vice Chancellor, Damon Salesa, and AUT's Executive Leadership Team, which highlights the impact a staff cut would have on students.

"Redundancies will leave remaining staff overworked and may impact their ability to provide students with individual attention and support."

The uncertainty had left many students feeling uneasy about whether they would be able to complete their studies at AUT.

According to an AUT press release last year, the main driving force behind the decision was the lack of income the University was generating without international students and a downturn in local enrolments.

It is almost a year since Aotearoa opened its borders to all vaccinated travellers and key visa holders, which could help bolster international student enrolments at the start of this year.

This year's enrolment figures could further impact how AUT proceeds with future redundancy plans after July this year.

Your experiences matter

It can feel isolating to be at uni and to face problems.

For example, you can’t get your head around the process to make a complaint, or perhaps you are experiencing racism or discrimination.

This is where the Code for learner wellbeing and safety comes in. The Code aims to ensure we feel a sense of belonging in classrooms and beyond, including in student accommodation. It supports students’ wellbeing, voice and identity.

It also requires your uni to have culturally responsive support services to ensure your mental

and physical wellbeing are well looked after.

The Code is all about improving your tertiary education experience and creating opportunities to talk to your uni if you face problems or have ideas about how to make things better.

Also be encouraged to talk to local or national student associations who will do their best to represent you and amplify your feedback about what you’re experiencing: the great, the good, the bad and the ugly. And if you are still facing issues, you can talk to NZQA.

Match Point Wayne

Meet the

Sam - Editor

Hot take: Boxers are better than briefs.

Rainy day activity: Call in sick, listen to 95bFM, browse @patiasfantasyworld.

Top Spotify artist: Alex G.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: The music, the diversity and the kai.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: 121 Festival tickets.

Biggest ick: Speed walking, saying ‘expresso’ or ‘moo-moo milk’.

Charlie - Designer

Hot take: Dick Frizzell should stop profiting of Māori cultural imagery.

Rainy day activity: A caramel latte sachet (lol) in my favourite mug + podcast.

Top Spotify artist: Julia Jacklin.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: The moana and my beautiful friends.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: Tickets to Te Matatini!

Biggest ick: Mispronouncing Māori place names.

Liam - Feature Writer

Hot take: Gravity Falls is better at doing Twin Peaks than Twin Peaks.

Rainy day activity: Skyrim on repeat - Stealth thief build only cause conflict is scary :(

Top Spotify artist: Japanese Breakfast.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: 95bFM and The Wine Cellar (support your local venues).

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: 6 Amber Wavy Hiball Glasses from Kmart. Who needs 70s nostalgia when we have THESE guys!

Biggest ick: Hating mint chocolate.

Viv - Associate Editor

Hot take: Hot takes aren’t usually very hot.

Rainy day activity: Stare at the rain like I’m in love with it, baking, watching silly coming of age films.

Top Spotify artist: Stevie Wonder

Fav thing about Tāmaki: When I’m not there - jk, Dominion Road.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: Flights.

Biggest ick: adults who can’t cook (like not even an egg and you’re 24?? how??)

Thomas - Culture & Lifestyle Writer

Hot take: Cars should be banned in cities.

Rainy day activity: Strolling the aisles of Countdown, while listening to a podcast.

Top Spotify artist: Max Key.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: All the green spaces.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: A tattoo of Renton from Trainspotting.

Biggest ick: Fangirling over politicians. Please stop stanning Jacinda Ardern and Chlöe Swarbrick.

Frances - Social Media Manager

Hot take: Most of the Marvel movies actually kinda suck.

Rainy day activity: Having a cuppa in bed with a crackly candle and a good book or whatever I’m rewatching at the time.

Top Spotify artist: Taylor Swift .

Fav thing about Tāmaki: My inner circle, Karangahape Road, the little apartment I call home.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: Tickets to see Sean Kingston at Bar 101.

Biggest ick: Apostrophes in the wrong places.

Nic - Chief Reporter

Hot take: The Green Party will double their seats in parliament this election.

Rainy day activity: Watching movies in bed.

Top Spotify artist: Pete & Bas.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: The views from Maungawhau/Mt Eden.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: A plane ticket out of Auckland before the storm hit.

Biggest ick: Cooked zucchini.

Vanessa - News Writer

Hot take: You should probably uninstall TikTok.

