1972

Gay Liberation Front established in Auckland by Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Nigel Baumber, Ray Waru and others. 40 people attend the first meeting, 70 the second. In 1973, it become Gay Liberation Auckland Inc. and lasts until 1977.

1972

University of Canterbury Gay Activists Society (later Gay University Students' Society - GUSS) formed by Lindsay Taylor and Robin Duff.

1972

University Gay Liberation Auckland formed. (It lasts until 1981)

1972

Auckland Gay Liberation (led by Ngahuia Te Awekotuku and Nigel Baumber) disrupt an Auckland meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards addressed by Patricia Bartlett (but the stupid TV reporter had sent the camera crew home).

1972

Gay Liberation Front, Victoria University of Wellington, established. It lasts until 1974.

1972

Gay Liberation Front, Christchurch, established. It lasts until 1978.

1972

Gay Liberation Front, Hamilton, formed.

1972

March

Ngahuia Te Awekotuku is refused a visa by the US as a "known sexual deviant." (Three years later it grants her multiple entry to pursue her PhD)

1972

April

First national Women's Liberation conference. Some women walk out of the first programme, delivered by a lesbian. Gay Liberation women hold a workshop.

1972

June

First Gay Week

1972

July

The feminist magazine "Broadsheet" is started in Auckland. It lasts until July 1997

1972

July

16

Gay Liberation Front (Gay Lib) Wellington established. It is active until 1978 and goes into recess in 1980.

1972

August

The first National Gay and Lesbian Conference is held in Auckland. (They are held every year except 1983 till 1989)

1973

First United Women's Convention has a workshop for "homosexual" women

1973

Victoria University Feminist Group formed.

1973

University of Canterbury Gay Activists' Society formed.

1973

Gay Pride Week held in Wellington

1973

In a local access TV interview, mountaineer Hugh Wilson tells of his life and hopes, ends by saying the remaining mountain to climb is "being a homosexual". The closing credit is for Christchurch Gay Liberation.

1973

mid

Sisters for Homophile Equality, Canterbury, one of the earliest specifically lesbian groups, formed. SHE were the only groups in NZ to use the word "homophile" in their names.

1973

November

Rotorua Gay Liberation Front formed. Shortlived.

1973

late

Sisters for Homophile Equality (S.H.E.) formed in Wellington by Alison Laurie and other lesbians dissatisfied by the male politics of the gay liberation movement.

1973

December

S.H.E. Wellington begins publishing the first national lesbian magazine, "The Circle" (renamed "Lesbian-feminist Circle" in 1977)

1973

June

Broadsheet cover shows two lesbians: "Gay women are sisters"

1973

late

S.H.E. in Wellington (later called Wellington Lesbians) and Christchurch set up phone lines for information and support.

1974

early

Jill Hannah and Robyn Sivewright start Herstory Press in Aro St, Wellington. It continues till 1980.

1974

Gay Liberation Nelson established.

1974

Radical feminist camps at Wainuiomata and Glentui, North Canterbury.

1974

Lesbians from S.H.E., radical feminists and Socialist Action League open a Women's Centre in Christchurch.

1974

March

Lesbian club forms in Wellington. It lasts till May 1977

1974

March

Gay Feminist Collective formed

1974

March

First National Lesbian Conference, Auckland

1974

March

S.H.E Christchurch, Gay Activists' Society and Gay Liberation Front talk to a Lincoln High School liberal studies class.

1974

March

Auckland University Gay Liberation lesbians form Gay Feminist Collective.

1974

April

"Circle" magazine marked "strictly not for men" - later "women only"

1974

July

Venn Young (National, Waitotara) introduces the Crimes Amendment Bill, with an age of consent of 21.

1974

PM Norman Kirk opposes the Venn Young Bill, saying homosexuality is "unnatural" (and your chronicler joins HLRS in protest).

1975

The Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) is established in Christchurch.

1975

Carmen says she knows of gay and bisexual MPs, is required to apologise by Parliament's Privileges Committee.

1975

Gay Liberation Front Taranaki (GLT) is formed. In 1976 becomes the Taranaki Gay Society.

1975

February

Second National Lesbian Conference held

1975

February

Lesbians of SHE, Christchurch, are heavily involved in organising the first Women's Refuge conference.

1975

March

Lesbians at a Radical Feminist weekend in Hamilton issue a statement that "to be a consistent feminist, one must be a lesbian". Heterosexual feminists disagree

1975

May

Dorian Society established in Christchurch

1975

June

200 women attend lesbian feminist workshop at the United Women's Convention in Wellington. Lesbians are asked to remove a "Lesbian Nation" banner from public view.

1975

July

Select committee reports back on Venn Young Bill, reduces age of consent from 21 to 20, does not adopt any of Gay Liberation's suggestions. Gay Liberation demonstrates against the Bill.

1975

July

Gerald Wall (Labour, Porirua) moves a draconian amendment to the Venn Young Bill, making any communication to under 20s that homosexuality is "normal" punishable by two years' gaol.

1975

July

4

The Venn Young Bill is defeated 34 to 29. The high abstention rate - 23 - is widely criticised.

1975

November

Robin Duff stands in the General Election as an openly gay candidate for Values, Christchurch Central

1975

New Zealand Gay News first published.

1976

Gay Teachers and Students Union formed in Christchurch (becomes Gays in Education 1981)

1976

"Truth" newspaper springs (outs) Marilyn Waring (National, Waipa). She steadfastly refuses to comment.

1976

The first feminist bookshop, Daybreak, opens in Dunedin. It continues till 1982.

