kiwi
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Location: New Zealand
Registered: August 2009
Messages: 317
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Today is the 9th of July, (it may not be yet where you are, but don't worry you'll catch up). Today is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill which decriminalised consensual sex between males aged over 16 years in New Zealand - only a blip on the world's radar but it was a huge thing for us.
In the 16 month campaigns leading up to the bill's passing there was huge controversy and prolonged debate. Two petitions, (on paper - how quaint!), were circulated and presented to parliament, one in support of reform and one against. The one in support had 800,000 signatures - not bad when you consider that the population at the time was only about 3 million and at least half of them would've been children.
The 'anti' campaign was headed by the Coalition of Concerned Citizens, a specially formed group headed by Reformed Churches and Pentecostal Christians. Some of this group later went into politics as the Christian Heritage Party, later renamed Christian Heritage New Zealand and now defunct as their leader, Graham Capill, was convicted of multiple sex offences against girls under 12 years of age and is currently serving a 9 year jail sentence.
Civilisation as we knew it did not come to an end, as was predicted, and today we can celebrate 25 years of equal rights. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5259144/25-years-of-gay-rights-in-New-Zealand
I am definitely not an up-front campaigning type person but it amazes me how many of the people in that article i've known. New Zealand really is a village sometimes.
cheers
Commas matter - 'Party on Dudes' is not the same as 'Party on, Dudes'
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