Rainy day activity: Drawing! Or watching too many YouTube videos in a row.

Top Spotify artist: Rainbow Kitten Surprise.

Fav thing about Tāmaki: The Hauraki Gulf.

Best thing you’ve bought so far this year: Heart-shaped earrings.

Biggest ick: Fake plants…

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

By Vivien Whyte (she/her) ASSOCIATE EDITOR

A few weeks ago I told Sam that I’d write a piece about being a lil queer gal from Aotearoa living in Vietnam for two months. Before I left, I felt sure that two months would be enough time to find my *insert nails emoji* family and explore the queer scene overseas. In fact, I was excited to see what it would be like. Not only because I was sure it would pop off, but because for the first time nearly everyone else would also be South East Asian. But for many reasons I can’t quite pin, I am now writing two months later having been distinctly unsuccessful.

I’ve bumped shoulders with a few of my sisters and brothers, sought out gay bars and partied here and there. Yet I am quite sure that I definitely missed the brightest and most vibrant parts of the queer community. More than that, I definitely missed the community and getting in with the crowd. The more underground a community, the more it pops off - so I guess at least I know it pops the fuck off. Despite my ill-luck, it’s provided me the opportunity to reflect on a lot anyways.

My coming out of the closet was nothing dramatic or scary. Bar the classic baby gay stumbles, it felt really natural. I took any and all challenges in my stride. Thinking that they just came with the territory. I never stopped twice to think that, perhaps, certain intersections of my identity had become tangled and were tripping me up.

Until now. Being in a new country and meeting new people, I’ve discovered the freedom to just be. Just be a body with no strings attached. No attachment to a “straight me” (let’s be honest, that never existed). No attachment to what it means to live where I live, do what I do and know who I know. No attachment to old flings. No attachment to my family 9,000 kilometres away. Even no attachment to the plethora of hair colours I’ve rocked over the years. Because all of these things, like every other facet in our lives, define and add weight/pressure/substance to our queer identity and experience.

It’s been a chance to amalgamate the different masks I’m used to wearing in Auckland. Even around different groups of queer people I’m a different person. Let alone my family members and other people who know me.

From what I can tell, queerness in Vietnam is a mixed bag. Like Aotearoa, colonisation dealt the ultimate fuck you to queer identity and the lasting impacts still affect social attitudes today. On the other hand, Vietnam sticks out in South East Asia as somewhere that’s open to homosexuality and travelling around I never felt that being queer would mean being unsafe. The place I interned at had a massive pride flag on the wall. My gay spidey sense popped off a few times a day. And the first time I booked a massage with my girl friend, we accidentally booked a couples massage for ourselves.

Safe to say, I was feeling confident in being open all the time and with that came a chance to be more confident in my identity than I ever had in Aotearoa. It was a chance to be courageous. No strings attached means there’s no chance to get tangled up in who you are. Meeting backpackers and locals alike made me realise how much of my identity, and queer identity in particular, I regulate for the sake of other people. How many strings I had attached to my being.

Distance definitely gives you perspective. Feeling free of the strings made me realise, more than ever, how many there were. Coming back to Aotearoa, I’m not sure how my perspective will change again. Will I look at the strings attached to me in a new light? Or will I start to feel like a marionette? Being a positive person, I’m leaning on the former. Unpacking who you are and how you sit with your queer identity is both a stress and a joy of being in our 20s, and I’m excited to continue down this windy rainbow road.

Queer awakenings in the media

We all remember our first crush, whether it be an innocent playground romance or an obsession with someone who never knew you existed. This first dance with love, where we see the eternal beauty in the ordinary, can be frightful - a queer awakening means processing feelings you've never experienced before. The media we consume can be a powerful force in revealing these feelings, helping shape our tastes and identity.

The following stories of queer awakenings were told to me by friends and whānau. They illuminate the characters from television and film which made their heart aflutter - from Lola Bunny to Frodo.

Rebecca : Marceline from Adventure Time. Also Meg, from Hercules and Jade from Victorious

"They are all goth emo mommies that I want to degrade me."

Mahi : Lola Bunny from Space Jam

"It wasn't a sexual reaction because I was only six. Space Jam had just come out and it was instantly my favourite movie. I saw it in cinemas three times and got it on VHS by winning a competition."