1976

A women's art magazine "Spiral" begins.

1976

April

A Radical Feminist Caucus is organised by mostly lesbian Wellington Feminist Collective. It puts out several issues of a magazine, "Diana Marvel Speaks".

1976

June

At a National Radical Feminist Caucus, Auckland lesbians demand a lesbian-only caucus.

1976

June

Wellington Gay Liberation activists picket the National Party conference in Rotorua.

1976

September, October

The Back Street Theatre, formed by the National Radical Feminist Caucus, tours the country, presenting women's issues to astonished provincial audiences.

1976

October

20

At the fifth National Gay and Lesbian Conference in Wellington, Christchurch activists form the National Gay Rights Coalition

1976

November

7

Robert Muldoon (National, Tamaki) accuses Minister of Agriculture Colin Moyle of having been "picked up for homosexual practices" in 1975, beginning the "Moyle affair".

1977

January

8-9

First meeting to set up the National Gay Rights Coalition

1977

The Alliance Group (later Otago Gay Equality Society) is formed in Dunedin.

1977

OUT!" magazine first published, superseding NZ Gay News.

1977

Manawatu Gay Rights Association (MAGRA, later MALGRA) formed.

1977

Wanganui Gay Rights Group formed (lasts until1984)

1977

Victoria University Labour Party Branch is among those who lobby for sexual orientation to be included in the Human Rights Commission Bill.

1977

The Amazons lesbian softball team is formed in Wellington. (An Auckland team, Circe, forms later) Earlier cricket and hockey teams were not openly lesbian.

1977

In Wellington, the Women's Domestic Purposes Benefit Action Group is formed.

1977

Lesbians demand and get the removal of male reporters from the United Women's Convention in Christchurch. Linda Evans is the first open lesbian to address the full convention.

1977

Wanganui lesbians and gay men organise public activities for Gay Pride Week.

1977

National Gay Rights Coalition founds Lesbian and Gay Archive of NZ. Glenda Gale initially catalogues and organises the collection.

1977

January-February

Campaign to Oppose Persecution, a front for Gay Liberation Wellington, formed to oppose the use of homosexuality in scandal.

1977

January

A lesbian summer camp is held at Glentui, North Canterbury.

1977

February

Hawkes Bay Gay Society (a social club) established (dissolved 1985)

1977

February

Gay Liberation pickets the Labour Party conference for failing to defend Colin Moyle or Gerald O'Brien against charges of homosexuality.

1977

March

The Christchurch Women's Liberation Collective is formed

1977

April

A radical lesbian theory group, Lesbians Ignite Fire Brigade, is formed in Wellington after the United Women's Convention.

1977

May

Lesbians picket Parliament for repeal of the abortion laws.

1977

May

Lesbians picket a brutally anti-woman film, "The Mutilator". Several are arrested but all charges are dismissed after police evidence is shown to be absurd (one woman said to have three ams).

1977

mid

Minister of Agriculture Colin Moyle resigns from Parliament.

1977

July

1

Nationally co-ordinated Gay Pride Week

1977

July

Parliament refuses to include sexual orientation as grounds for protection against discrimination in the new Human Rights Commission Act.

1977

September

Lesbians Ignite Fire Brigade puts a "Lesbians Are Everywhere" banner on Queen Victoria's statue in Wellington.

1977

October

National Gay Rights Coalition Conference

1977

November

In Auckland, three Maori lesbians organise the first women-only Maori women's conference.

1977

late

A lesbian club is started in Christchurch. It lasts two weeks.

1977-8

Several gay men camp at Vinegar Hill (Pütai Ngähere) domain near Hunterville, beginning an annual New Year gathering that grows to several hundred gay men and a few lesbians in the 1980s and 1990s.

1978

Taranaki Gay Society established (lasts until 1979).

1978

Gay Rights of Waikato established (dissolved 1980).

1978

Otago Gay Support Group formed (it lasts until 1981).

1978

The Lesbian Project (including women with young sons) is formed after a split with Wellington lesbians over the issue of boys at lesbian-only events.

1978

The first Women's Studies Association Conference is held in Hamilton. (Lesbian caucuses are held at later conferences.)

1978

The "Broadsheet" magazine collective is split over lesbian issues: four lesbians leave. Many lesbians dykecott "Broadsheet" intermittently therearfter.

1978

Victoria Club formed in Wellington.

1978

March

Laetus Social Club established in Auckland (dissolved December 12, 1983)

1978

June

Second National Gay Pride Week includes Blue Jeans Day in Wellington (people wishing to identify as Gay/Lesbian were to wear blue jeans)

1978

November

Robin Duff in Christchurch Central and Sandy Gauntlett in Waitakere stand in the general election as openly gay candidates for the Values Party,

1978

November

National Gay Rights Coalition advertisement rejected by Radio Hauraki (Auckland), Radio Windy (Wellington), Radio Avon (Christhchurch) and the Southland Times.

1978

November

27

(US: Openly gay supervisor (city councillor) Harvey Milk is shot in San Francisco.)

1978

December

1-3

First NZ Men's Conference, opened by Robin Duff

1978

December

11

(2.30pm) Robin Duff, Gavin Young, Mike Waghorn and Jack Goodwin demand antidiscrimination on the basis of international law (flummoxing Human Rights Commissioner Pat Downey, who expected to demand instances of discrimination.)

1979

Warren Freer (Labour, Mt Albert) introduces a Crimes Amendment Bill with an age of consent of 20. The Bill is conservative, and not supported by many gay organisations.