"The first time I saw Lola's entrance scene, I was completely infatuated. I would rewind and rewatch and rewind and rewatch and get shitty if anyone talked during it. I never wanted to be Lola. I always wanted to be Bugs Bunny, who wins Lola over with his goofy charm."

"I didn't actually realise how impactful Lola was on me as a child until a couple of years ago when I saw Space Jam 2. They had taken away her curves and her sultriness and I couldn't figure out why that made me so angry."

Alan : Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street.

"The first male characters who lived together and even shared a bed that I saw on mainstream television as a child."

Bert and Ernie have long been gay icons, but their sexual orientation is contentious. Debate rages over whether or not they are gay, but considering they live together and share a bed and bath, you can read between the lines. Back in 2014, a bakery in Northern Ireland run by devout Christians refused to bake a cake that featured the duo. Who knew homophobia could extend to frosting and filling?

Harry : Danny Phantom, Jake Long from American Dragon and Zuko.

"Only Zuko in season three. The shaggy hair was hot and he had a better attitude. He's cool and I'd like it if we kissed."

"Oh, and Beast Boy. He had a cool power, was funny and didn't take things too seriously."

Milly : Rey, from Star Wars

"I saw The Force Awakens several times in the cinema because I thought I liked the film. It turns out it was because of Rey."

Star Wars has stumbled towards representation with the same-sex kiss in The Rise of Skywalker, an example of "pandering, not progress", even if director J.J. Abrams says otherwise. So is Rey, an LGBTQIA+ (new) hope? When she appeared as 'Dark Rey' fans certainly seemed to think so - and Twitter went feral for her new look.

Isabella :

"The villain from Kim Possible. Shego?"

"Nina Dobrev in The Vampire Diaries. I don't know if I want to be you or be with you."

"Angie from Shark Tale. Wait, no. Lola not Angie. The sexy fish."

Gabbie: Olivia Rodrigo, Vanessa from Phineas and Ferb.

"I thought Olivia Rodrigo was really cute in a way that I idolised her for her genius. Then I realised, no, she's like… really cute. Cute crush, cute."

"Vanessa was like, gorgeous. But also, I loved how she was understanding of her dad's character, like understanding she can hate him but not really. She was also a child of divorce, so maybe that's why."

"It isn't the physical attraction as much. I found them pretty, and there was some unconscious attraction, but the main thing was wanting to be with them emotionally."

"The first time I was conscious of being attracted to a guy or character was Jeremy Sumpter in the 2003 Peter Pan. When he kissed Wendy at the end, ten-year-old me wanted him to be kissing me instead."

Cam: Chloe Sevigny in Boys Don't Cry.

“Is that controversial? There's this scene where she sings karaoke, and Hilary Swank's character falls in love with her. I fell in love too."

Described by critic Roger Ebert as "Romeo and Julie t set in a Nebraska trailer park", the film landed Hilary Swank an Academy Award for her portrayal of Brandon Teena.

The author reflects

When I was a kid watching TV, I just thought my favourite characters were cool. Later in life, once I'd realised I was into guys, I was like - oh, I had crushes on them. When it came time to look back at a childhood through the lenses of lived LGBTQIA+ experiences, obsessions became crushes, friendships morphed into romances, objects mutated into keepsakes and encounters transformed into awakenings.

David : Matt from Digimon and Frodo.

"Matt for the style, hair and personality. Frodo for those eyes - eight-year-old me didn't know how to act. I would use Google image search right when it was released and type ‘Elijah’."

Mon 27 Feb

Social Spor ts Info session

Hikuwai Plaza, 12pm - 2pm

Sign up to our social sports available in 2023. Big games, mini golf activations and lots of fun!

Mini Campus Kai

Hikuwai Plaza, ME109 (South), North Campus Sports Stadium 12pm - 2pm

Grab some pre -packed Kai, AUTSA’s shout!

Mechanical Bull

Monday (R18) Vesbar, R18 event 2pm onwards

How long can you last – ride the bull and find out!! The longer you ride, the bigger the prize. Vesbar vouchers and myster y prizes up for grabs

O Week 2023 27 Feb - 3 Mar RED BULL PRESENTS

Tue 28 Feb

Student Communities Expo

North Campus Sports Stadium 11am-1:30pm

Come along and check out our range of clubs, communities and services!

Photobooths

North Campus Sports Stadium 11am-2pm

We’ve got classic photobooths and selfie booths too, so come get an O Week snap!

Campus Kai

North Campus Sports Stadium 12pm

Come together over some Kai on us. Today we have Subway on the menu!

Subway Eating Competition!

Subway outdoor area 12:30pm-1pm

Are you hungr y to compete? Be the first to complete a foot long sub and be in to win a loaded sub card.

Pick up & Play Spor ts North Campus Sports Stadium 1pm-2:30pm

Meet some new people through a game of sport!

Quiz Nigh t (All Ages) Whanau Room 4pm-6pm

Make a team & come along to our first North Campus Quiz Night. Six rounds of unique themes & a joker round. Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, and spot prizes! Refreshments provided.

Pub Quiz (R18) Vesbar 6pm-9pm

Make a team & come along to our fun and exciting Fark Knows Quiz. We have prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, also spot prizes throughout the night.

Wed 1 March

Student Communities Expo

South Multi Sport Court 11am-1:30pm

Come along and check out our range of clubs, communities and services!

Photobooths

AUT pool & Multi Sport Court 11am-2pm

We’ve got classic photobooths and selfie booths too, so come get an O Week snap!

Campus Kai

South Campus AUT Pool 12pm

Come together over some Kai on us. Veg options available.

Live DJ South Campus AUT Pool 11am-1pm

Join DJ Dubhead for a set that celebrates all that’s good in the NZ Music Industry.

Pick up & Play Spor ts South Multi Sport Court 1pm-2:30pm

Meet some new people through a game of sport!

Quiz Nigh t (All Ages) ME109, South Campus 4pm-6pm

Make a team & come along to our South Campus Quiz Night. Six rounds of unique themes & a joker round. Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, and spot prizes! Refreshments provided.

Karaoke (R18) Vesbar 6pm-late

Noize Kontrol are bringing their iconic Karaoke Night to Vesbar. Sing your favourite tunes, pair up for a duet, or sing along with the crowd!

Thu 2 March

Student Communities Expo Hikuwai Plaza 11am-1:30pm

Come along and check out our range of clubs, communities and services!

Photobooths Hikuwai Plaza 11am-2pm

We’ve got classic photobooths and selfie booths too, so come get an O Week snap!

Campus Kai Hikuwai Plaza 12pm

Come together over some Kai on us.Pizza, garlic bread, and drinks! Veg option available.

Ar t Galler y Tour

Meet at AUTSA Balcony 12pm

Take a tour of the Auckland Art Galler y with a representative of the SRC. Students will meet at the AUTSA Balcony and leave as a group.

Pick up & Play Spor ts Hikuwai Plaza 1pm-2:30pm

Meet some new people through a game of sport!

Student Showcase (R18) Vesbar 6pm-late

A night to showcase student bands, DJs, up and coming talent. Come through and check out the showcase, make new connections and enjoy the Vesbar drink specials!

Fri 3 March

Paint & Sip

WC202 Student Lounge 3pm-5pm

Get craf ty and paint a mug or vase while sipping cof fee or tea! Hosted by the AUTSA Student Rep Council.

Student Market Day WG Foyer 12-3pm

A market day with student vendors! Come along and check out what they ’re selling and showcasing.

Twiligh t Food Market Hikuwai Plaza 5pm-9pm

A pop-up foodie festival! Vendors such as: El Patron Artisan Chorizo, Mamas Donuts, Let’s Brezel, Kookie Haus, Local Legend Eats, Hash n Smash Akemi’s Gyoza, MāoriMex, Lalele Organic Gelato, LJ’s Fish & Chips, Mexican Food Trailer, Pasta Masta, Smoothe Operator, Pioneer Pie Co.

Twiligh t Market

Af terpar t y (R18) Vesbar 9pm - late

Finish of f your O Week with live music from DJ Yolanda, and enjoy some drink specials.

The Art and Artists of Auckland Pride

By Liam Hansen (he/they) FEATURE WRITER

Back in 2021, Auckland Pride was gearing up to put on their first ever official Pride Month after an uncertain, Covid-tinged 2020. This saw the expansive multi-day festival stretch out for the entire month of February, aiming to celebrate and advocate for the takatāpui and rainbow communities of Tāmaki Makaurau like never before. Aside from the city being plunged into Covid alert level three, and 180 events almost entirely cancelled due to a nationwide Omicron outbreaknothing went wrong!

Covid was a rough patch for the Auckland Pride Festival, but it’s not like they hadn’t made it through difficulties before. The festival is built upon decades of protest and hardship experienced by takatāpui and rainbow communities across the city. While the fight is far from over, and Auckland Pride still remains a platform for activism - the festival as a whole has also become one of the largest arts events in Oceania. The 2023 Festival has hosted everything, from queer magic shows, to interactive sculpture exhibitions, to film screenings and beyond. Although the ghost of Covid past, present, and future continues to loom, with a couple of surprise homophobic weather events , it feels like a turning point has been made in celebrating Pride in Tāmkai Makaurau. I wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes to produce such a monumental festival, and

what goes into the creation and curation of queer arts at a national scale . It must be a massive team, with dedicated members working across the board, right?

Although the ghost of Covid past, present, and future continues to loom, with a couple of surprise homophobic weather events , it feels like a turning point has been made in celebrating Pride in Tāmkai Makaurau.

Well, no. As it turns out, the dayto-day operations of Auckland Pride are largely run by duoMax Tweedie, executive director and Nathan Joe, creative director. . Even these roles are fairly new - “Auckland Pride has only its current executive director since 2019 - so at its current inception, it’s quite a new organisation”, Joe explained to me. The festival's inception time is difficult to pinpoint - anywhere between 30-50 years, with the early era of activism and the Hero Parade. Or, you could point to the beginning of the modern Auckland Pride Parade and subsequent events in 2013. However, the current iteration has only been around for five years, picking up the pieces after police uniforms were banned in the parade, causing a rift in the community. Joe largely credits this revamp to Tweedie,

and reflected on how he pushed the organisation into a new form of Pride, only related to former events by name - “At what point is it a new ship if you’ve rebuilt all the parts?”.

This brings up a difficult modern ordeal for the Auckland Pride team, where they try to figure out how they can honour the past, while moving forward. We’re in a very different Auckland in 2023 compared to 1972, and for Auckland Pride to continue at its current level a balance needs to be struck. Joe frames himself as a part of the effort to move forward, having only begun last year, after the first and previous creative director, Elyssia WilsonHeti, bowed out from the role. It’s been a weird start for him, having already garnered a stunning reputation for his electric theatre productions like Scenes From A Yellow Peril and Gay Death Stocktake. He described his first tasks as creative director as a “full time job where I figure out how to fund my full time-job.” He found the lack of arts funding in Auckland pervasive to the point of crisis, and launched his tenure with an open callout for better funding so he can effectively do his job and support queer artists across Tāmaki.

Thankfully, Joe considers the organisation to be in a better place in the days before the festival, than it was when he arrived. I was almost surprised with his level of calm and

optimism - but the vast majority of Pride Month is in the hands of the event producers. He’s spent time developing relationships with artists, gaining an understanding of what people in Auckland want, fostering the community and encouraging people to submit work. “You can’t just be waiting for people to throw art at the festival. That stuff doesn't happen by itself, it only happens when you create fertile platforms, and do outreach to make sure people know that they should be or there is a reason to be making art during Pride.” This work led to the core new creations of Auckland Pride in 2023 - Joe particularly highlighted Te Timatanga as their primary takatāpui focused offering, showcasing the ways queer and Māori communities intersect and providing spaces for their community to connect over positive kōrero and unification.

Alongside the full timers, a group of contracted employees work hard to see Pride come to light, often managing their own events and exhibitions within the festival. Nathan himself had a playreading of his titled Losing Face in the Samesame But Different queer literary festival that takes place parallel to Pride. Working on multiple projects can also be seen in Tommy Jiang, Auckland Pride’s production manager and founding member of All My Friends (AMF), a four person arts collective focused on celebrating Queer and Asian voices in Tāmaki Makaurau. As we met for coffee, Jiang went over various examples of what AMF has put together in the past few years - club nights, performances, markets and more. “There aren’t that many opportunities to be creative in Auckland - and we

realised that it’s easier when there's a brief, or a space that can activate that creativity, when there’s such pressing things in life like work and uni that often get in the way.” The group came out of a frustration with the queer nightlife scene in Auckland often feeling very one note and appealing to majority demographics, and have been working since 2019 to bring about new, safe and alternative spaces.

Auckland Pride Festival is now a full-blown celebration of queer art.

‘Lychee Baybee’, AMF’s offering for the Auckland Pride Festival, is particularly focused on celebrating queer Asian DJ’s and performers for the Lunar New Year. There’s plenty that’s special about the party, including its lineup - Imugi , Little Bok Choy and Maiden Chai NOIR. But the mahi AMF has done in the lead up to the event is unique and incredible, creating a character for Lychee Baybee with a developing style and backstory, even down to its name. Jiang explains that fetishisation is a prominent part of the queer Asian experience and that Lychee Baby, as a character, symbolises taking control of that narrative. Jiang then explains what this means, "You can't festishise me, because I know how much I'm worth. And if I engage with you, that's my own choice." Jiang also reflected on the specific usage of an anime/manga style, and how that medium has evolved since his childhood. “The characters are so hyped and so cool now, so it's sort of us paying homage to a lot of our childhood interests.

Lychee Baybee as a character represents a lot, but at her core she’s just the empowerment we didn’t have growing up.”

The chat I had with Jiang put it all into perspective - Auckland Pride Festival is now a full-blown celebration of queer art. Joe told me this directly when we spoke - “Lychee Baybee is a really interesting case study, because it’s first and foremost a club party. But within a pride context, it’s arts and culture, because so much of queer history is our community events.” This approach frames ‘queer art’ not as a filter, but a method of expansion, seeing mediums that wouldn’t traditionally be perceived as pieces of experimental artwork and culture celebrated as such. The range that queer art encompasses can be seen in how the Queers and Wares Market saw a host of plush toys, prints and pottery made by local queer creators (more often than not, frog or mushroom themed. The gays love goblincore!)

My flatmate and I spent the night after the Queers and Wares Market continuing to roam Karangahape Road. Over at Studio One Toi Tū’s pop-up, an exhibition of various photographs taken by Fiona Clark were shown, chronicling Auckland's late 70s queer community that’s explored further in the documentary Fiona Clark: Unafraid. Under the same roof, Art Chemist was running at a stripped back desk in the corner. The interactive and free theatre performance sees clients consulted on their current energy levels and emotions, which leads to them being prescribed a new piece of local art to discover and enjoy. My chronically tired self got recommended “Pride and Prejudice Part One”, over at Bergman Gallery - an exhibition I hadn’t heard of before and was excited to see. All of this and more is what encompasses queer art; the variety, passion and strength of our community coming together as one - even in the face of adversity.

I started planning this piece in late January, intending to ruminate on how Covid restricted the last two pride festivals, and how the 2023 festival was unleashed in its full force - but that didn’t happen. The floods in Auckland saw many of the festival's early events cancelled or postponed, and just as it felt like the dust was about to settle, Cyclone Gabrielle rose from the floodwaters to lash out on our poor, fragile city even more. A point Tommy made to me, just a day before the worst of our floods, was that All My Friends and Auckland Pride just wanted to see ‘Lychee Baybee’

and the rest of the remaining festival through, after having just cancelled the year before. And you know what? They did. ‘Lychee Baybee’ went on without a hitch, and so did the rest of the festival whenever it was safe and secure. Even the outdoor “Big Gay Out" music festival was postponed out of the typical pride period to the 12th of March (which means that you, dear reader, can still have a gay ol’ time over in Coyle Park!)

Of course, Auckland Pride has faced difficulties this year, hence the continued air of activism. We still see marches, protests and discussions on how rainbow and

takatāpui rights can be improved and protected in Aotearoa - in a political climate where hate speech reforms have been delayed, with serious effects on our community. But we can still celebrate our achievements and what we have, even if we have to break the rules a little bit. If everything was fine, then we wouldn’t need Auckland Pride. But for as long as we still need it, the organisation will continue to exist and fill out the gaps of heteronormative society.

You’re not ‘straight-acting’, you’re just gay.

By Joel Armstrong (he/they)

‘Straight-acting’ is a phrase you see all the time on dating apps like Grindr and Scruff. But what the hell does it mean? If you’re gay, you’re gay, right? Here’s why I think it's dumb.

‘Straight-acting’ means that you, as a gay man, present yourself as more ‘masculine’. Walking down the street, no one would bat an eye. You don’t talk a certain way, you aren’t overly expressive with hand gestures or body language and you’re not obsessed with Taylor Swift. Which is fine! But, why do you think it’s better to act like a bloke? You’re as bad as homophobes when they see an ‘effeminate’ gay man and say “Be normal, act like the rest of us”. I hate to break it to you, but you’re just as gay as James Charles and Frankie Grande.

Using the term ‘straight-acting’ also places straight men in a strange box of masculinity. It assumes that all straight men are masc - which is a very black and white way of looking at gender and sexuality. Masculinity can manifest itself in many different ways. I have straight friends who dress against conventional gender norms. Does that mean that they aren’t ‘straight-acting’? They’re definitely more ‘straight-acting’ than anyone on Grindr because, you know, they’re actually straight.

Even if we were to say that ‘straight-acting’ embodies stereotypical masculinity, what niche of masculinity are we talking about? Tradies who sink a box every Friday night? Guys who spend all their time making Legos - and show their girlfriends after a big day on site? Car guys? Gym bros? Guys with decent graphic cards? Gymnasts? Cyclists? Ballroom dancers? Like I’ve said before, masculinity manifests itself differently in different people.

Masculinity within the gay community is also very different. It can be more traditional than how straight men perceive it, almost hyper-masculine. We're talking big, burly and hairy blokes with thick beards. They're tatted up, wear leather and love rugby. This is an aesthetic many straight men are shying away from these days. So, is it really 'straight-acting'?

I know I’ve stereotyped everyone and everything in this ramble of an article, but that’s the point. Calling yourself ‘straight-acting’ is stupid, because it’s just identifying with a bunch of stereotypes associated with straight men, rather than gay men. We shouldn’t pine to be something we’re not. We should feel comfortable and happy with how we choose to identify within masculinity. If you want to identify yourself as a ‘masculine guy’ then go all out, but stop calling yourself ‘straight-acting’ because you’re not. If you were, you wouldn’t be on these apps in the first place.

APPLY NOW & DOODLE YOUR WAY TO THE WORLD FINAL IN AMSTERDAM BY

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DEBATE

General Election Debate 2023 - UoA Debating Society

Auckland University

Tuesday, February 28th

Free!

With the general election imminent, during a particularly turbulent time in politics - get a head start on who’s who at the 2023 General Election Debate this Tuesday. Host Jack Tame will pull no punches, asking representatives from New Zealand's major political parties tough questions to uncover each party's vision for the future of Aotearoa.

Free entry - so first in, first served.

Director Spotlight: Paul Thomas Anderson

Academy Cinemas

Thursday March 2nd - Sunday March 5th

$14 Student concession

Paul Thomas Anderson’s depictions of alienated, dysfunctional characters on the fringes of society have earned him many accolades and the reputation of being one our best contemporary filmmakers.

Catch Hard Eight, Punch-Drunk Love, Magnolia and Inherent Vice playing at Academy from this Thursday.

MARKET

First Thursdays

Karangahape Road

Thursday, March 2nd

Free!

A monthly celebration in the cultural hub of central Tāmaki. Live music, markets and food stalls.

Highlights:

Live music @ Pocket Park stage 4:30-8pm

Comedy @ Whammy Bar 8-9:30pm

St Kevins night market 6-10pm

Drug checking at The Hemp Store 3-7pm

Starts at 5pm, check online for full schedule.

SURF

International Wāhine Day Group Surf

Mount Maunganui

Sunday, March 5th

Free (RSVP)

In the lead up to International Wāhine Day, Climax Surf Wax are hosting a group surf at Mount Maunganui this Sunday morning! Take a trip to the Mount for a beautiful morning with other like-minded wāhine out on the water! There’ll be free surf wax, snacks, in-water photographers and group lunch. Starts early!

AKL - TĀMAKI MAKAURAU

G G ig u id e * *

MARCH 2023

Pavement

Where? Civic Theatre

When? Tuesday, March 7th Cost? $100

Where? Powerstation

When? Wednesday, March 8th Cost? $65

Where? Tuning Fork

When? Thursday, March 9th Cost? $45

Cross Street Music Festival

Where? Cross Street

When? Saturday, March 11th

Cost? $90

Men I Trust

Where? Powerstation

When? Thursday, March 16th Cost? $64.90

Where? Town Hall

When? Thursday, March 23rd Cost? $75

Julia Jacklin

Blam Blam Blam

TĀMAKI MAKAURAU - AKL

Kurt Vile